Psalm 104 - New English Translation (NET)

Psalm 104[a]

104 Praise the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, you are magnificent.[b]
You are robed in splendor and majesty.
2 He covers himself with light as if it were a garment.
He stretches out the skies like a tent curtain,
3 and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds.[c]
He makes the clouds his chariot,
and travels on the wings of the wind.[d]
4 He makes the winds his messengers,
and the flaming fire his attendant.[e]
5 He established the earth on its foundations;
it will never be moved.
6 The watery deep covered it[f] like a garment;
the waters reached[g] above the mountains.[h]
7 Your shout made the waters retreat;
at the sound of your thunderous voice they hurried off—
8 as the mountains rose up,
and the valleys went down—
to the place you appointed for them.[i]
9 You set up a boundary for them that they could not cross,
so that they would not cover the earth again.[j]
10 He turns springs into streams;[k]
they flow between the mountains.
11 They provide water for all the animals in the field;
the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 The birds of the sky live beside them;
they chirp among the bushes.[l]
13 He waters the mountains from the upper rooms of his palace;[m]
the earth is full of the fruit you cause to grow.[n]
14 He provides grass[o] for the cattle,
and crops for people to cultivate,[p]
so they can produce food from the ground,[q]
15 as well as wine that makes people glad,[r]
and olive oil to make their faces shine,[s]
as well as bread that sustains them.[t]
16 The trees of the Lord[u] receive all the rain they need,[v]
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted,
17 where the birds make nests,
near the evergreens in which the herons live.[w]
18 The wild goats live in the high mountains;[x]
the rock badgers find safety in the cliffs.
19 He made the moon to mark the months,[y]
and the sun sets according to a regular schedule.[z]
20 You make it dark and night comes,[aa]
during which all the beasts of the forest prowl around.
21 The lions roar for prey,
seeking their food from God.[ab]
22 When the sun rises, they withdraw
and sleep[ac] in their dens.
23 People then go out to do their work,
and they labor until evening.[ad]
24 How many living things you have made, O Lord![ae]
You have exhibited great skill in making all of them;[af]
the earth is full of the living things you have made.
25 Over here is the deep, wide sea,[ag]
which teems with innumerable swimming creatures,[ah]
living things both small and large.
26 The ships travel there,
and over here swims the whale[ai] you made to play in it.
27 All your creatures[aj] wait for you
to provide them with food on a regular basis.[ak]
28 You give food to them and they receive it;
you open your hand and they are filled with food.[al]
29 When you ignore them, they panic.[am]
When you take away their life’s breath,
they die and return to dust.
30 When you send your life-giving breath, they are created,
and you replenish the surface of the ground.
31 May the splendor of the Lord endure.[an]
May the Lord find pleasure in the living things he has made.[ao]
32 He looks down on the earth and it shakes;
he touches the mountains and they start to smolder.
33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I exist.[ap]
34 May my thoughts[aq] be pleasing to him.
I will rejoice in the Lord.
35 May sinners disappear[ar] from the earth,
and the wicked vanish.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 104:1 sn Psalm 104. The psalmist praises God as the ruler of the world who sustains all life.
  2. Psalm 104:1 tn Heb “very great.”
  3. Psalm 104:3 tn Heb “one who lays the beams on water [in] his upper rooms.” The “water” mentioned here corresponds to the “waters above” mentioned in Gen 1:7. For a discussion of the picture envisioned by the psalmist, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 44-45.
  4. Psalm 104:3 sn Verse 3 may depict the Lord riding a cherub, which is in turn propelled by the wind current. Another option is that the wind is personified as a cherub. See Ps 18:10 and the discussion of ancient Near Eastern parallels to the imagery in M. Weinfeld, “‘Rider of the Clouds’ and ‘Gatherer of the Clouds’,” JANESCU 5 (1973): 422-24.
  5. Psalm 104:4 tc Heb “and his attendants a flaming fire.” The lack of agreement between the singular “fire” and plural “attendants” has prompted various emendations. Some read “fire and flame.” The present translation assumes an emendation from מְשָׁרְתָיו (mesharetayv, “his attendants”) to מְשָׁרְתוֹ (meshareto, “his attendant”), a reading supported by one of the Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q93.sn In Ugaritic mythology Yam’s messengers appear as flaming fire before the assembly of the gods. See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 42.
  6. Psalm 104:6 tc Heb “you covered it.” The masculine suffix is problematic if the grammatically feminine noun “earth” is the antecedent. For this reason some emend the form from כִּסִּיתוֹ (kissito) to a feminine verb with feminine suffix, כִּסַּתָּה (kissattah, “[the watery deep] covered it [i.e., the earth]”), a reading assumed by the present translation.
  7. Psalm 104:6 tn Heb “stood.”
  8. Psalm 104:6 sn Verse 6 refers to the condition described in Gen 1:2 (note the use of the Hebrew term תְּהוֹם [tehom, “watery deep”] in both texts).
  9. Psalm 104:8 tn Heb “from your shout they fled, from the sound of your thunder they hurried off.”sn Verses 7-8 poetically depict Gen 1:9-10.
  10. Psalm 104:9 tn Heb “a boundary you set up, they will not cross, they will not return to cover the earth.”
  11. Psalm 104:10 tn Heb “[the] one who sends springs into streams.” Another option is to translate, “he sends streams [i.e., streams that originate from springs] into the valleys” (cf. NIV).
  12. Psalm 104:12 tn Heb “among the thick foliage they give a sound.”
  13. Psalm 104:13 tn Heb “from his upper rooms.”
  14. Psalm 104:13 tn Heb “from the fruit of your works the earth is full.” The translation assumes that “fruit” is literal here. If “fruit” is understood more abstractly as “product; result,” then one could translate, “the earth flourishes as a result of your deeds” (cf. NIV, NRSV, REB).
  15. Psalm 104:14 tn Heb “causes the grass to sprout up.”
  16. Psalm 104:14 tn Heb “for the service of man” (see Gen 2:5).
  17. Psalm 104:14 tn Heb “to cause food to come out from the earth.”
  18. Psalm 104:15 tn Heb “and wine [that] makes the heart of man happy.”
  19. Psalm 104:15 tn Heb “to make [the] face shine from oil.” The Hebrew verb צָהַל (tsahal, “to shine”) occurs only here in the OT. It appears to be an alternate form of צָהַר (tsahar), a derivative from צָהָרִים (tsaharim, “noon”).
  20. Psalm 104:15 tn Heb “and food [that] sustains the heart of man.”
  21. Psalm 104:16 sn The trees of the Lord are the cedars of Lebanon (see the next line), which are viewed as special because of their great size and grandeur. The Lebanon forest was viewed elsewhere in the OT as the “garden of God” (see Ezek 31:8).
  22. Psalm 104:16 tn Heb “are satisfied,” which means here that they receive abundant rain (see v. 13).
  23. Psalm 104:17 tn Heb “[the] heron [in the] evergreens [is] its home.”sn The cedars and evergreens of the Lebanon forest are frequently associated (see, for example, 2 Chr 2:8; Isa 14:8; 37:24; Ezek 31:8).
  24. Psalm 104:18 tn Heb “the high mountains [are] for the goats.”
  25. Psalm 104:19 tn Heb “he made [the] moon for appointed times.” The phrase “appointed times” probably refers to the months of the Hebrew lunar calendar.
  26. Psalm 104:19 tn Heb more metaphorically, “knows its setting.”
  27. Psalm 104:20 tn Heb “you make darkness, so that it might be night.”
  28. Psalm 104:21 sn The lions’ roaring is viewed as a request for food from God.
  29. Psalm 104:22 tn Heb “lie down.”
  30. Psalm 104:23 tn Heb “man goes out to his work, and to his labor until evening.”
  31. Psalm 104:24 tn Heb “How many [are] your works, O Lord.” In this case the Lord’s “works” are the creatures he has made, as the preceding and following contexts make clear.
  32. Psalm 104:24 tn Heb “all of them with wisdom you have made.”
  33. Psalm 104:25 tn Heb “this [is] the sea, great and broad of hands [i.e., “sides” or “shores”].”
  34. Psalm 104:25 tn Heb “where [there are] swimming things, and without number.”
  35. Psalm 104:26 tn Heb “[and] this Leviathan, [which] you formed to play in it.” Elsewhere Leviathan is a multiheaded sea monster that symbolizes forces hostile to God (see Ps 74:14; Isa 27:1), but here it appears to be an actual marine creature created by God, probably some type of whale.
  36. Psalm 104:27 tn Heb “All of them.” The pronoun “them” refers not just to the sea creatures mentioned in vv. 25-26, but to all living things (see v. 24). This has been specified in the translation as “all of your creatures” for clarity.
  37. Psalm 104:27 tn Heb “to give their food in its time.”
  38. Psalm 104:28 tn Heb “they are satisfied [with] good.”
  39. Psalm 104:29 tn Heb “you hide your face, they are terrified.”
  40. Psalm 104:31 tn Heb “be forever.”
  41. Psalm 104:31 tn Or “rejoice in his works.”
  42. Psalm 104:33 tn Heb “in my duration.”
  43. Psalm 104:34 tn That is, the psalmist’s thoughts as expressed in his songs of praise.
  44. Psalm 104:35 tn Or “be destroyed.”

You Might Also Like:

Psalm 104 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

104 Bless, O my soul, Jehovah! Jehovah, my God, Thou hast been very great, Honour and majesty Thou hast put on. 2 Covering himself [with] light as a garment, Stretching out the heavens as a curtain, 3 Who is laying the beam of His upper chambers in the waters, Who is making thick clouds His chariot,...
Read More

Psalm 104 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

104 My soul, bless thou the Lord; my Lord God, thou art magnified greatly. Thou hast clothed acknowledging and fairness; (My soul, bless thou the Lord; my Lord God, thou art greatly magnified. Thou art clothed with majesty and glory;) 2 and thou art clothed with light, as with a cloth. And thou stre...
Read More

Psalm 104 - World English Bible (WEB)

104 Bless Yahweh, my soul. Yahweh, 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 o...
Read More

Psalm 104 - The Voice (VOICE)

Psalm 1041 Call Him good, my soul, and praise the Eternal. I am here to declare my affection for You, Eternal One, my God.You are indeed great— You who are wrapped in glory and dressed in greatness.2 For covering, You choose light—Your clothes, sunset and moonrise. For a tent, You stretch out the he...
Read More

Psalm 104 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Adonai Rejoices in His Works!Psalm 1041 Bless Adonai, O my soul.Adonai my God, You are very great!You are clothed with splendor and majesty—2 wrapping Yourself in light as a robe,stretching out heaven like a curtain,3 laying beams for His upper rooms in waters, making the clouds His chariot, walking...
Read More

Psalm 104 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

God the Creator and Provider104 [a]Bless the Lord, O my soul!O Lord my God, thou art very great!Thou art clothed with honor and majesty,2 who coverest thyself with light as with a garment,who hast stretched out the heavens like a tent,3 who hast laid the beams of thy chambers on the waters,who mak...
Read More

Psalm 104 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

God the Creator and Provider104 Bless the Lord, O my soul!O Lord my God, thou art very great!Thou art clothed with honor and majesty,2 who coverest thyself with light as with a garment,who hast stretched out the heavens like a tent,3 who hast laid the beams of thy chambers on the waters,who makest...
Read More

Psalm 104 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Psalm 104God the Creator and Provider1 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great.You are clothed with honour and majesty,2 wrapped in light as with a garment.You stretch out the heavens like a tent,3 you set the beams of your[a] chambers on the waters,you make the clouds your[b]...
Read More

Psalm 104 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Psalm 104God the Creator and Provider1 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great.You are clothed with honor and majesty,(A)2 wrapped in light as with a garment.You stretch out the heavens like a tent;(B)3 you set the beams of your[a] chambers on the waters;you make the clouds yo...
Read More

Psalm 104 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Psalm 1041 Let all that I am praise the Lord.O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty.2 You are dressed in a robe of light.You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;3 you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds.You make the clouds your chariot; you...
Read More

Psalm 104 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Lord Watches Over All His Works104 Praise the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great. You are dressed with great honor and wonderful power. 2 He covers Himself with light as with a coat. He spreads out the heavens like a tent. 3 He makes His home on the waters. He makes the clouds ...
Read More

Psalm 104 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Praise to the Sovereign Lord for His Creation and Providence(A)104 Bless (B)the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great:You are clothed with honor and majesty,2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. 3 (C)He lays the beams of His upper ...
Read More

Psalm 104 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Psalm 1041 Praise the Lord, my soul.Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendour and majesty. 2 The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.He makes the clouds his chariot an...
Read More

Psalm 104 - New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 1041 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...
Read More

Psalm 104 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Psalm 1041 I will praise the Lord. Lord my God, you are very great. You are dressed in glory and majesty.2 The Lord wraps himself in light as if it were a robe. He spreads out the heavens like a tent.3 He builds his palace high in the heavens.He makes the clouds serve as his chariot. He rides on th...
Read More

Psalm 104 - New English Translation (NET)

Psalm 104[a]104 Praise the Lord, O my soul!O Lord my God, you are magnificent.[b]You are robed in splendor and majesty.2 He covers himself with light as if it were a garment.He stretches out the skies like a tent curtain,3 and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds.[c]He ...
Read More