lifted up from the earth

Let's make this clear so there are no misunderstandings: I hate treehuggers and their ilk. To elevate flora and fauna to the same level as man is to ignore Gen1-2.

I did find fascinating, while perusing the psalms este manana, the notion of collective nature verbing. In Ps76, the whole earth feared. Rom speaks of Creation groaning. Ps77 continues with the waters seeing and the deeps trembling. Jesus makes mention that He could make the stones worship -- it's clear He was not embellishing or making use of an idiom to make His point, but rather stating what He knew seemingly inanimate objects could do.

Nature is His to command, and it acts in ways humans would act (or possibly vv?). On one hand, that should make us more conscious of our actions. On the other, let's not go overboard.