God’s Word Translation
Psalms 104:14
14You make grass grow for cattle and make vegetables for humans to use in order to get food from the ground.
Psalms 104:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
- New International Version (NIV)He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth:
- English Standard Version (ESV)You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth
- New King James Version (NKJV)He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the service of man, That he may bring forth food from the earth,
Context of Psalms 104:14
12The birds live by the streams. They sing among the branches. 13You water the mountains from your home above. You fill the earth with the fruits of your labors. You make grass grow for cattle and make vegetables for humans to use in order to get food from the ground. 15You make wine to cheer human hearts, olive oil to make faces shine, and bread to strengthen human hearts. 16The Lord’s trees, the cedars in Lebanon which he planted, drink their fill.
Read all of Psalms 104Psalms 104:14 word by word
מַצְמִ֤יחַ חָצִ֨יר׀ לַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וְ֭עֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הָאָדָ֑ם לְה֥וֹצִיא לֶ֝֗חֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- He causeth the grassחָצִירchâtsîyr · grassH2682
- to growצָמַחtsâmach · to springH6779
- for the cattleבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- and herbעֵ֫שֶׂב‛eώeb · vegetationH6212
- for the serviceעֲבֹדָה‛ăbôdâh ‛ăbôdâh · service: workH5656
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- that he may bring forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- foodלֶ֫חֶםlechem · foodH3899
- out of the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for Psalms 104:14
- Psalms 145:15The eyes of all creatures look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
- Psalms 147:8He covers the sky with clouds. He provides rain for the ground. He makes grass grow on the mountains.
- Genesis 1:11Then God said, “Let the earth produce vegetation: plants bearing seeds, each according to its own type, and fruit trees bearing fruit with seeds, each according to its own type.” And so it was.
- Genesis 2:5Wild bushes and plants were not on the earth yet because the Lord God hadn’t sent rain on the earth. Also, there was no one to farm the land.
- 1 Kings 18:5Ahab told Obadiah, “Let’s go throughout the countryside to every spring and stream. If we can find grass, then we can keep the horses and mules alive and not lose any animals.”
- Jeremiah 14:5Even deer in the fields give birth and abandon their young because there’s no grass.
- Joel 2:22Wild animals, do not be afraid. The pastures in the wilderness have turned green. The trees have produced their fruit. There are plenty of figs and grapes.
- Genesis 1:29God said, “I have given you every plant with seeds on the face of the earth and every tree that has fruit with seeds. This will be your food.
- Genesis 2:9The Lord God made all the trees grow out of the ground. These trees were nice to look at, and their fruit was good to eat. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil grew in the middle of the garden.
- Genesis 3:18The ground will grow thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat wild plants.
- Genesis 9:3Everything that lives and moves will be your food. I gave you green plants as food; I now give you everything else.
- Psalms 136:25He gives food to every living creature— because his mercy endures forever.
- Genesis 4:12When you farm the ground, it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a fugitive, a wanderer on the earth.”
- Job 28:5“Above the ground food grows, but beneath it the food decays as if ⌞it were burned⌟ by fire.
- 1 Corinthians 3:7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is important because ⌞only⌟ God makes it grow.
Commentaries on Psalms 104:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle - Doth God care for oxen? Yes, and there is not a beast of the field that does not share his merciful regards. And herb for the serviee of man - Plants, esculent herbs, and nutritive grain in general; and thus he brings forth food (לחם lechem, bread) out of the earth. In the germination and growth of a grain of wheat there is a profusion of miracles. God takes care of man, and of all those animals which are so…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle - Out of the earth there is caused to grow every variety of food necessary for the various orders of beings that are placed upon it. The idea here is not merely that of “abundance;” it is also that of “variety:” the needs and tastes of all have been consulted in the productions of the earth. The one earth - the same earth - has been made to produce the endless varieties of food required for the creatures that…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-18Verses 10-18 When we reflect upon the provision made for all creatures, we should also notice the natural worship they render to God. Yet man, forgetful ungrateful man, enjoys the largest measure of his Creator's kindness. the earth, varying in different lands. Nor let us forget spiritual blessings; the fruitfulness of the church through grace, the bread of everlasting life, the cup of salvation, and the oil of gladness. Does God provide for the inferior…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14for man to cultivate: People are the managers of the created order, and they receive nourishment from the work of their hands.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1514-15. so that men and beasts are abundantly provided with food. for the service--literally, "for the culture," &c., by which he secures the results. oil ... shine--literally, "makes his face to shine more than oil," that is, so cheers and invigorates him, that outwardly he appears better than if anointed. strengtheneth ... heart--gives vigor to man (compare Jud 19:5).Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 104:14
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 104
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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