The Meaning of Psalms 104:32 Explained

Psalms 104:32

KJV: He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

YLT: Who is looking to earth, and it trembleth, He cometh against hills, and they smoke.

Darby: He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; he toucheth the mountains, and they smoke.

ASV: Who looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; He toucheth the mountains, and they smoke.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He looketh  on the earth,  and it trembleth:  he toucheth  the hills,  and they smoke. 

What does Psalms 104:32 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 104:24-35 - The Almighty's Open Hand
The psalmist says nothing of the operation of the great laws of nature, but passes behind and beyond to the Great Hand which opens to fill and satisfy all living things with good. The personality of God is the moving force behind the thin veil of outward appearance. This is in striking contrast with much of the thinking and speaking of the present day, which practically exclude the Creator from his own creation. But there is no real opposition between the two conceptions. Natural law is only another way of stating the usual method of God's working. There is no variableness in Him, nor shadow cast by turning; and it is because we can count on His unaltering methods that human life can develop regularly and successfully.
While all creation waits on the opening of God's hand, man alone can adore Him. We stand in the midst of creation as its high priest and interpreter. We can say to God what nature longs to express but cannot. Amid the beauty and magnificence of natural scenery, let us sing the "Te Deum;" and let us believe that He who rejoices in His works comes very near us in our joy, which proves that our nature and His are closely akin. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 104

1  A meditation upon the mighty power
7  And wonderful providence of God
31  God's glory is eternal
33  The prophet vows perpetually to praise God

What do the individual words in Psalms 104:32 mean?

He looks on the earth and it trembles He touches the hills and they smoke
הַמַּבִּ֣יט לָ֭אָרֶץ וַתִּרְעָ֑ד יִגַּ֖ע בֶּהָרִ֣ים וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ

הַמַּבִּ֣יט  He  looks 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָבַט  
Sense: to look, regard.
לָ֭אָרֶץ  on  the  earth 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וַתִּרְעָ֑ד  and  it  trembles 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: רָעַד  
Sense: to tremble, quake.
יִגַּ֖ע  He  touches 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
בֶּהָרִ֣ים  the  hills 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ  and  they  smoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשַׁן  
Sense: to smoke, be angry, be wroth.