²³ I looked at the earth,
    and it was formless and empty;^(A)
and at the heavens,
    and their light^(B) was gone.

³⁰ When you send your Spirit,^(A)
    they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground.

¹⁸ For this is what the Lord says—
he who created the heavens,
    he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth,^(A)
    he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,^(B)
    but formed it to be inhabited^(C)—
he says:
“I am the Lord,
    and there is no other.^(D)

⁶ By the word^(A) of the Lord the heavens were made,^(B)
    their starry host^(C) by the breath of his mouth.

⁷ He spreads out the northern skies^(A) over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.^(B)

¹² Who has measured the waters^(A) in the hollow of his hand,^(B)
    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?^(C)
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
    or weighed the mountains on the scales
    and the hills in a balance?^(D)
13 Who can fathom the Spirit^[a](E) of the Lord,
    or instruct the Lord as his counselor?^(F)
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
    and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,^(G)
    or showed him the path of understanding?^(H)

¹⁴ And these are but the outer fringe of his works;
    how faint the whisper^(A) we hear of him!^(B)
    Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”^(C)

¹⁰ She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
    Hearts melt,^(A) knees give way,
    bodies tremble, every face grows pale.^(B)