The Meaning of Psalms 104:14 Explained

Psalms 104:14

KJV: He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

YLT: Causing grass to spring up for cattle, And herb for the service of man, To bring forth bread from the earth,

Darby: He maketh the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man; bringing forth bread out of the earth,

ASV: He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, And herb for the service of man; That he may bring forth food out of the earth,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He causeth the grass  to grow  for the cattle,  and herb  for the service  of man:  that he may bring forth  food  out of the earth; 

What does Psalms 104:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 104:13-23 - A Habitation For Beast And Man
Where there is true love for God, there will be a glad and rejoicing heart that takes pleasure in the study of His works. The loving child of a great artist lingers about his studio, watches with eager interest the development of picture or statue, and speaks with delight to others of her father's work. It is in such a spirit that those who know God in daily fellowship and communion follow the psalmist to mountain streams, to the pastures and the meadows, the grain-fields and the orchards, the high mountains with their dark pines and firs.
There is no pen that has more eloquently portrayed these scenes than Ruskin's. He had a natural love for beauty, and an unrivaled genius for vivid description; but it was as a boy at his mother's knee that he learned from these Scriptures to connect the glories of the natural world with the devout adoration of the Creator. His books reflect this early training.
This psalm may be called a divine commentary on God's earliest book-the world which lies around us. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 104

1  A meditation upon the mighty power
7  And wonderful providence of God
31  God's glory is eternal
33  The prophet vows perpetually to praise God

What do the individual words in Psalms 104:14 mean?

He causes to grow the grass for the cattle and vegetation for the service of man that he may bring forth food from the earth
מַצְמִ֤יחַ חָצִ֨יר ׀ לַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וְ֭עֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הָאָדָ֑ם לְה֥וֹצִיא לֶ֝֗חֶם מִן־ הָאָֽרֶץ

מַצְמִ֤יחַ  He  causes  to  grow 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָמַח  
Sense: to sprout, spring up, grow up.
חָצִ֨יר ׀  the  grass 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָצִיר 
Sense: grass, leek, green grass, herbage.
לַבְּהֵמָ֗ה  for  the  cattle 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
וְ֭עֵשֶׂב  and  vegetation 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵשֶׂב  
Sense: herb, herbage, grass, green plants.
לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת  for  the  service 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֲבֹדָה  
Sense: labour, service.
הָאָדָ֑ם  of  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
לְה֥וֹצִיא  that  he  may  bring  forth 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
לֶ֝֗חֶם  food 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
הָאָֽרֶץ  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.