The Meaning of Psalms 104:26 Explained

Psalms 104:26

KJV: There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

YLT: There do ships go: leviathan, That Thou hast formed to play in it.

Darby: There go the ships; there that leviathan, which thou hast formed to play therein.

ASV: There go the ships; There is leviathan, whom thou hast formed to play therein.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

There go  the ships:  [there is] that leviathan,  [whom] thou hast made  to play  therein. 

What does Psalms 104:26 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 104:26 mean?

There the ships sail about [There is] that Leviathan which You have made to play there
שָׁ֭ם אֳנִיּ֣וֹת יְהַלֵּכ֑וּן לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן זֶֽה־ יָצַ֥רְתָּ לְשַֽׂחֶק־ בּֽוֹ

אֳנִיּ֣וֹת  the  ships 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֳנִיָּה  
Sense: ship.
יְהַלֵּכ֑וּן  sail  about 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן  [There  is]  that  Leviathan 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לִוְיָתָן  
Sense: leviathan, sea monster, dragon.
יָצַ֥רְתָּ  You  have  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵר 
Sense: to form, fashion, frame.
לְשַֽׂחֶק־  to  play 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׂחַק  
Sense: to laugh, play, mock.