Psalms 107:29
He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Matthew 8:26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.Psalms 65:7Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.Psalms 89:9Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.Jonah 1:15So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
Historical Context
Jesus calming the storm fulfilled this pattern (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25). The disciples marveled: 'What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?' The answer: He's the Creator whose word commands nature. For storm-tossed disciples and later storm-experiencing church, this demonstrated Jesus' divine power and availability in crisis. God's storm-calming continues figuratively—He brings peace to life's chaotic circumstances.
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's instant calming of storms demonstrate His sovereignty?
- In what ways does Jesus' storm-calming reveal His divine identity?
- How does God bring calm to the spiritual and emotional storms believers face?
Analysis & Commentary
This verse describes God's deliverance from storm. 'He maketh the storm a calm' shows instant transformation. 'Maketh' (qum, קוּם) means He causes to stand or establishes—He institutes calm. 'Storm' becomes 'calm' (demamah, דְּמָמָה), meaning silence, whisper, or stillness—the same word for 'still small voice' after Elijah's storm (1 Kings 19:12). 'So that the waves thereof are still' uses chashak (חָשַׁךְ), meaning hushed or quieted. The raging chaos becomes peaceful quiet. This demonstrates divine authority over creation's fury. Jesus' command 'Peace, be still' (Mark 4:39) echoes this—creation obeys the Creator's word instantly.