Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 104

Introduction

1  A meditation upon the mighty power,
7  and wonderful providence of God.
31  God's glory is eternal.
33  The prophet vows perpetually to praise God.

Verse 1

Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
Bless
This sublime poem on the works of God in creation and providence, is ascribed to David in the LXX., Vulgate, Ethiopic, Syriac, and Arabic; and as it opens and closes with the same words as the preceding psalm, it is probable that it was composed on the same occasion; and it is written as part of it in nine MSS.
35, 103:1,2,22
O Lord
7:1, Daniel 9:4, Habakkuk 1:12
art very great
145:3, Jeremiah 23:24, 32:17-19, Revelation 1:13-20
clothed
93:1, Isaiah 59:17, Daniel 7:9
honour
29:1-4, 96:6

Verse 2

Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
with light
Daniel 7:9, Matthew 17:2, 1 Timothy 6:16, 1 John 1:5
stretchest
Isaiah 40:22, 45:12, Zechariah 12:1, Hebrews 1:10-12

Verse 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:
Who layeth
18:10,11, Amos 9:6
maketh
Isaiah 19:1, Matthew 26:64, Revelation 1:7
walketh
18:10, 139:9, 2 Samuel 22:11, Nahum 1:3

Verse 4

Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
Who maketh
Acts 23:8, Hebrews 1:7,14
ministers
2 Kings 2:11, 6:17, Ezekiel 1:13

Verse 5

Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
Who laid the foundations of the earth
Heb. He hath founded the earth upon her bases.
24:2, 33:9, 136:6, Job 26:7, 38:4-7
that it
93:1, 96:10, Ecclesiastes 1:4, 2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 6:14, 20:11

Verse 6

Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
Genesis 1:2-10, 7:19, 2 Peter 3:5

Verse 7

At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
At thy
Genesis 8:1, Proverbs 8:28, Mark 4:39
they fled
114:3-7

Verse 8

They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.
They go up, etc
or, The mountains ascend, the valleys descend.
Genesis 8:5

Verse 9

Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.
hast set
33:7, Genesis 9:11-15, Job 26:10, 38:10,11, Isaiah 54:9, Jeremiah 5:22

Verse 10

He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.
He sendeth
Heb. Who sendeth.
107:35; The waters of the sea are not only prevented from destroying the earth, but, by the providence of God, are rendered the means of preserving every living thing; partly ascending from the great deep through the strata of the earth, partly exhaled in vapour from the surface of the ocean, and thence falling in rain, especially on the tops and sides of mountains, they break forth into fresh springs, and form streams and rivers.; Deuteronomy 8:7, Isaiah 35:7, 41:18
run
Heb. walk.

Verse 11

They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.
They give
145:16
the wild
Job 39:5-8
quench
Heb. break.

Verse 12

By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
the fowls
16,17, 50:11, 84:3, 148:10, Matthew 6:26
sing
Heb. give a voice.
147:9

Verse 13

He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
watereth
147:8, Deuteronomy 11:11, Job 38:25-28,37, Jeremiah 10:13, 14:22, Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17
his chambers
3, Amos 9:6
the earth
65:9-13

Verse 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;
causeth
145:15,16, 147:8,9, Genesis 1:11,12,29, 2:5, 1 Kings 18:5, Jeremiah 14:5,6, Joel 2:22
herb
Genesis 1:29, 2:9, 3:18, 9:3
that he
136:25, Genesis 4:12, Job 28:5, 1 Corinthians 3:7

Verse 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.
wine
23:5, Judges 9:13, Proverbs 31:6, Ecclesiastes 10:19, Jeremiah 31:12, Zechariah 9:15-17, Mark 14:23, Ephesians 5:18
oil to make his, etc
Heb. to make his face shine with oil, or, more than oil.
92:10, Deuteronomy 28:40, Judges 9:9, Ecclesiastes 8:1, 9:7, Song of Solomon 1:2-4, Hebrews 1:9, 1 John 2:20
bread
105:16, Leviticus 26:26, Deuteronomy 8:3, Isaiah 3:1, Ezekiel 4:16, 5:16, 14:13

Verse 16

The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
29:5, 92:2, Numbers 24:6, Ezekiel 17:23

Verse 17

Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
the birds
12, Jeremiah 22:23, Ezekiel 31:6, Daniel 4:21, Obadiah 1:4, Matthew 13:32
as for
Leviticus 11:19, Jeremiah 8:7
the stork
The stork is a species of the ardea or heron genus, about the size of a goose in its body, but when erect, about three or four feet high; its general colour is white; extremity of the wings, and small part of the head, black; legs, very long, red, and naked a great way up; the toes four, long and connected, with flat nails like those of a man; beak long, jagged, red, and somewhat compressed; the upper and under chaps both of a length, with a furrow from the nostrils: it feeds on serpents, frogs, and insects, on which account it might be deemed unclean; lays four eggs, and sits thirty days; migrates about August, and returns in spring; and is remarkable for its love to its parents, whom it never forsakes, but feeds and cherishes when old; whence it had the name chaseedah, which denotes kindness or piety, and stork, from the Greek [storge] natural affection.

Verse 18

The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.
the wild goats
The yäâl, is the ibex, or rock goat, so called from âlah, to ascend, because it is famous for mounting to the tops of the highest rocks. Its general appearance is that of the tame goat, of a dusky brown colour; but the male is larger, with long horns, bending backwards.
1 Samuel 24:2, Job 39:1
the conies
Deuteronomy 14:7, Proverbs 30:26

Verse 19

He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
8:3, 136:7-9, Genesis 1:14-18, Deuteronomy 4:19, Job 31:26-28, 38:12, Jeremiah 31:35

Verse 20

Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
makest
74:16, 139:10-12, Genesis 1:4,5, 8:22, Isaiah 45:7, Amos 1:13
of the forest do creep forth
Heb. thereof do trample on the forest.

Verse 21

The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
The young
34:10, Job 38:39, Isaiah 31:4, Ezekiel 19:2-14, Amos 3:4
seek
147:9, Job 38:41, Joel 1:18,20, 2:22

Verse 22

The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.
Job 24:13-17, Nahum 3:17, John 3:20

Verse 23

Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
Genesis 3:19, Judges 19:16, Ecclesiastes 5:12, Ephesians 4:28, 2 Thessalonians 3:8-12

Verse 24

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
how
8:3, 40:5, 107:31, Nehemiah 9:6, Job 5:9
in wisdom
136:5, Genesis 1:31, Proverbs 3:19,20, 8:22-36, Jeremiah 10:12, Romans 11:33, Ephesians 1:8, Ephesians 3:10
the earth
24:1, 50:10-12, 65:11, Genesis 1:11,12,24,25, 1 Timothy 6:17

Verse 25

So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
this great
95:4,5, Genesis 1:20-22,28, Deuteronomy 33:14-16,19
beasts
Genesis 3:1, Acts 28:5

Verse 26

There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
There go
107:23, Genesis 49:13
leviathan
74:14, Job 3:8; *marg:; Job 41:1-34, Isaiah 27:1
made
Heb. formed. to play.
Job 41:5,29

Verse 27

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
36:6, 136:25, 145:15,16, 147:9, Job 38:41, Luke 12:24-28

Verse 29

Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
hidest
30:7, Job 13:24, 34:29, Romans 8:20-22
thou takest
146:4, Job 34:14,15, Ecclesiastes 12:7, Acts 17:25
return
90:3, Genesis 3:19

Verse 30

Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
sendest
33:6, Job 26:13, 33:4, Isaiah 32:14,15, Ezekiel 37:9, Ephesians 2:1,4,5, Titus 3:5
renewest
Isaiah 65:17, 66:22, Revelation 21:5

Verse 31

The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.
The glory
102:16, Romans 11:36, Galatians 1:5, Ephesians 3:21, 2 Timothy 4:18, Hebrews 13:21, 1 Peter 5:11, 2 Peter 3:18, Revelation 5:12,13
endure
Heb. be. rejoice.
Genesis 1:31, Exodus 31:17, Isaiah 62:5, 65:18,19, Jeremiah 32:41, Zephaniah 3:17, Luke 15:5,6,22-24

Verse 32

He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
looketh
77:16, 97:4,5, 114:7, Isaiah 64:2, Jeremiah 4:23-26, 5:22, Amos 8:8, Nahum 1:5,6, Habakkuk 3:5,6,10, Revelation 20:11
he toucheth
50:3, 144:5, Exodus 19:18, Isaiah 64:1,2, Revelation 19:3

Verse 33

I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
63:4, 145:1,2, 146:2

Verse 34

My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
meditation
1:2, 63:5,6, 77:12, 119:15,16,111,127,128,167, 139:17,18, Proverbs 24:14
I will be
32:11, Habakkuk 3:17,18, Luke 1:47, Philippians 4:4

Verse 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.
sinners
1:4, 37:38, 59:13, 68:1,2, 73:27, 101:8, Judges 5:31, Proverbs 2:22, Revelation 19:1,2
Bless
1, 103:1,2,22

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