Psalm 33:6-9
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 in storehouses.
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.
