Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and measured out heaven with the span, and known the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
All Commentaries on Isaiah 40:12 Go To Isaiah 40
Hilary of Poitiers
AD 368
The words “I am that I am” were clearly an adequate indication of God’s infinity. But, in addition, we needed to apprehend the operation of his majesty and power. For while absolute existence is peculiar to him who, abiding eternally, had no beginning in a past however remote, we hear again an utterance worthy of himself issuing from the eternal and holy God, who says, “who holds the heaven in his palm and the earth in his hand,” and again, “The heaven is my throne and the earth is the footstool of my feet. What house will you build me or what shall be the place of my rest?” The whole heaven is held in the palm of God, the whole earth grasped in his hand.
Now the word of God … reveals a deeper meaning to the patient student.… This heaven that is held in the palm of God is also his throne, and the earth that is grasped in his hand is also the footstool beneath his feet. This was not written that … we should conclude that he has extension in space, as of a body.… It was written that in all born and created things God might be known within them and without, overshadowing and indwelling, surrounding all and interfused through all, since palm and hand, which hold, reveal the might of his external control, while throne and footstool, by their support of a sitter, display the subservience of outward things to One who, himself outside them, encloses all in his grasp.… Being infinite, he is present in all things. In him who is infinite all are included.
