Read Psalms chapter 104 online with LogosAI Bible study tools, highlights, and cross references.
Psalms 104 is part of “Book IV: The Numbers Book” (90–106) in the outline of Psalms.
Psalms 104 summary
It is very probable that this psalm was penned by the same hand, and at the same time, as the former; for as that ended this begins, with "Bless the Lord, O my soul!" and concludes with it too. The style indeed is somewhat different, because the matter is so: the scope of the foregoing psalm was to celebrate the goodness of God and his tender mercy and compassion, to which a soft and sweet style was most agreeable; the scope of this is to celebrate his greatness, and majesty, and sovereign dominion, which ought to be done in the most stately lofty strains of poetry. David, in the former psalm, gave God the glory of his covenant-mercy and love to his own people; in this he gives him the glory of his works of creation and providence, his dominion over, and his bounty to, all the creatures. God is there praised as the God of grace, here as the God of nature. And this psalm is wholly bestowed on that subject; not as Psa 19:1-14, which begins with it, but passes from it to the consideration of the divine law; nor as Psa 8:1-9, which speaks of this but prophetically, and with an eye to Christ. This noble poem is thought by very competent judges greatly to excel, not only for piety and devotion (that is past dispute), but for flight of fancy, brightness of ideas, surprising turns, and all the beauties and ornaments of expression, the Greek and Latin poets upon any subject of this nature. Many great things the psalmist here gives God the glory of I. The splendour of his majesty in the upper world (Psa 104:1-4). II. The creation of the sea and the dry land (Psa 104:5-9). III. The provision he makes for the maintenance of all the creatures according to their nature (Psa 104:10-18, Psa 104:27, Psa 104:28). IV. The regular course of the sun and moon (Psa 104:19-24). V. The furniture of the sea (Psa 104:25, Psa 104:26). IV. God's sovereign power over all the creatures (Psa 104:29-32). And, lastly, he concludes with a pleasant and firm resolution to continue praising God (Psa 104:33-35), with which we should heartily join in singing this psalm.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
1 Bless the LORD, my soul. The LORD, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty.
2 He covers himself with light as with a garment. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
3 He lays the beams of his rooms in the waters. He makes the clouds his chariot. He walks on the wings of the wind.
4 He makes his messengers winds, and his servants flames of fire.
5 He laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a cloak. The waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they fled. At the voice of your thunder they hurried away.
8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down, to the place which you had assigned to them.
9 You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they don’t turn again to cover the earth.
10 He sends springs into the valleys. They run among the mountains.
11 They give drink to every animal of the field. The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky nest by them. They sing among the branches.
13 He waters the mountains from his rooms. The earth is filled with the fruit of your works.
14 He causes the grass to grow for the livestock, and plants for man to cultivate, that he may produce food out of the earth:
15 wine that makes the heart of man glad, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man’s heart.
16 The LORD’s trees are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted,
17 where the birds make their nests. The stork makes its home in the cypress trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats. The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19 He appointed the moon for seasons. The sun knows when to set.
20 You make darkness, and it is night, in which all the animals of the forest prowl.
21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away, and lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes out to his work, to his labor until the evening.
24 LORD, how many are your works! In wisdom, you have made them all. The earth is full of your riches.
25 There is the sea, great and wide, in which are innumerable living things, both small and large animals.
26 There the ships go, and leviathan, whom you formed to play there.
27 These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season.
28 You give to them; they gather. You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.
29 You hide your face; they are troubled. You take away their breath; they die and return to the dust.
30 You send out your Spirit and they are created. You renew the face of the ground.
31 Let the LORD’s glory endure forever. Let the LORD rejoice in his works.
32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles. He touches the mountains, 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 any being.
34 Let my meditation be sweet to him. I will rejoice in the LORD.
35 Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. Let the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, my soul. Praise the LORD!