Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 95:4

"In his hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the mountains are his also." — Psalms 95:4 (ASV)

In his hand — In his power, or under his control as his own. That is, he so possesses all things that they can be claimed by no other. His right over them is absolute and entire.

Are the deep places of the earth — The word used here, מחקר mechqâr, means the interior, the inmost depth; that which is “searched out,” from חקר châqar—to search, search out, or explore. The primary idea is that of searching by boring or digging. The allusion here is to the parts of the earth that could be explored only by digging, such as in mining or sinking shafts into the earth.

The meaning is that all those places which lie beyond ordinary human power of observation are in the hand of God. He knows them as clearly as those which are most plain to human view. He possesses or owns them as his own as truly as he does those on the surface of the ground.

The strength of the hills is his also — Margin, “The heights of the hills are his.” The word rendered “strength,” תועפות tô‛âphôth, properly means swiftness or speed in running; then, weariness or wearisome labor; and hence, wealth obtained by labor—“treasures.” Here the expression means “treasures of the mountains”; that is, treasures obtained from the mountains, such as precious metals, etc. Compare the notes at Job 22:25, where the same word occurs.

All this belongs to God. Since he is the Maker of these hills and of all that they contain, the absolute proprietorship is in him.