Psalm 104

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Praise to the Sovereign Lord For His Creation and ProvidenceO Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty,

2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind,4 Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.5  You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever,6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters stood above the mountains.7 At Your rebuke they fled; At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.8 They went up over the mountains; They went down into the valleys, To the place which You founded for them.9 You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, That they may not return to cover the earth.10 He sends the springs into the valleys; They flow among the hills.11 They give drink to every beast of the field; The wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches.13 He waters the hills from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the service of man, That he may bring forth food from the earth,15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man, Oil to make his face shine, And bread which strengthens mans heart.16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap, The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,17 Where the birds make their nests; The stork has her home in the fir trees.18 The high hills are for the wild goats; The cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers.19 He appointed the moon for seasons; The sun knows its going down.20 You make darkness, and it is night, In which all the beasts of the forest creep about.21 The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God.22  When the sun rises, they gather together And lie down in their dens.23 Man goes out to his work And to his labor until the evening.24 O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions25 This great and wide sea, In which are innumerable teeming things, Living things both small and great.26 There the ships sail about; There is that Leviathan Which You have made to play there.27 These all wait for You, That You may give them their food in due season.28  What You give them they gather in; You open Your hand, they are filled with good.29 You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever; May the Lord rejoice in His works.32 He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the hills, 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 to Him; I will be glad in the Lord.35 May sinners be consumed from the earth, And the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!

PSALMS 104

The [Lord] Takes Care //of His Creation

1 I praise you, [Lord] God,
with all my heart.
You are glorious and majestic,
dressed in royal robes

2 and surrounded by light.
You spread out the sky
like a tent,

3 and you built your home
over the mighty ocean.
The clouds are your chariot
with the wind as its wings.

4  t The winds are your messengers,
and flames of fire
are your servants.

5 You built foundations
for the earth, and it
will never be shaken.

6 You covered the earth
with the ocean that rose
above the mountains.

7 Then your voice thundered!
And the water flowed

8 down the mountains
and through the valleys
to the place you prepared.

9 Now you have set boundaries,
so that the water will never
flood the earth again.

10 You provide streams of water
in the hills and valleys,

11 so that the donkeys
and other wild animals
can satisfy their thirst.

12 Birds build their nests nearby
and sing in the trees.

13 From your home above
you send rain on the hills
and water the earth.

14 You let the earth produce
grass for cattle,
plants for our food,

15 wine to cheer us up,
olive oil for our skin,
and grain for our health.

16 Our [Lord], your trees
always have water,
and so do the cedars
you planted in Lebanon.

17 Birds nest in those trees,
and storks make their home
in the fir trees.

18 Wild goats find a home
in the tall mountains,
and small animals can hide
between the rocks.

19 You created the moon
to tell us the seasons.
The sun knows when to set,

20 and you made the darkness,
so the animals in the forest
could come out at night.

21 Lions roar as they hunt
for the food you provide.

22 But when morning comes,
they return to their dens,

23 then we go out to work
until the end of day.

24 Our [Lord], by your wisdom
you made so many things;
the whole earth is covered
with your living creatures.

25 But what about the ocean
so big and wide?
It is alive with creatures,
large and small.

26  t And there are the ships,
as well as Leviathan, t
the monster you created
to splash in the sea.

27 All of these depend on you
to provide them with food,

28 and you feed each one
with your own hand,
until they are full.

29 But when you turn away,
they are terrified;
when you end their life,
they die and rot.

30 You created all of them
by your Spirit,
and you give new life
to the earth.

31 Our [Lord], we pray
that your glory
will last forever
and that you will be pleased
with what you have done.

32 You look at the earth,
and it trembles.
You touch the mountains,
and smoke goes up.

33 As long as I live,
I will sing and praise you,
the [Lord] God.

34 I hope my thoughts
will please you,
because you are the one
who makes me glad.

35 Destroy all wicked sinners
from the earth
once and for all.
With all my heart
I praise you, [Lord]!
I praise you!