by The sea, with its vastness, unpredictability, and mystery, plays a significant role throughout the Bible. From moments of chaos to scenes of divine intervention, the sea represents both God’s power and His provision.
The following passages highlight various encounters with the sea, and how it reflects spiritual truths about God’s sovereignty, authority, and presence in our lives. Each verse is accompanied by a brief commentary to provide insight into its spiritual depth and meaning.
Also Read: Bible Verses About The Sun
Bible Verses About The Sea
Genesis 1:10
“God called the dry land Earth, and the gathered waters He called Seas. And God saw that this was good (pleasing, useful, and suitable).”
Commentary: This verse reminds us that God is the ultimate Creator and has complete authority over all of nature, including the seas. The seas are not random or chaotic, but part of God’s ordered creation, serving His purpose and reflecting His glory.
Exodus 14:21-22
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all that night and turned the seabed into dry land, and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the middle of the sea on dry land, and the waters formed a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.”
Commentary: This dramatic event shows God’s power over the sea as He provides salvation for His people. The parting of the Red Sea is a vivid display of God’s ability to make a way where there seems to be no way, offering deliverance from impossible situations.
Psalms 93:4
“More than the sounds of many waters, More than the mighty breakers of the sea, The Lord on high is mighty.”
Commentary: The sea, often associated with strength and turbulence, is here contrasted with God’s might. Even the most powerful and fearsome forces of nature pale in comparison to the Lord’s omnipotence. God is sovereign over all creation, including the seas.
Psalms 107:23-24
“Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters; They have seen the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep.”
Commentary: Those who venture out to the sea witness firsthand the awe-inspiring wonders of God’s creation. This passage reflects the truth that God’s majesty can be seen in both the vastness and the depth of the ocean, just as in the entirety of creation.
Jonah 1:15
“So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.”
Commentary: The calming of the sea after Jonah is cast overboard demonstrates God’s control over nature. The sea’s fury subsides at His command, showing that even in moments of disobedience and judgment, God’s mercy is present when we return to Him in repentance.
Mark 4:39
“And He got up and sternly rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still (muzzled)!’ And the wind died down as if it had grown weary, and there was at once a great calm [a perfect peacefulness].”
Commentary: This miraculous calming of the storm shows Jesus’ divine authority over the natural world. When life’s storms seem overwhelming, Jesus has the power to bring peace and calm, reminding us that He is in control even in the midst of chaos.
Matthew 14:29-30
“He said, ‘Come!’ So Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the effects of the wind, he was frightened, and he began to sink, and he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!'”
Commentary: Peter’s experience walking on the sea teaches us that faith enables us to step out of our comfort zones and trust in Jesus. However, when fear and doubt creep in, we start to sink. This story reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ, even when the sea of life is rough.
Isaiah 43:2
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.”
Commentary: God’s promise to be with us through the waters reflects His constant presence in our trials. Whether it’s turbulent seas or fiery trials, God assures His people that He will protect and guide them, offering peace and security even in the most dangerous situations.
Revelation 21:1
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.”
Commentary: The absence of the sea in the new creation suggests the removal of chaos, danger, and separation. In the new heaven and earth, there will be perfect peace and harmony, with no need for fear of the unknown or the unpredictable forces of nature.
Psalm 65:7
“Who stills the roaring of the seas, The roaring of their waves, And the tumult of the peoples.”
Commentary: God’s ability to calm the seas is linked to His ability to bring peace in human affairs. Just as He controls the physical waters, He also brings calm to the chaos in our lives, reminding us to rely on Him in times of trouble and confusion.
Psalms 89:9
“You rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.”
Commentary: God’s sovereignty over the sea’s mighty waves serves as a metaphor for His dominion over all the overwhelming forces in life. Nothing is too powerful for God to handle, whether it’s a storm in nature or a storm in our personal lives.
Job 38:8-11
“Or who enclosed the sea with doors when it burst forth and went out of the womb; When I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, And marked for it My appointed boundary and set bars and doors, And said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther; And here your proud waves shall stop’?”
Commentary: In this passage, God declares His control over the seas, setting boundaries that they cannot cross. This demonstrates His ultimate authority over creation, establishing that even the most powerful elements of nature are subject to His command.
Jeremiah 5:22
“Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Do you not tremble in awe before Me, Who placed the sand as the boundary of the sea, An eternal decree beyond which it cannot pass? Though the waves toss and break, yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it.'”
Commentary: The image of God setting a boundary for the sea illustrates His power and the limits He places on the forces of nature. Even the sea, with its immense strength, is held in check by God’s word, showing His supreme authority over all creation.
Matthew 8:27
“The men were amazed, saying, ‘What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?'”
Commentary: The disciples’ awe at Jesus’ control over the wind and sea highlights His divine nature. Jesus’ power over the elements confirms that He is not just a teacher or prophet, but the Son of God, with authority over all creation.
Also Read: Bible Verses About Beauty Of Nature
Luke 21:25
“There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth [there will be] distress and anguish among nations, in perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea [and the waves].”
Commentary: In this prophecy, the sea represents the turmoil and chaos that will accompany the end times. The sea’s roaring reflects the distress and uncertainty of nations, but it also serves as a reminder of God’s ultimate control over history and the future.
Isaiah 51:10
“Was it not You who dried up the sea, The waters of the great deep, Who made the depths of the sea a pathway For the redeemed to cross over?”
Commentary: This verse recalls the miracle of the Red Sea, emphasizing God’s ability to create a path for His people through even the most insurmountable obstacles. The sea, which often symbolizes chaos, is made obedient to God’s will for the sake of His people.
Amos 9:6
“It is He who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and has founded His vaulted dome over the earth, He who calls to the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth—The Lord is His name.”
Commentary: This verse emphasizes God’s creative power and His command over the waters of the sea. The imagery of the sea being poured out over the earth highlights God’s role as the sustainer of creation, controlling the elements to fulfill His purposes.
Psalm 104:25-26
“There is the sea, great and broad, In which are swarms without number, Creatures both small and great. There the ships of the sea sail, And Leviathan, which You have formed to play there.”
Commentary: This verse portrays the sea as a place of both vastness and life, teeming with creatures created by God. It reminds us of the beauty and diversity of God’s creation, where even the sea, often seen as dangerous, is a habitat filled with wonder.
Psalm 77:16
“The waters saw You, O God; The waters saw You, they were in anguish; The deeps also trembled.”
Commentary: The sea’s reaction to God’s presence—trembling and being in anguish—illustrates that all creation recognizes and responds to God’s majesty. Even the most chaotic and powerful forces are subject to Him, a testimony to His might and holiness.
Psalms 33:7
“He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He puts the deeps in storehouses.”
Commentary: This verse emphasizes God’s power to gather and control the seas. The imagery of the sea being stored in heaps and storehouses demonstrates the ease with which God controls the seemingly untamable forces of nature, highlighting His sovereignty.
Matthew 18:6
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone [as large as one turned by a donkey] hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Commentary: The sea in this passage represents the severity of judgment for leading others into sin. Jesus uses the imagery of drowning in the sea to emphasize the seriousness of causing harm to the vulnerable, stressing the weight of responsibility on those who influence others.
James 1:6
“But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind.”
Commentary: The sea here symbolizes instability and unpredictability, a fitting metaphor for the doubter. Without faith, a person is tossed around by life’s circumstances, lacking the firm foundation that comes from trusting in God’s promises.
Habakkuk 2:14
“But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.”
Commentary: The vastness of the sea is used here as a metaphor for the all-encompassing spread of God’s glory. Just as the waters cover the sea, so will the knowledge of the Lord fill the earth, pointing to a future time of universal recognition of God’s greatness.
Isaiah 57:20
“But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up mire and mud.”
Commentary: The sea here symbolizes the unrest and turmoil of the wicked, whose lives are in constant disarray. Just as the sea’s waves toss up mud and mire, so do the wicked produce chaos and impurity in their lives, lacking the peace that comes from God.
Revelation 13:1
“And the dragon (Satan) stood on the sandy shore of the sea. Then I saw a [terrible] beast coming up out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten royal crowns (diadems), and on his heads were blasphemous names.”
Commentary: The sea in this apocalyptic vision symbolizes chaos and evil, from which the beast emerges. This imagery reflects the idea that the sea is a place of uncertainty and threat, representing forces opposed to God that will ultimately be defeated in His final victory.
Psalm 98:7-8
“Let the sea thunder and roar, and all the things it contains, The world and those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the mountains sing together for joy and delight.”
Commentary: This beautiful passage calls on creation, including the sea, to praise the Lord. The sea’s roaring becomes a song of worship, reflecting the truth that all of nature declares the glory of God. Even the seemingly wild and untamed sea is invited to join in the celebration of God’s reign.
Ecclesiastes 1:7
“All the rivers flow into the sea, Yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, There they flow again.”
Commentary: This verse illustrates the cyclical nature of life, using the sea and rivers as a metaphor. It suggests that despite constant activity, nothing ever seems to reach a final conclusion. The sea’s continual filling without being full points to the futility of human efforts apart from God’s eternal purpose.
Jeremiah 31:35
“Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for light by day And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The Lord of hosts is His name:”
Commentary: God’s control over the natural order, including the roaring of the sea, is a testament to His authority as Creator. The sea, which may seem wild and uncontrollable to us, is stirred by God’s hand, demonstrating His power and sovereignty over all things.
Micah 7:19
“He will again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread underfoot our wickedness [destroying sin’s power]. Yes, You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
Commentary: The image of God casting our sins into the depths of the sea signifies His complete forgiveness. Just as something thrown into the deep sea is lost and unreachable, so God removes our sins far from us, never to be held against us again. This is a powerful picture of His grace and mercy.
Psalm 136:13-14
“To Him who divided the Red Sea into parts, For His mercy and lovingkindness endure forever; And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His mercy and lovingkindness endure forever.”
Commentary: These verses commemorate God’s deliverance of Israel through the Red Sea. The act of parting the waters not only reveals His power but also His enduring mercy. By saving His people from destruction, God demonstrates His steadfast love, which continues to be a source of hope for believers today.
Matthew 13:47
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a [dragnet] that was cast into the sea, and gathered fish of every kind.”
Commentary: The sea in this parable represents the world, and the dragnet is the message of the kingdom of God. The gathering of fish of every kind shows that the gospel invitation is extended to all people, and there will be a final sorting between the righteous and the wicked. This speaks to the inclusivity of God’s call and the eventual judgment that will follow.
Also Read: Bible Verses About Winter
What Does the Bible Say About The Sea
The Bible talks about the sea in many places, and it often uses the sea to show us important lessons about God’s power, creation, and His ability to bring calm in the midst of chaos. You see, in Genesis, when God was creating the world, He separated the waters from the land, and He gathered the seas together. It says in Genesis 1:10 that “God called the dry ground ‘land,’ and the gathered waters He called ‘seas.’ And God saw that it was good.” That shows us that the sea, just like the rest of creation, was designed by God, and it serves a purpose in His great plan.
Now, if you think about the sea, it can be both calm and peaceful or wild and stormy. In the book of Psalms, we read that God has control over the seas, no matter how fierce they may get. Psalm 107:29 tells us, “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” That’s a powerful reminder that no matter how big the storms of life may feel, God is bigger and He can calm those storms with just a word.
Then there’s the famous story of Jesus walking on water. In Matthew 14:25-27, the disciples were out in the boat, and the wind and waves were against them, but here comes Jesus, walking right across the sea as if it was nothing! And when the disciples got scared, Jesus said to them, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” You see, the sea might seem like an obstacle to us, but to Jesus, it’s just another part of His creation that He has complete control over.
So, when you think about the sea, remember this: it’s a symbol of God’s power and His ability to bring peace even in the middle of life’s storms. The sea is vast, unpredictable, and sometimes overwhelming, but God has authority over it, and He has authority over every area of our lives as well. Let’s trust Him, knowing that even when the waves seem high, God is in control.