תהלים, פרק ס״ט, פסוק ל״ה

A universal call for thanksgiving echoes throughout the cosmos, as all parts of creation join together to praise God. This profound response from all created beings [ביאור שטיינזלץ] is awakened by a specific triumph: the salvation of Zion and David's successful return to his kingdom [מלבי״ם].

The natural world shares in this gladness because the animal kingdom directly benefits from the overflowing abundance God showers upon His chosen people. Even though this divine blessing is not originally directed at the animals, they naturally enjoy its overflow and, in return, offer their own praise to Him [אלשיך].

When considering how the physical world expresses this worship, the primary approach among commentators is that it serves as a metaphor. It illustrates a general, overwhelming increase of joy and praise filling the entire world [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מאירי]. Conversely, another perspective suggests that the praise does not come from the inanimate elements of nature themselves, but rather from the beings that inhabit them. In this view, the song of gratitude rises from the heavenly host in the skies, the inhabitants of the land, and those traveling through the seas [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד].

Following this approach, the seas represent the creatures living within them. The marine life moving through the waters encompasses all living, active creatures [ביאור שטיינזלץ], with a specific focus on the scurrying movement of aquatic animals with short legs [מצודת ציון].