Psalm 107 · a question people ask
"He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still" (107:29). Is this psalm behind the story of Jesus calming the storm?
The psalm's sailors "cry to the LORD in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress. He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still" (107:28-29). Mark tells that on the lake "A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat" (Mark 4:37), and that Jesus "rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm" (Mark 4:39). His disciples "were greatly afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”" (Mark 4:41). Mark doesn't quote or name Psalm 107, and neither do Matthew and Luke when they tell the same storm (Matthew 8:23-27; Luke 8:22-25). So the Gospels don't say the psalm is behind the story. Exodus 14's notes draw the map's line from the sea to Mark 4:39-41, as a reading, and give two ways Christians read the disciples' question; these notes don't draw a second line to the same verses, and don't choose.
The verses
“Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress. He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still.”
“When he got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Behold, a violent storm came up on the sea, so much that the boat was covered with the waves; but he was asleep. The disciples came to him and woke him up, saying, “Save us, Lord! We are dying!” He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm. The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?””
“Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.”