Bible Commentaries
Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible
Psalms 104
CIV. The Glory of the Creator.
Psalms 104:1-4. Yahweh's power in the heavens. He is clothed in the light which God made first (Genesis 1:3) before the heavenly bodies. He lays the foundation of His dwelling in the waters above the firmament (Genesis 1:7*). Thence He issues from time to time in person riding on the clouds (Isaiah 19:1), or else sends His message by wind or flame.
Psalms 104:5-9. Separation of land and sea.
Psalms 104:10-18. God's care for man and beast.
Psalms 104:13 b. The emendation, "The earth is satisfied from thy clouds," i.e. with the rain which falls from them, implies the use of a word for clouds which means "vapours" rather than actual rain.
Psalms 104:14. service of man: rather, "for man's work," i.e. in tilling the ground and so raising grain.
Psalms 104:16. The cedars of Lebanon are so great that only God could have planted them.
Psalms 104:18. conies: Proverbs 30:26*.
Psalms 104:19-23. The night.
Psalms 104:19. for seasons: especially holy seasons such as Passover, etc.
Psalms 104:24-30. The poet begins with the sea and passes to the thought of God as giving and renewing all life.
Psalms 104:26. Read perhaps, "There go the dragons." This preserves the parallelism.—leviathan: a mythical sea monster (see Job 40:24 to Job 41:34) with features borrowed from the crocodile and the whale.
Psalms 104:31-35. Ascription of glory to God who Himself rejoices in His works.
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