The sea is a powerful and multifaceted symbol in the Bible, representing everything from God’s creation and majesty to His power and mystery. Throughout Scripture, the sea is used to illustrate God’s control over nature, the depths of His wisdom, and the challenges and dangers we face in life. These verses remind us of God’s sovereignty over the vastness of the seas and the storms within them, and they also highlight the sea as a metaphor for the spiritual depths we navigate. Here are 30 Bible verses about the sea, each accompanied by a brief commentary.
1. Psalm 89:9
“You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.”
This verse speaks of God’s authority over the sea. It teaches that God has absolute control over the forces of nature, symbolizing His power to bring peace and calm even in the most tumultuous circumstances in our lives.
2. Matthew 8:26-27
“He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'”
Jesus demonstrates His power over the sea. It teaches that Jesus, as the Son of God, has authority over all creation, including the seas, and His power extends to calming the storms we face in life, encouraging us to trust Him.
3. Psalm 104:25-26
“There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.”
The psalmist marvels at the diversity of life in the sea. It teaches that the sea, with its vastness and the creatures within it, reflects the richness and creativity of God’s creation, reminding us of His wisdom and the intricate details of His works.
4. Exodus 14:21-22
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.”
God parts the Red Sea to deliver the Israelites. It teaches that God is capable of performing miraculous deeds, such as controlling the sea, to deliver His people, showing His power to make a way where there seems to be none.
5. Psalm 77:19
“Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.”
This verse reflects on God’s guidance through the sea. It teaches that even when we cannot see God’s presence directly, He is guiding us through the deep and challenging waters of life, leading us safely to the other side.
6. Isaiah 43:2
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
God promises to be with us through difficulties. It teaches that no matter how overwhelming the seas of life may seem, God is always with us, protecting us from being overcome by the challenges we face.
7. Jonah 1:15
“Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.”
The sea calms after Jonah is thrown into it. It teaches that God uses the sea as an instrument of His will, bringing about His purposes even through nature, and demonstrating His power to calm and control the elements.
8. Psalm 107:29
“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.”
The psalmist praises God’s ability to calm the sea. It teaches that God has the power to bring peace in the midst of life’s storms, quieting the turmoil within us and around us through His divine intervention.
9. Job 38:8-11
“Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?”
God speaks of His control over the sea. It teaches that God, in His sovereignty, established the boundaries of the sea, showing His ultimate authority over all creation and reminding us of His power to control the uncontrollable.
10. Matthew 14:25
“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.”
Jesus walks on water. It teaches that Jesus transcends the natural laws, demonstrating His divine nature and His ability to overcome the challenges and fears symbolized by the sea.
11. 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.”
John describes the new creation. It teaches that in the new heaven and earth, the sea, often symbolizing chaos and separation, will no longer exist, reflecting the complete peace and order in God’s restored creation.
12. Psalm 93:4
“Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is mighty.”
The psalmist exalts God’s power above the sea. It teaches that no matter how powerful and tumultuous the sea may be, God’s might surpasses it, affirming His supremacy over all things.
13. Isaiah 51:10
“Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed might cross over?”
Isaiah reflects on God’s deliverance at the Red Sea. It teaches that God’s control over the sea is a testament to His ability to save and redeem His people, making a way through the most daunting obstacles.
14. Jeremiah 5:22
“‘Should you not fear me?’ declares the Lord. ‘Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.'”
God declares His authority over the sea’s boundaries. It teaches that the sea, despite its power and might, is under God’s control, confined by the boundaries He set, symbolizing His ultimate authority over creation.
15. Micah 7:19
“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”
Micah speaks of God’s forgiveness. It teaches that God’s forgiveness is complete and final, as He casts our sins into the depths of the sea, never to be brought against us again, reflecting His mercy and grace.
16. Exodus 15:4-5
“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone.”
The Israelites sing of God’s victory over Pharaoh’s army. It teaches that God uses the sea as a tool of judgment and deliverance, demonstrating His power to save His people from their enemies.
17. Psalm 65:7
“Who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.”
The psalmist acknowledges God’s power to calm the sea. It teaches that just as God controls the physical sea, He also has the power to bring peace to the turmoil in the nations, reflecting His sovereignty over all aspects of life.
18. Nahum 1:4
“He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.”
Nahum describes God’s power over nature. It teaches that God’s rebuke can control even the sea and rivers, showing His supreme authority over the natural world and His ability to change the course of events.
19. Psalm 148:7
“Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths.”
The psalmist calls on the sea and its creatures to praise God. It teaches that the sea and everything in it are part of God’s creation, created to glorify Him, reminding us of the interconnectedness of all creation in worship.
20. Jonah 2:3
“You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.”
Jonah recounts his experience in the sea. It teaches that even in the depths of the sea, where Jonah felt overwhelmed and abandoned, God’s presence and power were still at work, leading to his eventual deliverance.
21. Psalm 33:7
“He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.”
The psalmist describes God’s control over the seas. It teaches that the vastness of the sea is contained by God, emphasizing His incredible power and ability to govern even the most uncontrollable aspects of creation.
22. Matthew 13:47
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.”
Jesus uses the sea in a parable about the kingdom of heaven. It teaches that the sea, full of various kinds of fish, symbolizes the diversity and inclusiveness of God’s kingdom, where all are gathered for judgment.
23. Psalm 77:16
“The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.”
The psalmist speaks of the sea’s reaction to God’s presence. It teaches that the sea, with all its power and depth, responds to God’s majesty and authority, illustrating His dominion over all creation.
24. Isaiah 57:20
“But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.”
Isaiah compares the wicked to the restless sea. It teaches that just as the sea is in constant motion and turmoil, so too are the lives of the wicked, lacking peace and stability, highlighting the need for God’s peace.
25. Revelation 4:6
“Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.”
John describes the sea of glass before God’s throne. It teaches that in God’s presence, the sea is not tumultuous but calm and clear, symbolizing the peace and purity that surround God’s throne in heaven.
26. Psalm 46:2-3
“Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
The psalmist expresses confidence in God despite natural disasters. It teaches that even when the sea roars and the earth shakes, we need not fear because God is our refuge and strength, always present to help us.
27. Ezekiel 26:19
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths over you and its vast waters cover you.”
Ezekiel prophesies against Tyre, using the sea as a metaphor. It teaches that God’s judgment can be as overwhelming as the ocean depths, covering and consuming those who oppose Him, demonstrating His power over nations.
28. Job 26:12
“By his power he churned up the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.”
Job reflects on God’s power and wisdom in controlling the sea. It teaches that God’s power is unmatched, as He can stir the seas and conquer formidable forces, like the mythical sea monster Rahab, showing His superiority over all things.
29. Mark 4:39
“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”
Jesus calms the storm on the sea. It teaches that Jesus has the authority to command the elements, bringing peace and calm even in the midst of a storm, illustrating His divine power and care for His disciples.
30. Zechariah 14:8
“On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.”
Zechariah prophesies about the living waters flowing from Jerusalem. It teaches that in God’s kingdom, life-giving waters will flow continuously, reaching even the most desolate places like the Dead Sea, symbolizing the abundance and renewal found in God’s presence.