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Praise to God Who Made the World

104 ·My whole being [T O my soul], ·praise [bless] the Lord.
    Lord my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with ·glory [splendor] and ·majesty [beauty];
    you ·wear [L wrap yourself in] light like a robe [Hab. 3:4; 1 John 1:5].
You stretch out the ·skies [heavens] like a tent [Is. 40:22].
    You ·build your room above the clouds [L set the beams of your upper room on the waters].
You make the clouds your chariot [18:10–19; 68:4; Is. 19:1; Dan. 7:13–14; Luke 21:27; Rev. 1:7],
    and you ride on the wings of the wind.
You make the winds your messengers,
    and flames of fire are your ·servants [ministers; Heb. 1:7].

You ·built [founded] the earth on its foundations
    so it can never be moved.
You covered the earth with ·oceans [L the deeps];
    the water ·was above [L stood over] the mountains.
But at your ·command [reprimand; rebuke], the water ·rushed away [fled].
    ·When you thundered your orders [L At the sound of your thunder], it hurried away.
The mountains rose; the valleys sank.
    The water went to the places you ·made [founded] for it.
You set borders for the seas that they cannot ·cross [pass],
    so water will never cover the earth again [C as before the third day creation or during the Flood; Gen. 1:9–10; 9:9–17; Job 38:8–11; Prov. 8:29].

10 You make springs pour into the ·ravines [wadis];
    they flow between the mountains.
11 They water all the ·wild animals [L creatures of the field];
    the wild donkeys ·come there to drink [L quench their thirst].
12 ·Wild birds [Birds of the sky/heavens] ·make nests by the water [L dwell by them];
    they ·sing [L give voice] among the tree branches.
13 You water the mountains from ·above [L your high dwelling].
    The earth is ·full of [or satisfied by] ·the things you made [L the fruit of your works].
14 You make the grass grow for cattle
    and ·vegetables [plants] for the people to ·use [cultivate].
    You make ·food [or bread] ·grow [L come out] from the earth.
15 You give us wine that ·makes happy hearts [rejoices the hearts of people; John 2:1–12]
    and olive oil that makes our faces shine [C soothing skin in a dry climate; Luke 7:46].
    You give us bread that gives us ·strength [sustenance].
16 The Lord’s trees ·have plenty of water [flourish];
    they are the cedars of Lebanon [C the most majestic trees known], which he planted.
17 The birds make their nests there;
    the stork’s home is in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats.
    The rocks are ·hiding places [refuge] for the badgers.

19 You made the moon ·to mark the seasons [for appointed times; Gen. 1:14; Lev. 23:2, 4, 37, 44],
    and the sun always knows when to set.
20 You make it dark, and it becomes night.
    Then all the ·wild animals [L creatures of the forest] ·creep [swarm] around.
21 The lions roar ·as they attack [L for prey].
    They ·look to [seek] God for food.
22 When the sun rises, they leave
    and go back to their dens to lie down.
23 Then people go to work
    and ·work [labor] until evening.

24 Lord, ·you have made many things;
    with your wisdom you made them all [Prov. 8:22–31].
    The earth is full of your ·riches [or creatures].
25 Look at the sea, so big and wide,
    with creatures large and small, ·creeping [swarming] things that cannot be counted.
26 Ships travel over the ocean,
    and there is Leviathan [C a sea monster and symbol of chaos; 74:14; Job 3:8; 41:1; Is. 27:1],
which you made to play there.

27 All these things ·depend [hope; wait] on you
    to give them their food at the right time.
28 When you give it to them,
    they gather it up.
When you open your hand,
    they are ·filled [satisfied] with good food.
29 When you ·turn away [L hide your face] from them,
    they ·become frightened [are terrified].
When you take away their breath,
    they ·die [expire] and turn to dust [Gen. 2:7; Eccl. 12:7].
30 When you ·breathe [L send your breath/or Spirit] on them,
    they are created [Gen. 2:7],
and you make the land new again.

31 May the glory of the Lord [C his manifest presence] be forever.
    May the Lord ·enjoy [rejoice in] what he has made.
32 He just looks at the earth, and it ·shakes [trembles].
    He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

33 I will sing to the Lord all my life;
    I will ·sing praises [make a psalm] to my God as long as I live.
34 May my ·thoughts [meditations] please him;
    I ·am happy [will rejoice] in the Lord.
35 Let sinners be ·destroyed [obliterated] from the earth,
    and let the wicked live no longer.

·My whole being [T O my soul], ·praise [bless] the Lord.
Praise the Lord.

The Lord’s Care over All His Works.

104 Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

[You are the One] who covers Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretches out the heavens like a tent curtain,

Who lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters [above the firmament],
Who makes the clouds His chariot,
Who walks on the wings of the wind,

Who makes winds His messengers,
Flames of fire His ministers.(A)


He established the earth on its foundations,
So that it will not be moved forever and ever.(B)

You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters were standing above the mountains.(C)

At Your rebuke they fled;
At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.

The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
To the place which You established for them.

You set a boundary [for the waters] that they may not cross over,
So that they will not return to cover the earth.

10 
You send springs into the valleys;
Their waters flow among the mountains.
11 
They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild donkeys quench their thirst there.
12 
Beside them the birds of the heavens have their nests;
They lift up their voices and sing among the branches.(D)
13 
He waters the mountains from His upper chambers;
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.

14 
He causes grass to grow for the cattle,
And all that the earth produces for cultivation by man,
So that he may bring food from the earth—
15 
And wine which makes the heart of man glad,
So that he may make his face glisten with oil,
And bread to sustain and strengthen man’s heart.
16 
The trees of the Lord drink their fill,
The cedars of Lebanon which He has planted,
17 
Where the birds make their nests;
As for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

18 
The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The rocks are a refuge for the [a]shephanim.
19 
He made the moon for the seasons;
The sun knows the [exact] place of its setting.
20 
You [O Lord] make darkness and it becomes night,
In which prowls about every wild beast of the forest.
21 
The young lions roar after their prey
And seek their food from God.
22 
When the sun arises, they withdraw
And lie down in their dens.
23 
Man goes out to his work
And remains at his labor until evening.

24 
O Lord, how many and varied are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your riches and Your creatures.
25 
There is the sea, great and broad,
In which are swarms without number,
Creatures both small and great.
26 
There the ships [of the sea] sail,
And Leviathan [the sea monster], which You have formed to play there.

27 
They all wait for You
To give them their food in its appointed season.
28 
You give it to them, they gather it up;
You open Your hand, they are filled and satisfied with good [things].
29 
You hide Your face, they are dismayed;
You take away their breath, they die
And return to their dust.
30 
You send out Your Spirit, they are created;
You renew the face of the ground.

31 
May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
May the Lord rejoice and be glad in His works—
32 
He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34 
May my meditation be sweet and pleasing to Him;
As for me, I will rejoice and be glad in the Lord.
35 
Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 104:18 Small, shy, furry animals (Hyrax syriacus) found in the peninsula of the Sinai, northern Israel, and the region around the Dead Sea; kjv coney, orig NASB rock badgers.