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Psalm 104:1-35

How Many Are Your Works

Read the passage

1Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty.

2He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,

3laying the beams of His chambers in the waters above, making the clouds His chariot, walking on the wings of the wind.

4He makes the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants.

5He set the earth on its foundations, never to be moved.

6You covered it with the deep like a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.

7At Your rebuke the waters fled; at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away—

8the mountains rose and the valleys sank to the place You assigned for them—

9You set a boundary they cannot cross, that they may never again cover the earth.

10He sends forth springs in the valleys; they flow between the mountains.

11They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12The birds of the air nest beside the springs; they sing among the branches.

13He waters the mountains from His chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of His works.

14He makes the grass grow for the livestock and provides crops for man to cultivate, bringing forth food from the earth:

15wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil that makes his face to shine, and bread that sustains his heart.

16The trees of the LORD have their fill, the cedars of Lebanon that He planted,

17where the birds build their nests; the stork makes her home in the cypresses.

18The high mountains are for the wild goats, the cliffs a refuge for the rock badgers.

19He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows when to set.

20You bring darkness, and it becomes night, when all the beasts of the forest prowl.

21The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.

22The sun rises, and they withdraw; they lie down in their dens.

23Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until evening.

24How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.

25Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small.

26There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there.

27All creatures look to You to give them their food in due season.

28When You give it to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

29When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to dust.

30When You send Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth.

31May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in His works.

32He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.

33I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

34May my meditation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the LORD.

35May sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Hallelujah!

Berean Standard Bible

Read aloud

The singer blesses the LORD, who wraps Himself in light as with a garment and stretches out the heavens like a tent. Clouds are His chariot, winds His messengers, and flames His servants. God lays the foundations of the earth, sets the waters their boundary, and sends springs into valleys.

The waters give drink to animals, trees become homes for birds, and the high mountains shelter wild goats. God appoints the moon and sun, darkness and day. Lions seek food, while people go out to work. God provides crops to cultivate: bread that sustains, oil, and wine that brings gladness. The sea holds creatures beyond counting, including Leviathan, formed to frolic there. The world God sustains is full of both need and delight.

All creatures depend on God’s open hand for food. When He takes away their breath, they die and return to dust; when He sends His Spirit, they are created and the earth is renewed. The psalmist hopes his meditation will please God and asks that sinners vanish. Creation praise includes dependence, wonder, and a serious desire for evil to end.

Questions

1 What does God establish?

AnswerHe establishes the earth, sets boundaries for waters, and orders the rhythms of light, darkness, seasons, and life.

2 Who receives water?

AnswerAnimals, birds, wild creatures, and people receive water from springs and rain God provides.

3 What does God give in season?

AnswerHe gives food in season and renews the face of the ground through His Spirit.

4 What does the psalmist ask?

AnswerHe asks that his meditation please God and that sinners and evil no longer remain.

What This Means for Us

The food on our table and the breath in our lungs come from the same generous hand. Let a meal become a moment to thank God for the rain, soil, plants, and labor through which He feeds us. Dependence on Him is part of ordinary life.

This psalm notices places where other creatures can live: springs, trees, mountains, and sea. Pay attention to the living things around your home and care for the places they need. Their lives belong in the world God wisely made, even when they serve no purpose of ours.

Prayer

Creator, open our eyes to the many works You sustain. Teach us to protect habitats, use resources carefully, and let wonder produce responsible care rather than careless consumption. Amen.