Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.

PSALMS 74:13KJV
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Psalms 74:13 (KJV)

What does Psalms 74:13 mean?

Psalms 74:13 describes God’s power in dividing the sea and breaking the heads of dragons in the waters, using dramatic language to show God’s strength over chaotic forces. The verse points to God’s ability to control and defeat powerful, threatening forces that seem overwhelming.

The psalm is spoken by someone from Israel, likely a temple singer or leader, during a time of national crisis when enemies have destroyed the sanctuary. The verse recalls God’s mighty acts in the past, especially over the sea and mythical sea creatures, as a way to ask God to act again for His people. The “dragons” here are poetic symbols for chaos or evil, not literal animals.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 74:13

  • "divide" (פָּרַד, parád): This word means to split or separate. In this verse, it highlights God’s act of parting the sea, which often points back to the Exodus story where God made a way through the waters for Israel.
  • "dragons" (תַּנִּין, tannín): This word refers to large, fearsome sea creatures or monsters in ancient Hebrew poetry. Here, it represents forces of chaos or evil that God defeats, not actual animals.
  • "heads" (רֹאשׁ, rosh): The use of “heads” in the plural suggests multiple enemies or a multi-headed creature, emphasizing the completeness of God’s victory over chaos.
  • "sea" (יָם, yam): This word often symbolizes chaos or danger in Hebrew poetry, not just a body of water. God’s control over the sea shows His power over everything that threatens order.

Why Psalms 74:13 matters

  • This verse helps clear up that the “dragons” are not literal animals but poetic images for chaos or evil, showing the Bible’s use of vivid, symbolic language.
  • The verse connects Israel’s current troubles to God’s past victories, reminding readers that God has overcome even greater threats before.
  • It highlights a theme throughout the psalm: remembering God’s power in history as a reason to trust Him in present crises.

Where else these words appear

“dragons” Hebrew H8577 · used in 28 verses

  • Genesis 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
  • Psalms 91:13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
  • Jeremiah 10:22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.

“divide” Hebrew H6565 · used in 46 verses

  • Genesis 17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
  • Ezra 4:5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
  • Isaiah 33:8 The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.

“strength” Hebrew H5797 · used in 92 verses

  • Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.
  • Psalms 61:3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
  • Proverbs 10:15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

“brakest” Hebrew H7665 · used in 145 verses

  • Genesis 19:9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
  • Psalms 34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
  • Jeremiah 30:8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: