The glory of the Lord revealed in Earth created and Earth renewed 

The mind of the psalmist traverses the created order, and encompasses the earth, elements, heavens and the seas and all that is therein. He wonders at, and admires the manifold expressions of God’s works and wisdom. Creation indeed, is an eloquent book! It openly displays His glory, beauty, power and wisdom. 

These praise-inspiring thoughts are as a consequence of meditating on his surroundings, and tracing their origin to their glorious Author. Such an exercise produces sweetness in the soul, and a volunteered gladness. The only marring ingredient before his view is sin. It is sin and sinners that disrupt and spoil nature itself, and brings discord and judgment. The psalmist addresses himself to Christ, as shown from the use of v. 4 in Hebrews 1:7. Sin will be dealt with by Him, and unrepentant sinners banished to their own place. 


Psalm 104

  1  Bless God, my soul. O Lord my God,
        thou art exceeding great;
     With honour and with majesty
        thou clothed art in state.

  2  With light, as with a robe, thyself
        thou coverest about;
     And, like unto a curtain, thou
        the heavens stretchest out.

  3  Who of his chambers doth the beams
        within the waters lay;
     Who doth the clouds his chariot make,
        on wings of wind make way.

  4  Who flaming fire his ministers,
        his angels sp'rits, doth make:
  5  Who earth's foundations did lay,
        that it should never shake.

  6  Thou didst it cover with the deep,
        as with a garment spread:
     The waters stood above the hills,
        when thou the word but said.

  7  But at the voice of thy rebuke
        they fled, and would not stay;
     They at thy thunder's dreadful voice
        did haste them fast away.

  8  They by the mountains do ascend,
        and by the valley-ground
     Descend, unto that very place
        which thou for them didst found.

  9  Thou hast a bound unto them set,
        that they may not pass over,
     That they do not return again
        the face of earth to cover.

 10  He to the valleys sends the springs,
        which run among the hills:
 11  They to all beasts of field give drink,
        wild asses drink their fills.

 12  By them the fowls of heav'n shall have
        their habitation,
     Which do among the branches sing
        with delectation.

 13  He from his chambers watereth
        the hills, when they are dry'd:
     With fruit and increase of thy works
        the earth is satisfied.

 14  For cattle he makes grass to grow,
        he makes the herb to spring
     For th' use of man, that food to him
        he from the earth may bring;

 15  And wine, that to the heart of man
        doth cheerfulness impart,
     Oil that his face makes shine, and bread
        that strengtheneth his heart.

 16  The trees of God are full of sap;
        the cedars that do stand
     In Lebanon, which planted were
        by his almighty hand.

 17  Birds of the air upon their boughs
        do choose their nests to make;
     As for the stork, the fir-tree she
        doth for her dwelling take.

 18  The lofty mountains for wild goats
        a place of refuge be;
     The conies also to the rocks
        do for their safety flee.

 19  He sets the moon in heav'n, thereby
        the seasons to discern:
     From him the sun his certain time
        of going down doth learn.

 20  Thou darkness mak'st, 'tis night, then beasts
        of forests creep abroad.
 21  The lions young roar for their prey,
        and seek their meat from God.

 22  The sun doth rise, and home they flock,
        down in their dens they lie.
 23  Man goes to work, his labour he
        doth to the ev'ning ply.

 24  How manifold, Lord, are thy works!
        in wisdom wonderful
     Thou ev'ry one of them hast made;
        earth's of thy riches full:

 25  So is this great and spacious sea,
        wherein things creeping are,
     Which numbered cannot be; and beasts
        both great and small are there.

 26  There ships go; there thou mak'st to play
        that leviathan great.
 27  These all wait on thee, that thou may'st
        in due time give them meat.

 28  That which thou givest unto them
        they gather for their food;
     Thine hand thou open'st lib'rally,
        they fill-ed are with good.

 29  Thou hid'st thy face; they troubled are,
        their breath thou tak'st away;
     Then do they die, and to their dust
        return again do they.

 30  Thy quick'ning spirit thou send'st forth,
        then they created be;
     And then the earth's decayed face
        renewed is by thee.

 31  The glory of the mighty Lord
        continue shall for ever:
     The Lord Jehovah shall rejoice
        in all his works together.

 32  Earth, as affrighted, trembleth all,
        if he on it but look;
     And if the mountains he but touch,
        they presently do smoke.

 33  I will sing to the Lord most high,
        so long as I shall live;
     And while I being have I shall
        to my God praises give.

 34  Of him my meditation shall
        sweet thoughts to me afford;
     And as for me, I will rejoice
        in God, my only Lord.

 35  From earth let sinners be consumed,
        let ill men no more be.
     O thou my soul, bless thou the Lord.
        Praise to the Lord give ye. 


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