**The Majesty of Creation: A Reflection on Psalm 104**
In the beginning, when the earth was formless and void, and darkness covered the face of the deep, the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. From that primordial chaos, the Lord spoke, and light burst forth, separating day from night. The heavens were stretched out like a curtain, and the earth was established on its foundations, never to be moved. This is the story of creation, as recounted in Psalm 104, a hymn of praise to the Creator who clothes Himself in splendor and majesty, whose works are manifold and whose wisdom is beyond measure.
The psalmist begins by blessing the Lord, his soul stirred to worship by the grandeur of God’s creation. “O Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with honor and majesty,” he declares. The Lord wraps Himself in light as with a garment, a radiant robe that speaks of His holiness and purity. The heavens are His canopy, stretched out like a tent, and He rides upon the wings of the wind, making the clouds His chariot. The winds themselves are His messengers, and flames of fire His servants, carrying out His will with precision and power.
The psalmist then turns his gaze to the earth, where the Lord’s handiwork is displayed in every corner. The foundations of the earth were laid so firmly that they will never be shaken. The waters, once covering the face of the deep, were gathered into their boundaries at the Lord’s command. At His rebuke, they fled; at the sound of His thunder, they hurried away, rushing over mountains and into valleys to the place He appointed for them. There, they were confined, never to cover the earth again as they did in the days of Noah. The Lord set a boundary they could not cross, a limit they could not exceed.
From the waters, springs gush forth in the valleys, winding their way between the mountains, giving drink to every beast of the field. The wild donkeys quench their thirst, and the birds of the air make their nests by the streams, singing among the branches. The Lord waters the mountains from His lofty chambers, and the earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works. He makes grass grow for the cattle and plants for man to cultivate, bringing forth food from the earth: wine to gladden the heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the heart of man.
The trees of the Lord are well-watered, the cedars of Lebanon which He planted. There the birds build their nests, and the stork makes its home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats, and the rocks are a refuge for the badgers. The Lord appointed the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows its time for setting. He brings darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about. The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. When the sun rises, they retreat to their dens, and man goes out to his work, laboring until evening.
The psalmist marvels at the diversity of God’s creation: the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both small and great. There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which the Lord formed to play in the waters. All creatures look to Him to give them their food in due season. When He gives, they gather it up; when He opens His hand, they are filled with good things. When He hides His face, they are dismayed; when He takes away their breath, they die and return to the dust. But when He sends forth His Spirit, they are created, and He renews the face of the ground.
The glory of the Lord endures forever; He rejoices in His works. He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke. The psalmist resolves to sing to the Lord as long as he lives, to praise his God while he has being. May his meditation be pleasing to Him, for he rejoices in the Lord. But as for sinners, they will be consumed from the earth, and the wicked will be no more.
The psalm concludes with a call to bless the Lord: “Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!” For in His wisdom, He has made all things, and in His mercy, He sustains them. The earth is full of His creatures, and His glory is displayed in every corner of creation. Let all that has breath praise the Lord, for He is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise.
