Psalms 104 · Verse 20

Psalms 104:20

Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
Psalms 104:20, King James Version

Psalms 104:20 in other translations

BSBYou bring darkness, and it becomes night, when all the beasts of the forest prowl.
WEBYou make darkness, and it is night, in which all the animals of the forest prowl.
ASVThou makest darkness, and it is night, Wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
YLTThou settest darkness, and it is night, In it doth every beast of the forest creep.
DARBYThou makest darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth:
BBEWhen you make it dark, it is night, when all the beasts of the woods come quietly out of their secret places.
WebsterThou makest darkness, and it is night: in which all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

What does Psalms 104:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 104:20-23
20-23. He provides and adapts to man's wants the appointed times and seasons.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Thou makest darkness - It is not the design of God that there should be either constant darkness or constant light. That man may labor, he gives him, by means of the sun, the light of the day; and that he may rest from his labor, and get his strength recruited, he gives him night, and comparative darkness. And as it would not be convenient for man and the wild beasts of the forest to collect their food at the same time, he has given the night to them as the proper time to procure their prey, and the day to rest in. When Man labors, They rest; when Man rests, They labor.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 104:19-30

We are to praise and magnify God for the constant succession of day and night. And see how those are like to the wild beasts, who wait for the twilight, and have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Does God listen to the language of mere nature, even in ravenous creatures, and shall he not much more interpret favourably the language of grace in his own people, though weak and broken groanings which…

Read the full comment on Psalms 104:19-30 →

Psalms 104:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

תָּֽשֶׁת\־ta.shet-you makeH7896
חֹ֭שֶׁךְCho.shekhdarknessH2822
וִ֣יהִיVi.hiand it may beH1961
לָ֑יְלָהLa.ye.lahnightH3915
בּֽוֹ\־bov-in it
תִ֝רְמֹ֗שׂtir.Mosit moves aboutH7430
כָּל\־kol-everyH3605
חַיְתוֹ\־chay.tov-animal ofH2416
יָֽעַר\׃Ya.'ar[the] forestH3293

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 104:20

  • Isaiah 45:7

    I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

  • Psalms 74:16

    The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.

  • Genesis 1:4-5

    And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

  • Genesis 8:22

    While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

  • Psalms 50:10

    For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

  • Psalms 139:10-12

    Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

  • Amos 1:13

    Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of the children of Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
makest.
74:16; 139:10-12; Ge 1:4,5; 8:22; Isa 45:7; Am 1:13
of the forest do creep forth. Heb. thereof do trample on theforest.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 104:19

    He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

  • Psalms 104:20

    Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

  • Psalms 104:21

    The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

Read all of Psalms 104

Psalms 104:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pone las tinieblas, y es la noche: en ella corretean todas las bestias de la selva.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Tu amènes les ténèbres, et la nuit arrive: alors toutes les bêtes de la forêt sont en mouvement;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Du machst Finsternis, und es wird Nacht; in ihr regen sich alle Tiere des Waldes;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Misit rex, et solvit eum; princeps populorum, et dimisit eum.