104 I say to myself, ‘Praise the Lord !’
Lord , my God, you are very great!
You rule with authority as a great king.
2 Light is all round you,
like the clothes that you wear.
You have put the skies as a roof over the earth.
3 You have built the beams of your home
on the clouds of rain.
The clouds carry you as you travel,
and you ride on the wind.
4 You use the winds to carry your messages.
Flames of fire are your servants.
5 You, Lord , built the earth
on its strong foundations.
Nothing will ever shake it from its place.
6 You covered the earth with deep water,
like a coat.
The water covered the tops of the mountains.
7 But when you shouted,
the water went back.
It ran away,
when you shouted like thunder.
8 The water poured down from the mountains,
and it went down into the valleys.
It went to stay in the place that you had chosen for it.
9 You made a border for the water
so that it could not cross.
Never again will the water cover the earth. [ b ]
10 You cause springs of water
to pour along the valleys.
Streams of water run between the hills.
11 They give water to all the wild animals.
Wild donkeys drink from them.
12 The birds make their homes beside the streams.
They sing from the branches of the trees.
13 You pour down rain on the mountains
from your home above the sky.
You cause many fruits to grow on the earth.
14 You give grass for farm animals to eat.
You give crops for people to plant.
In that way, people get food from the ground.
15 They grow grapes for wine,
which makes them happy.
They grow olive trees for oil,
which makes their faces shine.
They grow grain for bread,
which makes them strong.
16 The Lord 's own trees receive plenty of rain.
They are the cedar trees
that he planted in Lebanon.
17 The birds make their nests there.
Storks live there in the fir trees.
18 The wild goats live high up in the mountains.
Rock badgers hide among the rocks.
19 You made the moon
to tell us the months and seasons.
The sun also knows the right time for sunset.
20 At night you make it dark,
so that the forest animals come out.
21 The lions roar
while they look for animals to kill.
They look for the food that God gives to them.
22 At sunrise, they go back to their homes,
and they lie down to rest.
23 During the day, people go out to work.
They work at their jobs until it is evening.
24 Lord , you have made very many different things!
You were very wise in the way that you have made them all.
The earth is full of the living things
that you have made. [ c ]
25 Look at the sea, which is deep and wide!
It is full of living things,
that are both large and small.
They are more than anyone can count.
26 Ships travel on the sea.
You made the monster, Leviathan,
to swim and to play in the sea.
27 All these living things wait for you
to give them their food when they need it.
28 When you give it to them, they take it.
You open your hand to feed them,
and they have plenty of good things.
29 When you turn away from them,
they become very afraid.
When you take away their breath,
they die and they return to the dust.
30 But when you breathe into anything,
it receives life.
In that way, you bring new life to the earth.
31 I pray that the glory of the Lord
will continue for ever!
I pray that the Lord will be happy
with everything that he has made!
32 When he looks down at the earth,
it shakes!
When he touches the mountains,
they pour out smoke!
33 All my life, I will sing to praise the Lord .
I will always sing songs to praise my God,
for as long as I live.
34 I want my song to make him happy.
I will be happy,
because of what the Lord has done.
35 I pray that wicked people will disappear from the earth.
May they disappear for ever!
I say to myself, ‘Praise the Lord ! Hallelujah!’
104 My soul, praise the Lord !
Lord my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with glory and honor.
2 You wear light like a robe.
You spread out the skies like a curtain.
3 You built your home above them. [ a ]
You use the thick clouds like a chariot
and ride across the sky on the wings of the wind.
4 You make the winds your messengers
and flames of fire your servants. [ b ]
5 You built the earth on its foundations,
so it can never be moved.
6 You covered it with water like a blanket.
The water covered even the mountains.
7 But you gave the command, and the water turned back.
You shouted at the water, and it rushed away.
8 The water flowed down from the mountains into the valleys,
to the places you made for it.
9 You set the limits for the seas,
and the water will never again rise to cover the earth.
10 Lord, you cause water to flow from springs into the streams
that flow down between the mountains.
11 The streams provide water for all the wild animals.
Even the wild donkeys come there to drink.
12 Wild birds come to live by the pools;
they sing in the branches of nearby trees.
13 You send rain down on the mountains.
The earth gets everything it needs from what you have made.
14 You make the grass grow to feed the animals.
You provide plants for the crops we grow—
the plants that give us food from the earth.
15 You give us the wine that makes us happy,
the oil that makes our skin soft, [ c ]
and the food that makes us strong.
16 The great cedar trees of Lebanon belong to the Lord .
He planted them and gives them the water they need.
17 That’s where the birds make their nests,
and the storks live in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are a home for wild goats.
The large rocks are hiding places for rock badgers.
19 Lord, you made the moon to show us when the festivals begin.
And the sun always knows when to set.
20 You made darkness to be the night—
the time when wild animals come out and roam around.
21 Lions roar as they attack,
as if they are asking God for the food he gives them.
22 When the sun rises, they leave
and go back to their dens to rest.
23 Then people go out to do their work,
and they work until evening.
24 Lord , you created so many things!
With your wisdom you made them all.
The earth is full of the living things you made.
25 Look at the ocean, so big and wide!
It is filled with all kinds of sea life.
There are creatures large and small—too many to count!
26 Ships sail over the ocean,
and playing there is Leviathan, [ d ]
the great sea creature you made.
27 Lord, all living things depend on you.
You give them food at the right time.
28 You give it, and they eat it.
They are filled with good food from your open hands.
29 When you turn away from them,
they become frightened.
When you take away their breath, [ e ]
they die, and their bodies return to the dust.
30 But when you send out your life-giving breath, [ f ]
things come alive, and the world is like new again!
31 May the Lord ’s glory continue forever!
May the Lord enjoy what he made.
32 He just looks at the earth, and it trembles.
He just touches the mountains, and smoke rises from them.
33 I will sing to the Lord for the rest of my life.
I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.
34 May my words be pleasing to him.
The Lord is the one who makes me happy.
35 I wish sinners would disappear from the earth.
I wish the wicked would be gone forever.
My soul, praise the Lord !
Praise the Lord !
104 Bless the Lord , O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.
9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.
10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.
11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.
12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.
16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.
19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.
23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
24 O Lord , how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.
29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
31 The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works.
32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
33 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord .
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord , O my soul. Praise ye the Lord .
104 ( A ) Bless the Lord , my soul!
Lord my God, You are very great;
You are ( B ) clothed with splendor and majesty,
2 Covering Yourself with ( C ) light as with a cloak,
( D ) Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.
3 [ a ] He ( E ) lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters;
[ b ] He makes the ( F ) clouds His chariot;
[ c ] He walks on the ( G ) wings of the wind;
4 [ d ] He makes [ e ] ( H ) the winds His messengers,
[ f ] Flaming ( I ) fire His ministers.
5 He ( J ) established the earth upon its foundations,
So that it will not [ g ] totter forever and ever.
6 You ( K ) covered it with the deep sea as with a garment;
The waters were standing above the mountains.
7 They fled from Your ( L ) rebuke,
At the ( M ) sound of Your thunder they hurried away.
8 The mountains rose; the valleys sank down
To the ( N ) place which You established for them.
9 You set a ( O ) boundary so that they will not pass over,
So that they will not return to cover the earth.
10 [ h ] He sends forth ( P ) springs in the valleys;
They flow between the mountains;
11 They ( Q ) give drink to every animal of the field;
The ( R ) wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky ( S ) dwell [ i ] beside them;
They [ j ] lift up their voices from among the branches.
13 [ k ] He ( T ) waters the mountains from His upper chambers;
( U ) The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.
14 [ l ] He causes the ( V ) grass to grow for the [ m ] cattle,
And ( W ) vegetation for the labor of mankind,
So that [ n ] they may produce [ o ] food ( X ) from the earth,
15 And ( Y ) wine, which makes a human heart cheerful,
( Z ) So that he makes his face gleam with oil,
And [ p ] food, which ( AA ) sustains a human heart.
16 The trees of the Lord [ q ] drink their fill,
The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
17 Where the ( AB ) birds build their nests,
And the ( AC ) stork, whose home is the juniper trees.
18 The high mountains are for the ( AD ) wild goats;
The ( AE ) cliffs are a refuge for the ( AF ) rock hyrax.
19 He made the moon ( AG ) for the seasons;
The ( AH ) sun knows the place of its setting.
20 You ( AI ) appoint darkness and it becomes night,
In which all the ( AJ ) animals of the forest [ r ] prowl about.
21 The ( AK ) young lions roar for their prey
[ s ] And ( AL ) seek their food from God.
22 When the sun rises they withdraw,
And they lie down in their ( AM ) dens.
23 A person goes out to ( AN ) his work
And to his labor until evening.
24 Lord , how ( AO ) many are Your works!
[ t ] In ( AP ) wisdom You have made them all;
The ( AQ ) earth is full of Your [ u ] possessions.
25 [ v ] There is the ( AR ) sea, great and [ w ] broad,
In which are swarms without number,
Animals both small and great.
26 The ( AS ) ships move along there,
And [ x ] ( AT ) Leviathan, which You have formed to have fun in it.
27 They all ( AU ) wait for You
To ( AV ) give them their food in [ y ] due season.
28 You give to them, they gather it up;
You ( AW ) open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.
29 You ( AX ) hide Your face, they are terrified;
You ( AY ) take away their breath, they perish
And ( AZ ) return to their dust.
30 You send forth Your [ z ] ( BA ) Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the ground.
31 May the ( BB ) glory of the Lord endure forever;
May the Lord ( BC ) rejoice in His works;
32 [ aa ] He ( BD ) looks at the earth, and it ( BE ) trembles;
He ( BF ) touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 [ ab ] I will sing to the Lord [ ac ] ( BG ) as long as I live;
[ ad ] I will ( BH ) sing praise to my God [ ae ] while I have my being.
34 May my ( BI ) praise be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall ( BJ ) rejoice in the Lord .
35 May sinners be ( BK ) removed from the earth
And may the ( BL ) wicked be no more.
( BM ) Bless the Lord , my soul.
[ af ] ( BN ) Praise [ ag ] the Lord !
1 Praise the Lord , my soul. ( A )
Lord my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty. ( B )
2 The Lord wraps ( C ) himself in light ( D ) as with a garment;
he stretches ( E ) out the heavens ( F ) like a tent ( G )
3 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 )
4 He makes winds his messengers, [ a ] ( M )
flames of fire ( N ) his servants.
5 He set the earth ( O ) on its foundations; ( P )
it can never be moved.
6 You covered it ( Q ) with the watery depths ( R ) as with a garment;
the waters stood ( S ) above the mountains.
7 But at your rebuke ( T ) the waters fled,
at the sound of your thunder ( U ) they took to flight;
8 they flowed over the mountains,
they went down into the valleys,
to the place you assigned ( V ) for them.
9 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.
