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Praise to Yahweh for His Creation and Providence

104 Bless Yahweh, O my soul.
O Yahweh my God, you are very great.
You clothe yourself with splendor and majesty,
you who cover yourself with light as with a garment,
who stretch out the heavens like a tent curtain,
the one who sets beams in the waters for his upper chambers,
who makes clouds his chariot,
who rides[a] on the wings of the wind,
who makes his messengers the winds,
his attendants a flame of fire.
He established the earth on her foundations,
so that it will not be moved forever and ever.
You covered it with the deep as with a garment.
The waters stood above the mountains.
At your rebuke they fled;
at the sound of your thunder they ran off.
They ascended the mountains and drained though the valleys
to the place that you established[b] for them.
You set a boundary that they may not cross over,
so that they would not return to cover the earth.
10 You are the one who sends forth springs into the valleys;
they flow between the mountains.
11 They give drink for every beast of the field.
The wild donkeys quench[c] their thirst.
12 Along them the birds of the heavens abide.
From among the branches they sing.[d]
13 You are the one who waters[e] the mountains
from his upper chambers.
The earth is full[f] with the fruit of your labors:
14 who causes grass to grow for the cattle
and herbs for the service of humankind,
to bring forth food from the earth,
15 and wine that makes glad the heart of man,
so that their faces shine from oil,
and bread that strengthens the heart of man.
16 The trees of Yahweh drink their fill,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted,
17 where birds make their nest.
The stork has its home in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;
the cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19 He made the moon for appointed times;
the sun knows its time for setting.
20 You make darkness, and it is night,
when[g] all the animals of the forest creep about.
21 The young lions are roaring for the prey
and seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they gather together
and lie down in their dens.
23 Humankind goes out to its work,
and to its labor until evening.
24 How many are your works, O Yahweh;
all of them you have done in wisdom.
The earth is full of your creatures.
25 This is the great and wide[h] sea,
in which are moving animals without number,
living things small and great.
26 There the ships sail.
Leviathan is there that you formed to play with.[i]
27 They all wait for you
to give them their food at the proper time.[j]
28 You give to them; they gather it.
You open your hand, they are filled with what is good.
29 You hide your face, they are terrified.
You take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
30 You send forth your Spirit,[k] they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
31 May the glory of Yahweh endure forever.
May Yahweh be glad in his works,
32 the one who looks at the earth and it quakes,
and touches the mountains and they smoke.
33 I will sing to Yahweh throughout my life;
I will sing praise to my God while I remain alive.[l]
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him.
I will be glad in Yahweh.
35 Let sinners perish completely from the earth,
and the wicked not remain alive.[m]
Bless Yahweh, O my soul.
Praise Yah.[n]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 104:3 Hebrew “goes”
  2. Psalm 104:8 Or “appointed”
  3. Psalm 104:11 Literally “break”
  4. Psalm 104:12 Literally “give voice”
  5. Psalm 104:13 Literally “give drink”
  6. Psalm 104:13 Or “is sated”
  7. Psalm 104:20 Hebrew “in it”
  8. Psalm 104:25 Literally “broad of hands”
  9. Psalm 104:26 For this construction meaning “to play with,” see Job 40:29 (Eng: 41:5)
  10. Psalm 104:27 Literally “in its season”
  11. Psalm 104:30 Or “breath”
  12. Psalm 104:33 Literally “while I am still”
  13. Psalm 104:35 Literally “they are not still”
  14. Psalm 104:35 Hebrew hallelujah

104 Bless Yahweh, my soul.
    Yahweh, my God, you are very great.
    You are clothed with honor and majesty.
He covers himself with light as with a garment.
    He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
He lays the beams of his rooms in the waters.
    He makes the clouds his chariot.
    He walks on the wings of the wind.
He makes his messengers[a] winds,
    and his servants flames of fire.
He laid the foundations of the earth,
    that it should not be moved forever.
You covered it with the deep as with a cloak.
    The waters stood above the mountains.
At your rebuke they fled.
    At the voice of your thunder they hurried away.
The mountains rose,
    the valleys sank down,
    to the place which you had assigned to them.
You have set a boundary that they may not pass over,
    that they don’t turn again to cover the earth.
10 He sends springs into the valleys.
    They run among the mountains.
11 They give drink to every animal of the field.
    The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky nest by them.
    They sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from his rooms.
    The earth is filled with the fruit of your works.
14 He causes the grass to grow for the livestock,
    and plants for man to cultivate,
    that he may produce food out of the earth:
15 wine that makes the heart of man glad,
    oil to make his face to shine,
    and bread that strengthens man’s heart.
16 Yahweh’s trees are well watered,
    the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted,
17 where the birds make their nests.
    The stork makes its home in the cypress trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats.
    The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19 He appointed the moon for seasons.
    The sun knows when to set.
20 You make darkness, and it is night,
    in which all the animals of the forest prowl.
21 The young lions roar after their prey,
    and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away,
    and lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes out to his work,
    to his labor until the evening.
24 Yahweh, how many are your works!
    In wisdom, you have made them all.
    The earth is full of your riches.
25 There is the sea, great and wide,
    in which are innumerable living things,
    both small and large animals.
26 There the ships go,
    and leviathan, whom you formed to play there.
27 These all wait for you,
    that you may give them their food in due season.
28 You give to them; they gather.
    You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.
29 You hide your face; they are troubled.
    You take away their breath; they die and return to the dust.
30 You send out your Spirit and they are created.
    You renew the face of the ground.
31 Let Yahweh’s glory endure forever.
    Let Yahweh rejoice in his works.
32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles.
    He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 I will sing to Yahweh as long as I live.
    I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.
34 Let my meditation be sweet to him.
    I will rejoice in Yahweh.
35 Let sinners be consumed out of the earth.
    Let the wicked be no more.
    Bless Yahweh, my soul.
    Praise Yah!

Footnotes

  1. 104:4 or, angels