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Davidic[a]

Praise God, who Creates

104 Bless the Lord, my soul;
    Lord, my God, you are very great.
You are clothed in splendor and majesty;
you are wrapped in light like a garment,
        stretching out the sky like a curtain.

He lays the beams of his roof loft on the water above,[b]
    making clouds his chariot,
        walking on the wings of the wind.
He makes the winds his messengers,
    blazing fires his servants.
He established the earth on its foundations,
    so that it never falters.

You covered the primeval ocean like a garment;
    the water stood above the mountains.
They flee at your rebuke;
    they rush away at the sound of your thunders.
Mountains rise up and valleys sink
    to the place you have ordained for them.
You have set a boundary they cannot cross;
    they will never again cover the earth.

10 He causes springs to gush forth into rivers
    that flow between the[c] mountains.
11 They give water[d] for animals of the field to drink;
    the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Birds of the sky live beside them
    and chirp a song[e] among the foliage.

13 He waters the mountains from his heavenly rooms;
    the earth is satisfied from the fruit of your work.
14 He causes grass to sprout for the cattle
    and plants for people to cultivate,
        to produce food from the land,
15 like wine that makes the heart of people[f] happy,
    oil that makes the face glow,
        and food[g] that sustains people.[h]

16 The loftiest trees[i] are satisfied,
    the cedars of Lebanon that he planted,
17 the birds build their nests there,
    and the heron builds[j] its nest among the evergreen.
18 The high mountains are for wild goats;
    the cliffs are a refuge for the rock badger.

19 He made the moon to mark time;[k]
    the sun knows its setting time.
20 You bring darkness and it becomes night;
    when every beast of the forest prowls.
21 Young lions roar for prey,
    seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they[l] gather
    and lie down in their dens.
23 People go out to their work
    and labor until evening.

24 How numerous are your works, Lord!
    You have made them all wisely;
        the earth is filled with your creations.[m]
25 There is the deep and wide sea,
    teeming with numberless creatures,
        living things small and great.
26 There, the ships pass through;
    Leviathan, which you created, frolics in it.

27 All of them look to you
    to provide them[n] their food at the proper time.
28 They receive what you give them;
    when you open your hand,
        they are filled with good things.
29 When you withdraw your favor,[o]
    they are disappointed;
Take away their breath,
    and[p] they die[q] and return to dust.
30 When you send your spirit,[r] they are[s] created,
    and you replenish the surface of the earth.

31 May the glory of the Lord last forever;
    may the Lord rejoice in his works!
32 He looks at the earth and it shakes;
    he touches the mountains and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the Lord with my whole being;[t]
    I will sing to my God continually!
34 May my thoughts be pleasing to him;
    indeed, I will rejoice in the Lord!
35 May sinners disappear from the land
    and the wicked live no longer.

Bless the Lord, my soul! Hallelujah!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 104:1 So LXX DSS 4QPsa 11QPsa; MT DSS 4QPsd lack this line
  2. Psalm 104:3 The Heb. lacks above
  3. Psalm 104:10 So LXX DSS 4QPsd; the Heb. lacks the
  4. Psalm 104:11 The Heb. lacks water
  5. Psalm 104:12 Lit. and they give a voice
  6. Psalm 104:15 Lit. man
  7. Psalm 104:15 Or bread
  8. Psalm 104:15 Lit. heart of man
  9. Psalm 104:16 Lit. trees of the Lord
  10. Psalm 104:17 The Heb. lacks builds
  11. Psalm 104:19 Lit. for an appointed time
  12. Psalm 104:22 So MT; LXX DSS 4QPsd 11QPsa read and they
  13. Psalm 104:24 Lit. acquisitions
  14. Psalm 104:27 So LXX DSS 11QPsa; the Heb. lacks them
  15. Psalm 104:29 Lit. you conceal your face
  16. Psalm 104:29 So MT; LXX DSS 11QPsa read then
  17. Psalm 104:29 So MT DSS 11QPsa; LXX reads they will fail
  18. Psalm 104:30 Or breath
  19. Psalm 104:30 So MT; LXX reads they will be; DSS 11QPsa reads then they are
  20. Psalm 104:33 Lit. with my life