Old Testament · Poetry

Psalm 104

The Creation Psalm

A poetic retelling of Genesis 1 — God stretches out the heavens like a tent, sends springs into the valleys, and makes the winds His messengers.

Berean Standard Bible BSB KJV

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1Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty.

2He wraps Himself in light as with a garment; He stretches out the heavens like a tent,

3laying the beams of His chambers in the waters above, making the clouds His chariot, walking on the wings of the wind.

4He makes the winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants.

5He set the earth on its foundations, never to be moved.

6You covered it with the deep like a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.

7At Your rebuke the waters fled; at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away—

8the mountains rose and the valleys sank to the place You assigned for them—

9You set a boundary they cannot cross, that they may never again cover the earth.

10He sends forth springs in the valleys; they flow between the mountains.

11They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12The birds of the air nest beside the springs; they sing among the branches.

13He waters the mountains from His chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of His works.

14He makes the grass grow for the livestock and provides crops for man to cultivate, bringing forth food from the earth:

15wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil that makes his face to shine, and bread that sustains his heart.

16The trees of the LORD have their fill, the cedars of Lebanon that He planted,

17where the birds build their nests; the stork makes her home in the cypresses.

18The high mountains are for the wild goats, the cliffs a refuge for the rock badgers.

19He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows when to set.

20You bring darkness, and it becomes night, when all the beasts of the forest prowl.

21The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.

22The sun rises, and they withdraw; they lie down in their dens.

23Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until evening.

24How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.

25Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small.

26There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there.

27All creatures look to You to give them their food in due season.

28When You give it to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

29When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to dust.

30When You send Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth.

31May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in His works.

32He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.

33I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

34May my meditation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the LORD.

35May sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Bless the LORD, O my soul. Hallelujah!

Understand This

Psalm 104, explained

What Psalm 104 is saying

Psalm 104 is a magnificent creation hymn that traces God's sovereign care over the natural order, moving from the cosmic canopy of light and heavens to water, mountains, vegetation, animals, and the sea. Its structure roughly parallels the creation days of Genesis 1, yet with a poet's eye for ecological interconnection. The psalm closes by calling for the removal of sinners—a jarring note that underscores creation's moral dimension.

The background behind it

Scholars have long noted structural parallels with the Egyptian Hymn to the Aten, though the theological content is distinctly Yahwistic. The psalm reflects Israel's adaptation and transformation of ancient Near Eastern creation theology under monotheistic conviction.

Themes running underneath

The psalm presents creation as an ongoing act of divine providence, not merely a past event. God actively sustains every creature through His ruach (spirit/breath), and the withdrawal of that breath means death. The interdependence of all creation under God's care anticipates ecological theology.

Why it still matters

This psalm challenges a purely utilitarian view of nature, presenting the natural world as God's sustained artwork that reveals His wisdom. It invites both wonder and responsibility toward the created order.

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Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible — used by permission, Bible Hub.