Psalm 104

Blessed be the Name of the Lord who made the heavens and the earth! The Lord, the King over everything, clothes Himself with the wonders of creation. The light of the sun, the vast skies, the ocean deeps, the clouds, the winds that move them along, and myriads of angels that perform His bidding all give visible testimony to His majesty.

The Lord established the earth. To the poetic observer it is the picture of all that is stable and sure. Yet in reality its stability is more intricate and solid than man could ever have imagined. The movements of not only this one planet, but all the starry host, are so precise that they can be described mathematically and predicted accurately going backward for centuries and centuries. The universe is a foundation in motion. It is a precise dance that the Lord ordained from the beginning when He said in Genesis 1:14, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.”

On this planet, the Lord has given the great gift of water. This psalm speaks of such abundant waters that they once covered all the land. The Lord did not leave the waters to prevail over the earth forever, but set them within the right boundaries that He had determined. He made the mountains rise above them and the valleys sink below, creating the contours of the planet that people can discover and explore, but that the Lord Himself appointed.

He has promised that the waters will never again cover the earth as they once did. Now they fulfill their appointed purpose. Streams of life gush forth in springs of water, bringing growth in vegetation and sustenance for wild animals and people. God provides, and life flourishes.

The Lord has filled the earth with such bounty and variety. Even wine is a gift of God that gladdens our hearts. Oil makes our faces shine, and good bread strengthens us in body and soul. All of these gifts come from the Lord.

The earth is full of creatures. Each has its habitat and patterns of behavior for poet, biologist, and theologian to wonder about, to consider, and then to communicate to others. These beings, including mankind, exist within the pattern of day and night. All of it works, and within appointed limits, it adjusts with time, as genetic variations allow for man to take the wolf and to breed him into an amazing variety of dogs that satisfy so many good purposes. All this is here in creation, waiting for human beings to discover and to use for the glory of God.

Above everything that He has made is the invisible, sovereign God of creation and providence. Nothing exists without His majestic decree. Plankton, whale, and whaling ship are all in His hand. Even a whole species may have its time upon the earth and then it is no more. Each animal and person comes forth by the Spirit of the living God who rested over all His works on the seventh day.

He has determined that our hearts would only be satisfied when our purposes follow His own settled purpose: that His glory would fill the heavens and the earth. This is why He sent His Son to die for our sins. The Almighty Creator is restoring all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.

When we praise the Lord in song, we add our “Amen!” to His purpose. It is well with our souls, and we look in hope for the glory to come.