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In Praise of the Creator

104 Praise the Lord, my soul!
    O Lord, my God, how great you are!
You are clothed with majesty and glory;
    you cover yourself with light.
You have spread out the heavens like a tent
    and built your home on the waters above.[a]
You use the clouds as your chariot
    and ride on the wings of the wind.
(A)You use the winds as your messengers
    and flashes of lightning as your servants.

You have set the earth firmly on its foundations,
    and it will never be moved.
You placed the ocean over it like a robe,
    and the water covered the mountains.
When you rebuked the waters, they fled;
    they rushed away when they heard your shout of command.
They flowed over the mountains and into the valleys,
    to the place you had made for them.
You set a boundary they can never pass,
    to keep them from covering the earth again.

10 You make springs flow in the valleys,
    and rivers run between the hills.
11 They provide water for the wild animals;
    there the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 In the trees near by,
    the birds make their nests and sing.

13 From the sky you send rain on the hills,
    and the earth is filled with your blessings.
14 You make grass grow for the cattle
    and plants for us to use,
so that we can grow our crops
15     and produce wine to make us happy,
    olive oil to make us cheerful,
    and bread to give us strength.

16 The cedars of Lebanon get plenty of rain—
    the Lord's own trees, which he planted.
17 There the birds build their nests;
    the storks nest in the fir trees.
18 The wild goats live in the high mountains,
    and the rock badgers hide in the cliffs.

19 You created the moon to mark the months;
    the sun knows the time to set.
20 You made the night, and in the darkness
    all the wild animals come out.
21 The young lions roar while they hunt,
    looking for the food that God provides.
22 When the sun rises, they go back
    and lie down in their dens.
23 Then people go out to do their work
    and keep working until evening.

24 Lord, you have made so many things!
    How wisely you made them all!
    The earth is filled with your creatures.
25 There is the ocean, large and wide,
    where countless creatures live,
    large and small alike.
26 (B)The ships sail on it, and in it plays Leviathan,
    that sea monster which you made.[b]

27 All of them depend on you
    to give them food when they need it.
28 You give it to them, and they eat it;
    you provide food, and they are satisfied.
29 When you turn away, they are afraid;
    when you take away your breath, they die
    and go back to the dust from which they came.
30 But when you give them breath,[c] they are created;
    you give new life to the earth.

31 May the glory of the Lord last forever!
    May the Lord be happy with what he has made!
32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
    he touches the mountains, and they pour out smoke.

33 I will sing to the Lord all my life;
    as long as I live I will sing praises to my God.
34 May he be pleased with my song,
    for my gladness comes from him.
35 May sinners be destroyed from the earth;
    may the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, my soul!
Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 104:3 A reference to the waters above the celestial dome (Gn 1.6, 7).
  2. Psalm 104:26 in it plays … made; or Leviathan is there, that sea monster you made to amuse you.
  3. Psalm 104:30 give them breath; or send out your spirit.

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.