Psalms 104

¹ Bless Yahweh, my soul, Yahweh, my God, how great you are! Clothed in majesty and splendour,

² wearing the light as a robe! You stretch out the heavens like a tent,

³ build your palace on the waters above, making the clouds your chariot, gliding on the wings of thewind,

⁴ appointing the winds your messengers, flames of fire your servants.

⁵ You fixed the earth on its foundations, for ever and ever it shal not be shaken;

⁶ you covered it with the deep like a garment, the waters overtopping the mountains.

⁷ At your reproof the waters fled, at the voice of your thunder they sped away,

⁸ flowing over mountains, down val eys, to the place you had fixed for them;

⁹ you made a limit they were not to cross, they were not to return and cover the earth.

¹⁰ In the ravines you opened up springs, running down between the mountains,

¹¹ supplying water for al the wild beasts; the wild asses quench their thirst,

¹² on their banks the birds of the air make their nests, they sing among the leaves.

¹³ From your high hal s you water the mountains, satisfying the earth with the fruit of your works:

¹⁴ for cattle you make the grass grow, and for people the plants they need, to bring forth food from theearth,

¹⁵ and wine to cheer people's hearts, oil to make their faces glow, food to make them sturdy of heart.

¹⁶ The trees of Yahweh drink their fill, the cedars of Lebanon which he sowed;

¹⁷ there the birds build their nests, on the highest branches the stork makes its home;

¹⁸ for the wild goats there are the mountains, in the crags the coneys find refuge.

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

²⁰ You bring on darkness, and night fal s, when al the forest beasts roam around;

²¹ young lions roar for their prey, asking God for their food.

²² The sun rises and away they steal, back to their lairs to lie down,

²³ and man goes out to work, to labour til evening falls.

²⁴ How countless are your works, Yahweh, al of them made so wisely! The earth is ful of yourcreatures.

²⁵ Then there is the sea, with its vast expanses teeming with countless creatures, creatures both greatand smal ;

²⁶ there ships pass to and fro, and Leviathan whom you made to sport with.

²⁷ They al depend upon you, to feed them when they need it.

²⁸ You provide the food they gather, your open hand gives them their fil .

²⁹ Turn away your face and they panic; take back their breath and they die and revert to dust.

³⁰ Send out your breath and life begins; you renew the face of the earth.

³¹ Glory to Yahweh for ever! May Yahweh find joy in his creatures!

³² At his glance the earth trembles, at his touch the mountains pour forth smoke.

³³ I shal sing to Yahweh al my life, make music for my God as long as I live.

³⁴ May my musings be pleasing to him, for Yahweh gives me joy.

³⁵ May sinners vanish from the earth, and the wicked exist no more! Bless Yahweh, my soul.