Psalm 33:6-9

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KJV

⁶ By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
⁷ He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.
⁸ Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
⁹ For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.           (KJV)

JPS

⁷ He heaps up the ocean waters like a mound, stores the deep in vaults.

NET

⁷ He piles up the water of the sea; he puts the oceans^[a] in storehouses.

[a] tn Or "watery depths." The form תְּהוֹמוֹת (téhomot, "watery depths") is the plural form of תְּהוֹם (téhom, "great deep"; see Gen 1:2). [Gunkel identified language from ANE creation myth here. — BP]

This psalm alludes to Genesis chapter 1. Verse 6 of this psalm refers to both the second day (the creation of the firmament) and the fourth day (the great lights and stars put in the firmament) in Genesis, while verse 7 refers to the first part of the third day.

Verse 9 of this psalm is sometimes used out of context as a proof text of an "instantaneous" creation, but a cursory reading shows that the psalm celebrates the on-going goodness of the LORD as both Creator and Sustainer, celebrating his relationship with those who "fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy"(v. 18) — note the present tense (gathereth, layeth KJV, piles, puts JPS, NET) in v.7! It covers a period of three days in the week of Genesis 1 and does not add to the meaning of Genesis or entitle us to impose a particular meaning of instantaneity on Genesis. See F. F. Bruce, Word and Wisdom.

See also Psalm 33:13-15 and Created, Formed and Made.

— Bruce (talk) July - November 2018 (UTC)