Psalms 104
FBMeyerPsalms 104:1-12
the Lord’ s Wondrous Handiwork Psalms 104:1-12 The opening verses of this psalm appear to describe in sublime poetry the creation of the world. God is very great, because He created the heavens and the earth. He is clothed with honor and majesty, and yet He stooped to brood over the chaos and darkness which preceded the order and beauty of our earth. When He said, “ Let there be light,” He robed Himself in its texture. The firmament of Gen 1:8 was the curtain of his tent. The clouds above and the seas beneath yielded his chariot and hid for Him the joists of His palace. See Genesis 1:9-10. Compare Psalms 103:4 and Hebrews 1:7. The psalmist in Psalms 104:6 seems to see the process which is described briefly and graphically in Genesis 1:10. The waters had covered the world with their storm and welter; but at God’ s command they poured down the mountain slopes to the ocean bed, there to be retained by banks of sand. What exquisite thoughtfulness is disclosed in God’ s provision of the springs! He thinks for the wild asses and the fowls, and how much more will He care for you, O ye of little faith!
How manifold are Thy works! An anonymous poem; and yet there are many indications of David’s touch. Luther has well described it as “a praise of God from the book of Nature.” The theme is the greatness of God, as seen in his works. The description follows closely on the description of the several days of creation, as given in Genesis 1:1-31, the deviations being accounted for by the special object in the Psalmist’s mind, of exalting the greatness of God–not only in the creation, but in the maintenance of his universe.
There is a majestic introductory verse, which is then elaborated–First the light, the heaven and earth, then the formation of the dry land (Psalms 104:2-5); the watering of the earth from His fountains (Psalms 104:6-9); the provision for beasts and men (Psalms 104:10-24); the wonders of the sea (Psalms 104:24-26); God’s personal work in nature (Psalms 104:27-30); a noble conclusion of praise (Psalms 104:31-35).
It is almost impossible in a brief space to say aught of this marvellous production. Here poetry at its highest sublimity of conception, and diction and devotional feeling of the most spiritual order blend in one superb and unrivalled poem.
Psalms 104:2. Who covereth Thyself with light God has many “garments” ascribed to Him (Psalms 93:1), but this primeval one is, perhaps, the most beautiful of them all.
Psalms 104:4. Who maketh winds his messengers; his ministers a flaming fire (R.V.) The tempest and the flame are his slaves; make friends with their Master.
Psalms 104:6-8. At thy rebuke the waters fled This is the work of the third day–the removal of the water from the earth–and is painted at great length, because the Psalmist sees in it an allegory of the removal of the heathen, who had inundated the Holy Land (Psalms 93:1-5). Some have seen in these verses a reference to glacial action, by which so much water is being brought down from the mountains to the valleys.
Psalms 104:9. That they turn not again(Genesis 9:15; Job 38:8-11).
Psalms 104:11-12; Psalms 104:14. Wild asses fowls cattle If God is so careful of birds and beasts, how much more of his children! (Matthew 6:26; Matthew 10:31).
Psalms 104:15. Wine … oil … bread The products of the land: the olive; the vine; and corn (Deuteronomy 11:14).
Psalms 104:16. The trees of the Lord; the cedars of Lebanon The earth is satisfied (Psalms 104:13); the trees are satisfied (R.V.); all living things are satisfied (Psalms 104:28, R.V.).
Psalms 104:17-18. The birds … the wild goats … the conies He who implants natural instincts, provides for their satisfaction. Psalms 104:20-23. The beasts of the forest creep: the young lions roar Night and morning in the forest pasture-lands.
Psalms 104:24. How manifold are thy works! (Psalms 111:2). The fertility of God’s inventiveness.
Psalms 104:28. Thou openest thine hand To satisfy creation, God has but to open his hand.
Psalms 104:30-31. The Lord shall rejoice in his works Where no human foot treads, God’s Spirit broods, rejoicing in his works.
Psalms 104:34. My meditation of Him shall be sweet Here, indeed, is food for holy meditation; sweet because of its theme. Let us alone rejoice in the Lord!
Psalms 104:13-23
a Habitation for Beast and Man Psalms 104:13-23 Where there is true love for God, there will be a glad and rejoicing heart that takes pleasure in the study of His works. The loving child of a great artist lingers about his studio, watches with eager interest the development of picture or statue, and speaks with delight to others of her father’ s work. It is in such a spirit that those who know God in daily fellowship and communion follow the psalmist to mountain streams, to the pastures and the meadows, the grain-fields and the orchards, the high mountains with their dark pines and firs. There is no pen that has more eloquently portrayed these scenes than Ruskin’ s. He had a natural love for beauty, and an unrivaled genius for vivid description; but it was as a boy at his mother’ s knee that he learned from these Scriptures to connect the glories of the natural world with the devout adoration of the Creator. His books reflect this early training. This psalm may be called a divine commentary on God’ s earliest book-the world which lies around us.
How manifold are Thy works! An anonymous poem; and yet there are many indications of David’s touch. Luther has well described it as “a praise of God from the book of Nature.” The theme is the greatness of God, as seen in his works. The description follows closely on the description of the several days of creation, as given in Genesis 1:1-31, the deviations being accounted for by the special object in the Psalmist’s mind, of exalting the greatness of God–not only in the creation, but in the maintenance of his universe.
There is a majestic introductory verse, which is then elaborated–First the light, the heaven and earth, then the formation of the dry land (Psalms 104:2-5); the watering of the earth from His fountains (Psalms 104:6-9); the provision for beasts and men (Psalms 104:10-24); the wonders of the sea (Psalms 104:24-26); God’s personal work in nature (Psalms 104:27-30); a noble conclusion of praise (Psalms 104:31-35).
It is almost impossible in a brief space to say aught of this marvellous production. Here poetry at its highest sublimity of conception, and diction and devotional feeling of the most spiritual order blend in one superb and unrivalled poem.
Psalms 104:2. Who covereth Thyself with light God has many “garments” ascribed to Him (Psalms 93:1), but this primeval one is, perhaps, the most beautiful of them all.
Psalms 104:4. Who maketh winds his messengers; his ministers a flaming fire (R.V.) The tempest and the flame are his slaves; make friends with their Master.
Psalms 104:6-8. At thy rebuke the waters fled This is the work of the third day–the removal of the water from the earth–and is painted at great length, because the Psalmist sees in it an allegory of the removal of the heathen, who had inundated the Holy Land (Psalms 93:1-5). Some have seen in these verses a reference to glacial action, by which so much water is being brought down from the mountains to the valleys.
Psalms 104:9. That they turn not again(Genesis 9:15; Job 38:8-11).
Psalms 104:11-12; Psalms 104:14. Wild asses fowls cattle If God is so careful of birds and beasts, how much more of his children! (Matthew 6:26; Matthew 10:31).
Psalms 104:15. Wine … oil … bread The products of the land: the olive; the vine; and corn (Deuteronomy 11:14).
Psalms 104:16. The trees of the Lord; the cedars of Lebanon The earth is satisfied (Psalms 104:13); the trees are satisfied (R.V.); all living things are satisfied (Psalms 104:28, R.V.).
Psalms 104:17-18. The birds … the wild goats … the conies He who implants natural instincts, provides for their satisfaction. Psalms 104:20-23. The beasts of the forest creep: the young lions roar Night and morning in the forest pasture-lands.
Psalms 104:24. How manifold are thy works! (Psalms 111:2). The fertility of God’s inventiveness.
Psalms 104:28. Thou openest thine hand To satisfy creation, God has but to open his hand.
Psalms 104:30-31. The Lord shall rejoice in his works Where no human foot treads, God’s Spirit broods, rejoicing in his works.
Psalms 104:34. My meditation of Him shall be sweet Here, indeed, is food for holy meditation; sweet because of its theme. Let us alone rejoice in the Lord!
Psalms 104:24-35
the Almighty’ s Open Hand Psalms 104:24-35 The psalmist says nothing of the operation of the great laws of nature, but passes behind and beyond to the Great Hand which opens to fill and satisfy all living things with good. The personality of God is the moving force behind the thin veil of outward appearance. This is in striking contrast with much of the thinking and speaking of the present day, which practically exclude the Creator from his own creation. But there is no real opposition between the two conceptions. Natural law is only another way of stating the usual method of God’ s working. There is no variableness in Him, nor shadow cast by turning; and it is because we can count on His unaltering methods that human life can develop regularly and successfully. While all creation waits on the opening of God’ s hand, man alone can adore Him. We stand in the midst of creation as its high priest and interpreter. We can say to God what nature longs to express but cannot. Amid the beauty and magnificence of natural scenery, let us sing the “ Te Deum;” and let us believe that He who rejoices in His works comes very near us in our joy, which proves that our nature and His are closely akin.
How manifold are Thy works! An anonymous poem; and yet there are many indications of David’s touch. Luther has well described it as “a praise of God from the book of Nature.” The theme is the greatness of God, as seen in his works. The description follows closely on the description of the several days of creation, as given in Genesis 1:1-31, the deviations being accounted for by the special object in the Psalmist’s mind, of exalting the greatness of God–not only in the creation, but in the maintenance of his universe.
There is a majestic introductory verse, which is then elaborated–First the light, the heaven and earth, then the formation of the dry land (Psalms 104:2-5); the watering of the earth from His fountains (Psalms 104:6-9); the provision for beasts and men (Psalms 104:10-24); the wonders of the sea (Psalms 104:24-26); God’s personal work in nature (Psalms 104:27-30); a noble conclusion of praise (Psalms 104:31-35).
It is almost impossible in a brief space to say aught of this marvellous production. Here poetry at its highest sublimity of conception, and diction and devotional feeling of the most spiritual order blend in one superb and unrivalled poem.
Psalms 104:2. Who covereth Thyself with light God has many “garments” ascribed to Him (Psalms 93:1), but this primeval one is, perhaps, the most beautiful of them all.
Psalms 104:4. Who maketh winds his messengers; his ministers a flaming fire (R.V.) The tempest and the flame are his slaves; make friends with their Master.
Psalms 104:6-8. At thy rebuke the waters fled This is the work of the third day–the removal of the water from the earth–and is painted at great length, because the Psalmist sees in it an allegory of the removal of the heathen, who had inundated the Holy Land (Psalms 93:1-5). Some have seen in these verses a reference to glacial action, by which so much water is being brought down from the mountains to the valleys.
Psalms 104:9. That they turn not again(Genesis 9:15; Job 38:8-11).
Psalms 104:11-12; Psalms 104:14. Wild asses fowls cattle If God is so careful of birds and beasts, how much more of his children! (Matthew 6:26; Matthew 10:31).
Psalms 104:15. Wine … oil … bread The products of the land: the olive; the vine; and corn (Deuteronomy 11:14).
Psalms 104:16. The trees of the Lord; the cedars of Lebanon The earth is satisfied (Psalms 104:13); the trees are satisfied (R.V.); all living things are satisfied (Psalms 104:28, R.V.).
Psalms 104:17-18. The birds … the wild goats … the conies He who implants natural instincts, provides for their satisfaction. Psalms 104:20-23. The beasts of the forest creep: the young lions roar Night and morning in the forest pasture-lands.
Psalms 104:24. How manifold are thy works! (Psalms 111:2). The fertility of God’s inventiveness.
Psalms 104:28. Thou openest thine hand To satisfy creation, God has but to open his hand.
Psalms 104:30-31. The Lord shall rejoice in his works Where no human foot treads, God’s Spirit broods, rejoicing in his works.
Psalms 104:34. My meditation of Him shall be sweet Here, indeed, is food for holy meditation; sweet because of its theme. Let us alone rejoice in the Lord!