The ocean is a profound symbol in the Bible, illustrating divine majesty, formidable power, and infinite mystery. Throughout scripture, the sea serves as a metaphor for both the chaotic and the creative forces of God’s nature. Below are Bible verses verses that explore the ocean’s role in God’s creation and His relationship with humanity.
Bible Verses About The Ocean
1. Genesis 1:10 – Creation of the Seas
“God called the dry ground ‘land,’ and the gathered waters he called ‘seas.’ And God saw that it was good.” – Genesis 1:10
Cross-References
Psalms 95:5 – “The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.”
Job 26:10 – “He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters for a boundary between light and darkness.”
Acts 4:24 – “When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. ‘Sovereign Lord,’ they said, ‘you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.'”
2. Psalms 104:25 – God’s Marvelous Creation
“There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small.” – Psalms 104:25
Cross-References
Genesis 1:21 – “So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds.”
Job 38:16 – “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?”
3. Job 38:8 – The Lord’s Command over the Sea
“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?” – Job 38:8
Cross-References
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.'”
Psalms 104:9 – “You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.”
4. Isaiah 43:16 – The Path through the Sea
“This is what the Lord says—he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters.” – Isaiah 43:16
Cross-References
Exodus 14:21 – “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.”
Psalms 77:19 – “Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen.”
5. Matthew 8:27 – Jesus Calms the Storm
“The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!’” – Matthew 8:27
Cross-References
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.”
John 1:3 – “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
Colossians 1:16 – “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.”
6. Jonah 1:15 – Jonah and the Calm Sea
“Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.” – Jonah 1:15
Cross-References
Jonah 1:12 – “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,’ he replied, ‘and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.'”
Matthew 12:40 – “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
7. Revelation 10:2 – The Angel and the Sea
“He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.” – Revelation 10:2
Cross-References
Revelation 10:5 – “Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven.”
Daniel 12:7 – “The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever.”
Exodus 3:5 – “‘Do not come any closer,’ God said, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.'”
8. Psalms 89:9 – Supreme Over the Seas
“You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.” – Psalms 89:9
Cross-References
Isaiah 51:15 – “For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the Lord Almighty is his name.”
Nahum 1:4 – “He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry.”
Mark 6:51 – “Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed.”
9. Ecclesiastes 1:7 – Rivers Flow to the Sea
“All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.” – Ecclesiastes 1:7
Cross-References
Job 36:27-28 – “He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.”
Isaiah 55:10 – “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish.”
Psalms 147:18 – “He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.”
10. Jonah 2:3 – In the Depths of the Seas
“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 2:3
Cross-References
Psalms 88:7 – “Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.”
Lamentations 3:54 – “Waters closed over my head, and I thought I was about to perish.”
2 Samuel 22:5 – “The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.”
11. Jeremiah 31:35 – God Appoints the Sea
“This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the Lord Almighty is his name.” – Jeremiah 31:35
Cross-References
Job 26:12 – “By his power he churned up the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.”
Isaiah 8:7 – “Therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria with all his pomp.”
Psalms 74:13 – “It was you who split open the sea by your power; you broke the heads of the monster in the waters.”
12. Nahum 1:3-4 – The Lord in Whirlwinds and Storms
“The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry.” – Nahum 1:3-4
Cross-References
Psalms 104:3 – “He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.”
Isaiah 17:13 – “Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills.”
Jeremiah 51:34 – “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured us, he has thrown us into confusion, he has made us an empty jar. Like a serpent he has swallowed us and filled his stomach with our delicacies, and then has spewed us out.”
13. Mark 4:41 – The Winds and Waves Obey
“They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’” – Mark 4:41
Cross-References
Matthew 14:33 – “Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.'”
Luke 8:25 – “‘Where is your faith?’ he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.'”
Job 9:8 – “He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.”
14. Isaiah 51:10 – Dividing the Sea
“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 51:10
Cross-References
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.”
Psalms 136:13 – “To him who divided the Red Sea asunder; His love endures forever.”
15. Proverbs 8:29 – The Sea’s Boundary
“When he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.” – Proverbs 8:29
Cross-References
Genesis 1:9-10 – “And God said, ‘Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.’ And it was so.”
Job 38:10 – “When I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place.”
Psalms 33:7 – “He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.”
16. Habakkuk 2:14 – Knowledge Covers the Sea
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” – Habakkuk 2:14
Cross-References
Psalms 72:19 – “Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory.”
Jeremiah 31:34 – “No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord.”
17. Luke 5:4 – Casting Nets into the Deep
“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’” – Luke 5:4
Cross-References
John 21:6 – “He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’ When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.”
Matthew 4:19 – “‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’”
Psalms 107:23 – “Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters.”
18. Revelation 20:13 – The Sea Gives Up Its Dead
“The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.” – Revelation 20:13
Cross-References
John 5:28-29 – “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out.”
Daniel 12:2 – “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”
1 Corinthians 15:52 – “In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”
19. Exodus 15:8 – The Lord’s Breath Controls the Sea
“By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up. The surging waters stood up like a wall; the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.” – Exodus 15:8
Cross-References
Habakkuk 3:15 – “You trampled the sea with your horses, churning the great waters.”
Psalms 106:9 – “He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the depths as through a desert.”
Isaiah 63:12-13 – “Who sent his glorious arm of power to be at Moses’ right hand, who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown.”
20. Isaiah 23:11 – The Hand That Stretches the Sea
“The Lord has stretched out his hand over the sea and made its kingdoms tremble. He has given an order concerning Phoenicia that her fortresses be destroyed.” – Isaiah 23:11
Cross-References
Amos 9:6 – “He builds his lofty palace in the heavens and sets its foundation on the earth; he calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land— the Lord is his name.”
Jeremiah 48:41-42 – “Kerioth will be captured and the strongholds taken. In that day the hearts of Moab’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor.”
21. Psalms 107:29 – Quieting the Storm
“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” – Psalms 107:29
Cross-References
Jonah 1:11 – “The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, ‘What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?'”
22. James 1:6 – Doubt Tossed by the Sea
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” – James 1:6
Cross-References
Ephesians 4:14 – “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching.”
Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
23. Psalms 46:2-3 – Earth and Sea Quake
“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.” – Psalms 46:2-3
Cross-References
Isaiah 54:10 – “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken.”
Matthew 24:29 – “‘Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.'”
Isaiah 13:13 – “Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.”
24. Matthew 14:29 – Walking on the Sea
“‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” – Matthew 14:29
Cross-References
Matthew 14:30 – “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!'”
John 6:19 – “When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened.”
25. Ezekiel 26:3 – The Sea Against Tyre
“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea casting up its waves.” – Ezekiel 26:3
Cross-References
Jeremiah 47:7 – “But how can it rest when the Lord has commanded it, when he has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the coast?”
Isaiah 17:12 – “‘Woe to the many nations that rage—they rage like the raging sea! Woe to the peoples who roar—they roar like the roaring of great waters!'”
26. Psalms 104:6 – The Ocean Covers the Earth
“You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.” – Psalms 104:6
Cross-References
Genesis 1:2 – “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
Genesis 6:17 – “I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it.”
Psalms 69:2 – “I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.”
27. Zechariah 10:11 – Passing Through the Sea
“They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued and all the depths of the Nile will dry up. Assyria’s pride will be brought down and Egypt’s scepter will pass away.” – Zechariah 10:11
Cross-References
Isaiah 11:15 – “The Lord will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River.”
Micah 7:12 – “In that day people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, even from Egypt to the Euphrates and from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.”
28. Exodus 15:4-5 – Pharaoh’s Chariots in the Sea
“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.” – Exodus 15:4-5
Cross-References
Exodus 14:28 – “The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.”
Psalms 136:15 – “But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever.”
Nehemiah 9:11 – “You divided the sea before them, so that they passed through it on dry ground, but you hurled their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters.”
29. Isaiah 11:9 – No Harm on Holy Mountain
“They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” – Isaiah 11:9
Cross-References
Isaiah 54:13 – “All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.”
30. Isaiah 57:20 – The Tossing Sea
“But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.” – Isaiah 57:20
Cross-References
Psalms 93:3-4 – “The seas have lifted up, Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.”
Jeremiah 51:42 – “The sea will rise over Babylon; its roaring waves will cover her.”
31. Revelation 21:1 – A New Sea
“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.” – Revelation 21:1
Cross-References
Isaiah 65:17 – “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”
2 Peter 3:13 – “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”
Revelation 20:11 – “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.”
32. Psalms 148:7 – The Sea and Its Creatures
“Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths.” – Psalms 148:7
Cross-References
Psalms 150:6 – “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”
Psalms 96:11 – “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it.”
Psalms 69:34 – “Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them.”
Final Thoughts
The vast expanse of the ocean is a significant motif in the biblical narrative, reflecting both the power and the peace found in God’s creation. Oceans serve as a canvas for God’s divine art, illustrating His sovereignty and majesty through their power and magnitude. They are also reminders of God’s ability to provide and protect, as seen in stories like Moses parting the Red Sea and Jesus calming the storm.
The scriptures show that just as the ocean’s depths are endless, so is God’s love for humanity. We see the ocean as a boundary, a passage, and even a part of the apocalypse in Revelation. This rich imagery offers us countless reasons to marvel at the Creator and to trust in His unparalleled power and unfathomable wisdom. When we reflect on the ocean’s divine implications, we are reminded of our own journey, both turbulent and serene, and the God who calms, leads, and shepherds us through the depths of life.