Bible Strands
Psalms 147:8
who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the hills.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses the worshiping community during a liturgical call to praise, situated between a command to sing thanksgiving (Psalms 147:7) and a declaration of God feeding the young ravens (Psalms 147:9).
The words — מְכַסֶּה (me.kha.Seh) means "covers," describing the active veiling of the heavens. מַצְמִיחַ (matz.Mi.ach) translates as "causes to sprout," denoting direct divine agency over plant growth on the hills.
The thread — This depiction of God's control over weather and vegetation appears in Job 5:10, Psalms 65:9, and Genesis 9:14.
Why it lands — The passage demands recognition that atmospheric and agricultural provision are direct divine acts, establishing the factual basis for the worship commanded in the surrounding verses.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
Cross-references
- Job 5:10 He gives rain to the earth and sends water upon the fields.
- Psalms 65:9 You attend to the earth and water it; with abundance You enrich it. The streams of God are full of water, for You prepare our grain by providing for the earth.
- Genesis 9:14 Whenever I form clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,
- Job 26:8 He wraps up the waters in His clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their own weight.
- Matthew 5:45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
- Acts 14:17 Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”
- 1 Kings 18:44 On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
- Job 36:27 For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,
- Job 38:24 In which direction is the lightning dispersed, or the east wind scattered over the earth?
- Psalms 104:13 He waters the mountains from His chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of His works.