104 1 An excellent Psalm to praise God for the creation of the world, and the governance of the same by his marvelous providence. 35 Wherein the Prophet prayeth against the wicked, who are occasions that God diminisheth his blessings.

My soul, praise thou the Lord: O Lord my God, thou art exceeding great, thou art [a]clothed with glory and honor.

Which covereth himself with light, as with a garment, and spreadeth the heavens like a curtain.

Which layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters, and maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind.

Which [b]maketh the spirits his messengers, and a flaming fire his ministers.

He set the earth upon her foundations, so that it shall never move.

Thou coverest it with the [c]deep as with a garment: the [d]waters would stand above the mountains.

But at thy rebuke they flee: at the voice of thy thunder they haste away.

And the mountains ascend, and the valleys descend to the place which thou hast established for them.

But thou hast set them a bound which they shall not pass: they shall not return to cover the earth.

10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run between the mountains.

11 They shall give drink to all the [e]beasts of the field, and the wild asses shall quench their thirst.

12 By these [f]springs shall the fowls of the heaven dwell, and sing among the branches.

13 He watereth the mountains from his [g]chambers, and the earth is filled with the fruit of thy works.

14 He causeth grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the use of [h]man, that he may bring forth bread out of the earth,

15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengtheneth man’s heart.

16 The high trees are satisfied, even the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted,

17 That the birds may make their nests there: the stork dwelleth in the fir trees.

18 The high mountains are for the [i]goats: the rocks are a refuge for the conies.

19 He appointed [j]the moon for certain seasons: [k]the sun knoweth his going down.

20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest creep forth.

21 The lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat [l]at God.

22 When the sun riseth, they retire, and couch in their dens.

23 [m]Then goeth man forth to his work, and to his labor until the evening.

24 O Lord, how [n]manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

25 So is the sea great and wide: for therein are things creeping innumerable, both small beasts and great.

26 There go the ships, yea that [o]Leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

27 [p]All these wait upon thee, that thou mayest give them food in due season.

28 Thou givest it to them, and they gather it, thou openest thy hand, and they are filled with good things.

29 But if thou [q]hide thy face, they are troubled: if thou take away their breath, they die and return to their dust:

30 Again if thou [r]send forth thy spirit, they are created, and thou renewest the face of the earth.

31 Glory be to the Lord forever: let the Lord rejoice in his works.

32 He looketh on the earth and it trembleth: he toucheth the mountains, and they [s]smoke.

33 I will sing unto the Lord all my life: I will praise my God, while I live.

34 Let my words be acceptable unto him: I will rejoice in the Lord.

35 Let the sinners be [t]consumed out of the earth, and the wicked till there be no more: O my soul, praise thou the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 104:1 The Prophet showeth that we need not to enter into the heavens to seek God, forasmuch as all the order of nature, with the propriety, and placing of the elements, are most lively mirrors to see his majesty in.
  2. Psalm 104:4 As the Prophet here showeth that all visible powers are ready to serve God: so the Apostle to the Hebrews 1:7, beholdeth in this glass how the very Angels also, are obedient to his commandment.
  3. Psalm 104:6 Thou makest the sea to be an ornament unto the earth.
  4. Psalm 104:6 If by thy power thou didst not bridle the rage of the waters, it were not possible, but the whole world should be destroyed.
  5. Psalm 104:11 If God provide for the very beasts, much more will he extend his provident care to man.
  6. Psalm 104:12 There is no part of the world so barren, where most evident signs of God’s blessings appear not.
  7. Psalm 104:13 From the clouds.
  8. Psalm 104:14 He describeth God’s provident care over man, who doth not only provide necessary things for him, as herbs and other meat: but also things to rejoice and comfort him as wine and oil, or ointments.
  9. Psalm 104:18 Or, does, roes, and such like.
  10. Psalm 104:19 As to separate the night from the day, and to note days, months and years.
  11. Psalm 104:19 That is, by his course, either far or near, it noteth summer, winter and other seasons.
  12. Psalm 104:21 That is, they only find meat according to God’s providence, who careth even for the brute beasts.
  13. Psalm 104:23 To wit, when the day springeth: for the light is as it were a shield to defend man against the tyranny and fierceness of beasts.
  14. Psalm 104:24 He confesseth that no tongue is able to express God’s works, nor mind to comprehend them.
  15. Psalm 104:26 Or, whale.
  16. Psalm 104:27 God is a most nourishing Father, who provideth for all creatures their daily foods.
  17. Psalm 104:29 As by thy presence all things have life: so if thou withdraw thy blessings, they all perish.
  18. Psalm 104:30 As the death of creatures showeth that we are nothing of ourselves: so their generation declareth that we receive all things of our Creator.
  19. Psalm 104:32 God’s merciful face giveth strength unto the earth, but his severe countenance burneth the mountains.
  20. Psalm 104:35 Who infect the world, and so cause God that he cannot rejoice in his works.

Psalm 104

Praise the Lord, my soul.(A)

Lord my God, you are very great;
    you are clothed with splendor and majesty.(B)

The Lord wraps(C) himself in light(D) as with a garment;
    he stretches(E) out the heavens(F) like a tent(G)
    and lays the beams(H) of his upper chambers on their waters.(I)
He makes the clouds(J) his chariot(K)
    and rides on the wings of the wind.(L)
He makes winds his messengers,[a](M)
    flames of fire(N) his servants.

He set the earth(O) on its foundations;(P)
    it can never be moved.
You covered it(Q) with the watery depths(R) as with a garment;
    the waters stood(S) above the mountains.
But at your rebuke(T) the waters fled,
    at the sound of your thunder(U) they took to flight;
they flowed over the mountains,
    they went down into the valleys,
    to the place you assigned(V) for them.
You set a boundary(W) they cannot cross;
    never again will they cover the earth.

10 He makes springs(X) pour water into the ravines;
    it flows between the mountains.
11 They give water(Y) to all the beasts of the field;
    the wild donkeys(Z) quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky(AA) nest by the waters;
    they sing among the branches.(AB)
13 He waters the mountains(AC) from his upper chambers;(AD)
    the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.(AE)
14 He makes grass grow(AF) for the cattle,
    and plants for people to cultivate—
    bringing forth food(AG) from the earth:
15 wine(AH) that gladdens human hearts,
    oil(AI) to make their faces shine,
    and bread that sustains(AJ) their hearts.
16 The trees of the Lord(AK) are well watered,
    the cedars of Lebanon(AL) that he planted.
17 There the birds(AM) make their nests;
    the stork has its home in the junipers.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats;(AN)
    the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.(AO)

19 He made the moon to mark the seasons,(AP)
    and the sun(AQ) knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness,(AR) it becomes night,(AS)
    and all the beasts of the forest(AT) prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey(AU)
    and seek their food from God.(AV)
22 The sun rises, and they steal away;
    they return and lie down in their dens.(AW)
23 Then people go out to their work,(AX)
    to their labor until evening.(AY)

24 How many are your works,(AZ) Lord!
    In wisdom you made(BA) them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.(BB)
25 There is the sea,(BC) vast and spacious,
    teeming with creatures beyond number—
    living things both large and small.(BD)
26 There the ships(BE) go to and fro,
    and Leviathan,(BF) which you formed to frolic(BG) there.(BH)

27 All creatures look to you
    to give them their food(BI) at the proper time.
28 When you give it to them,
    they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
    they are satisfied(BJ) with good things.
29 When you hide your face,(BK)
    they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
    they die and return to the dust.(BL)
30 When you send your Spirit,(BM)
    they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the Lord(BN) endure forever;
    may the Lord rejoice in his works(BO)
32 he who looks at the earth, and it trembles,(BP)
    who touches the mountains,(BQ) and they smoke.(BR)

33 I will sing(BS) to the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    as I rejoice(BT) in the Lord.
35 But may sinners vanish(BU) from the earth
    and the wicked be no more.(BV)

Praise the Lord, my soul.

Praise the Lord.[b](BW)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 104:4 Or angels
  2. Psalm 104:35 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; in the Septuagint this line stands at the beginning of Psalm 105.