Psalms 98:7 — Word Study
WLCיִרְעַ֣ם הַ֭יָּם וּמְלֹא֑וֹ תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל וְיֹ֣שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ׃
BSALet the seayâm [roar, be thundering] resoundrâʻam▸ and all that fills itmᵉlôʼ [is full of, has a large quantity of] the worldtêbêl [earth, all inhabitants] and all who dwellyâshab [sit, remain, abide]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יִרְעַ֣ם | let it thunder | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| הַ֭יָּם | the sea | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וּמְלֹא֑וֹ | and what fills it | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל | [the] world | Noun common, feminine singular construct |
| וְיֹ֣שְׁבֵי | and [those who] dwell | Conjunction, verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common |
| בָֽהּ׃ | in it | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Let the sea resound, and all that fills it, the world, and all who dwell in it. |
| KJV | Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. |
| ASV | Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein; |
| YLT | Roar doth the sea and its fulness, The world and the inhabitants in it. |
| WEB | Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein. |
| BBE | Let the sea be thundering, with all its waters; the world, and all who are living in it; |
Translations agree on the rendering of יִרְעַ֣ם — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is supported by several noun phrases that elaborate on what is called to praise.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbרָעַם
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 98:7
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — A Call to Creationgenerated
Psalm 98:7 is part of a larger psalm that celebrates the Lord's kingship and His coming judgment. The psalmist encourages all of creation, including the sea and its fullness, to express joy and praise before the Lord. This theme of creation rejoicing is echoed in other psalms, such as Psalm 96:11, where the heavens and earth are called to be glad.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 96:11–99 | Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea resound, and all that fills it. |
| 2 | Psalm 97:1 | The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the distant shores be glad. |
| 3 | Isaiah 49:13 | Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; break forth in song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and He will have compassion on His afflicted ones. |
| 4 | Isaiah 61:11 | For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden enables seed to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יִרְעַ֣ם, yir.'Amgenerated
The verb רָעַם (ra`am) means 'to thunder' and conveys a sense of making a loud, rumbling sound. It can also imply agitation or anger, often associated with God's powerful voice. The parsing indicates it is a Qal imperfect verb, third person masculine singular, suggesting an ongoing or future action.
In this verse, it calls for the sea to make a thunderous sound, emphasizing the majesty and power of God as the Creator. The use of this verb captures the intensity of the sea's response to God’s authority.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יִרְעַ֣ם governs the main clause, calling the sea to respond. The structure includes several noun phrases that detail what is to resound: the sea, all that fills it, the world, and those who dwell in it.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes the sea first, highlighting its significance in the call to praise.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יִרְעַ֣ם with σαλευθήτω, meaning 'let it be stirred up'. This choice suggests a more dynamic action, implying movement and excitement in creation's response to God.
This translation indicates a broader interpretation, focusing on the stirring of the sea rather than just the sound of thunder.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 98:7 calls for the sea and everything in it to make a loud sound in praise of God. It emphasizes the joy of creation in recognizing the Lord's power and majesty, inviting all who live on the earth to join in this celebration.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To 'resound' means to make a loud, echoing noise, like thunder, expressing the joy and power of creation in response to God.
Including 'all who dwell in it' emphasizes that all of humanity is called to participate in the praise of God, alongside nature.
This verse is part of a psalm that celebrates God's kingship and His coming judgment, indicating that all creation rejoices in His authority.
Similar themes are found in Psalm 96:11 and Isaiah 49:13, where creation is called to rejoice in the Lord.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I observe and appreciate the beauty of creation as a reflection of God's glory?
- How does understanding creation's response to God influence my own worship?
- What are some practical ways I can join in the praise of God in my daily life?
- How do I see God's authority reflected in the world around me?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early church father Augustine of Hippo quotes this verse to illustrate the joy of creation in praising God, reflecting on how the sea and its fullness respond to the Lord.
While you are rejoicing, and delighted with the ductile trumpets, and the voice of the horn, what follows? "Let the sea be stirred up, and the fullness thereof" [Psalms 98:7].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 98 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 98:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleLet the sea roar, and the fulness thereof,.... [See comments on Psalms 96:11], the world, and they that dwell therein; men, the inhabitants of the world; that is, let them rejoice because this
Read John Gill on Psalms 98 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryLet the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. -As in the preceding strophe the intensity of the joy at the Lord's coming is set forth, so in this strophe its extent.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 98 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe fulness thereof; all those creatures wherewith it is replenished, which by a poetical strain are invited to praise God. See Poole "", See Poole "", See Poole "".
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 98 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 98:7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Ver. 7.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 98 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) See Psalms 96:11. “Listen! the mighty Being is awake And doth with His eternal motion make A sound like thunder everlastingly.” .
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 98 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 7. Let the sea roar] These are either fine poetic images; or, if we take them as referring to the promulgation of the Gospel, by the sea all maritime countries and commercial nations may be intended.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 98 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7–9. Let universal Nature swell the chorus of rejoicing.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 98 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleLet the sea roar, and the fulness thereof - See the notes at Psalms 96:11. The world, and they that dwell therein - The habitable world - the land - in contradistinction from the sea.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 98 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Let the sea resound, and all that fills it, the world, and all who dwell in it.
Let the sea roar with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein.
Let the sea resound, and all that fills it, the world, and all who dwell in it.
Let the sea and everything in it shout, along with the world and those who live in it!
Tyndale line
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein;
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein;
Let the sea roar, and the fullness of it, the world, and they that dwell therein.
Let the sea roare, and all that therein is, the world, and they that dwell therein.
Strictly literal
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein;
Roar doth the sea and its fulness, The world and the inhabitants in it.
The sea and its fullness roar, || The world and the inhabitants in it.
Let the sea roar, with all that filleth it; the world, with those that dwell therein.
Let the sea shout and everything in it, the world and those who live in it!
From the Latin
He spoke to them in the pillar of the cloud. They kept his testimonies, and the commandment which he gave them.
Simplified
Let the sea and everything in it shout with praise, together with the earth and everything living in it.
Let the sea be thundering, with all its waters; the world, and all who are living in it;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in their wording, with the Septuagint providing a dynamic equivalent that captures the essence of the Hebrew. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration by an editor but align with the Masoretic Text in meaning.
יִרְעַ֣ם הַ֭יָּם וּמְלֹא֑וֹ תֵּ֝בֵ֗ל וְיֹ֣שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[ירעם] הים ומלא׳ו [תבל] [וישבי] [ב׳ה]
2 words on the leather — 4 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 98:7
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רָעַם (ra`am) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to thunder.' It can refer to the sound of thunder or the act of causing thunder, with additional meanings of agitation or irritation. The entries indicate that it can be used in both the Qal and Hiphil forms, covering a range of meanings from making thunderous sounds to causing trembling.
[רָעַם] vb. denom. thunder
Qal make the sound of thunder, thunder
Hiph. thunder, cause to thunder
base
H7481 רָעַם vb. denom. thunder
7481 ra`am raw-am'
a primitive root; to tumble, i.e. be violently agitated;
specifically, to crash (of thunder); figuratively, to irritate
(with anger):--make to fret, roar, thunder, trouble.
רָעַם (ra.am) — to thunder.
1) to thunder
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to make the sound of thunder, thunder
1a2) to rage
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to thunder, cause thunder
1b2) to tremble, cause to tremble (by extension)
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
thun'-der (ra`am (1Sa 2:10; Job 26:14; 39:19; 40:9; Ps 77:18; 81:7; 104:7; Isa 29:6), qol, "a voice" (Ex 9:23; 1Sa 7:10; 12:17; Job 28:26; 38:25)): Thunder is the noise resulting from the lightning discharge. It is very common in the winter storms of Syria and Palestine and occurs in the extra-season storms. Thunder accompanied the storm of hail in Egypt at the time of the plagues: "The Lord sent thunder and hail" (Ex 9:23).
Thunder
Often referred to in Scripture (Job 40:9; Ps. 77:18; 104:7). James and John were called by our Lord “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17). In Job 39:19, instead of “thunder,” as in the Authorized Version, the Revised Version translates (ra’amah) by “quivering main” (marg., “shaking”). Thunder accompanied the giving of the law at Sinai (Ex. 19:16). It was regarded as the voice of God (Job 37:2; Ps. 18:13; 81:7; comp. John 12:29). In answer to Samuel’s prayer…
is hardly ever heard in Palestine form the middle of April to the middle of September; hence it was selected by Samuel as a striking expression of the divine displeasure toward the Israelites. (1 Samuel 12:17) Rain in harvest was deemed as extraordinary as snow in summer, (Proverbs 26:1) and Jerome states that he had never witnessed it in the latter part of June or in July. Comm. on (Amos 4:7) In the imaginative philosophy of the Hebrews, thunder was regarded as the voice of Jehovah, (Job 37:2,4,5; 40:9; Psalms 18:13; 29:3-9; Isaiah 30:30,31) who dwelt behind the thunder-cloud. (
And lightning are significant manifestations of the power of God, and emblems of his presence, Ex 19:16 1Sa 2:10 12:17 Ps 18:13. Thunder is poetically called "the voice of the Lord" in the sublime description of a thunder-storm in Ps 29:11;
"The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
The God of glory thundereth;
The Lord is upon many waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars;
Yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon," etc.
See also Job 37:1-5 40:9 Jer 10:13. In illustration of
יָם (yam) means 'sea' and refers to various large bodies of water, including the Mediterranean, Red, and Dead Seas, as well as the Sea of Galilee. It can also denote a mighty river like the Nile and has geographical implications, indicating directions such as west or south. The term is derived from a root meaning to roar, suggesting the noise of breaking surf.
יָם 390 n.m. sea
base
H3220 יָם sea
3220 yam yawm
from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in
noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the
article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or
an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the
south:--sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern,
side, -ward).
יָם (yam) — sea.
: sea
1) sea
1a) Mediterranean Sea
1b) Red Sea
1c) Dead Sea
1d) Sea of Galilee
1e) sea (general)
1f) mighty river (Nile)
1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)
1h) seaward, west, westward
יָם (yam) — sea: west.
: west
1) sea
1a) Mediterranean Sea
1b) Red Sea
1c) Dead Sea
1d) Sea of Galilee
1e) sea (general)
1f) mighty river (Nile)
1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)
1h) seaward, west, westward
יָם (yam) — (Mt. Ephron in the) West.
This name means sea, seaward, westward
Another name of eph.ron (עֶפְרוֹן "(Mount )Ephron" H6085H)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
se (yam; thalassa; in Ac 27:5 pelagos): The Mediterranean is called ha-yam ha-gadhol, "the great sea" (Nu 34:6; Jos 1:4; Eze 47:10, etc.); ha-yam ha-'acharon, "the hinder," or "western sea" (De 11:24; 34:2; Joe 2:20; Zec 14:8); yam pelishtim, "the sea of the Philis" (Ex 23:31); the King James Version translates yam yapho' in Ezr 3:7 by "sea of Joppa," perhaps rightly.
The sea, yam , is used in Scripture to denote-- "The gathering of the waters," "the Ocean." (Genesis 1:2,10; 30:13) etc. Some portion of this, as the Mediterranean Sea, called the "hinder," the "western" and the "utmost" sea, (11:24; 34:2; Joel 2:20) "sea of the Philistines," (Exodus 23:31) "the great sea," (Numbers 36:6,7; Joshua 15:47) "the sea." Genesis49:13; Psal 80:11 Also frequently of the Red Sea. (Exodus 15:4) [RED SEA SEA] Inland lakes termed seas, as the Salt or Dead Sea. [See the special article] Any…
The Hebrews give the name of sea to any large collection of water, Job 14:11; as to the lakes of Tiberias and Asphaltites, and also to the rivers Nile and Euphrates, Isa 11:15 18:2 21:1 Jer 51:36,42. The principal seas mentioned in Scripture are the following:
1. The GREAT SEA, the Mediterranean, called also the Hinder or Western Sea. Indeed, the Hebrew word for sea, meaning the Mediterranean, is often put for the west. The Great Sea is 2,200 miles long, and in the widest part 1,200 miles in width. In many places it is so deep as to give no soundings. It is little affected by tides, but is often agitated by violent winds. The prevailing direction of the wind in spring is from the southeast and southwest and from the northeast…
→ Creation of Ge 1:9,10; Ps 95:5; 148:4,5
→ Lake Galilee calmed by Jesus Mt 8:24-26; Mr 4:37-39
→ Jesus walked upon Lake Galilee Mt 14:25-31
מְלֹא (melo') refers to 'fulness' or 'that which fills.' It encompasses various meanings, including a handful, mass, or multitude. The term appears in contexts that highlight both literal and figurative senses of fullness, such as in Ezekiel 41:8. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
מְלֹא, [מְלוֹא] n.m. fulness, that which fills
fulness of hand (= handful)
mass of shepherds; multitude of nations
base
H4393 מְלֹא, מְלוֹא fulness, that which fills
4393 mlo' mel-o'
rarely mlowf {mel-o'}; or mlow (Ezekiel 41:8), {mel-o'}; from
4390; fulness (literally or figuratively):--X all along, X
all that is (there-)in, fill, (X that whereof...was) full,
fulness, (hand- )full, multitude.
see HEBREW for 04390
מְלֹא (me.lo) — fullness.
1) fulness, that which fills
1a) fulness, handful
1b) mass, multitude
1c) fulness, that which fills, entire contents
1d) full length, full line
Conj | N-ms | Suff — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms
תֵּבֵל (tebel) means 'world' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be moist.' It refers to the earth as a habitable place, encompassing both the globe and its inhabitants, and can specifically denote regions like Babylonia and Palestine. The entries consistently highlight its connection to the concept of a productive, inhabited land.
תֵּבֵל n.f. world (perh. orig. as productive)
base
H8398 תֵּבֵל world
8398 tebel tay-bale'
from 2986; the earth (as moist and therefore inhabited); by
extension, the globe; by implication, its inhabitants;
specifically, a partic. land, as Babylonia,
Palestine:--habitable part, world.
see HEBREW for 02986
תֵּבֵל (te.vel) — world.
world
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular constructHNcfsc
The earth on which we dwell, 1Sa 2:8; its inhabitants, Joh 3:16, or a large number of them, Joh 12:19. In several places it is equivalent to "land," meaning the Roman Empire, or Judea and its vicinity, Lu 2:1 4:3 Ac 11:28. It also denotes the objects and interests of time and sense, Ga 6:14 1Jo 2:15.
→ See EARTH
יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.
יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell
Qal
sit
sit, sit down
sit down
sit = be set (as a jewel)
remain, stay, tarry
with special emphasis of qualifying phr.
dwell, have one’s abode
of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited
Niph. be inhabited, of land
Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee
Hiph.
cause to sit
cause to abide
cause to dwell
cause cities to be inhabited
marry (prop. give a dwelling to)
Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land
base
H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell
3427 yashab yaw-shab'
a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as
judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to
remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)
abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease
self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)
inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),
(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),
(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),
take, tarry.
יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.
1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to sit, sit down
1a2) to be set
1a3) to remain, stay
1a4) to dwell, have one's abode
1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited
1c) (Piel) to set, place
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to sit
1d2) to cause to abide, set
1d3) to cause to dwell
1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited
1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)
1e) (Hophal)
1e1) to be inhabited
1e2) to make to dwell
Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)
Conj | V-Qal — Conjunction · verb qal participle (active) masculine plural commonHC/Vqrmpc
dwel:
(1) In the Old Testament "dwell" is a translation of 9 words, of which by far the most frequent is yashabh, "to sit down," translated "dwell" over 400 times (Ge 4:20; Jos 20:4; 1Ch 17:1,4,5, etc.); also very frequently "sit," and sometimes "abide," "inhabit," "remain." Another word often rendered "dwell" is shakhan or shakhen ("to settle down"), from which is derived the rabbinic word shekhinah (literally, "that which dwells"), the light on the mercy-seat which symbolized the Divine presence (Ex 25:8, etc.). In order to avoid appearing to localize the Divine Being, wherever God is said to "dwell" in a place, the Targum renders that He "causes His Shekinah to dwell"…
Dwell
Tents were in primitive times the common dwellings of men. Houses were afterwards built, the walls of which were frequently of mud (Job 24:16; Matt. 6:19, 20) or of sun-dried bricks.
God “dwells in light” (1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:7), in heaven (Ps. 123:1), in his church (Ps. 9:11; 1 John 4:12). Christ dwelt on earth in the days of his humiliation (John 1:14). He now dwells in the hearts of his people (Eph.…
הָ (ha) — her.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person feminine singular
HRd/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp3fs