Tyndale Open Study NotesPsalms 104

This creation hymn (see also Psalms 8, 33, 145) praises God's goodness and greatness. The psalmist thinks about the current world, the original creation, and a future new creation. He views both creations as wonderfully and wisely made (compare Psalm 139:14), as the work of the Lord's Spirit (104:30; Genesis 1:2; 2 Corinthians 3:6).

• Bless the LORD, O my soul!: Psalms 103 and 104 both begin and end with this commitment to praise (103:1–2, 22; 104:1, 35).

• You are very great: These words praise God for rescuing his people (see also Psalms 35:27; 40:16; 70:4).

The psalmist refers to two days of creation (see Genesis 1:1–8), when God created the heavens and the light.

This poetic description pictures the clouds as beams that support the heavens.

• Wind and lightning (flames of fire) are described as God’s messengers. The Lord controls the wind, rain, and storms and uses them as he desires (Psalm 77:17–18; 78:26; 135:7; 148:5–6).

• The psalmist refers to the third day of creation (Genesis 1:9–13). The Lord is master of water and earth.

At first, water covered the earth.

The Lord created dry ground on day three of creation (Genesis 1:9–13).

The earth was made because God willed it.

The Lord rules over all waters, including seas, rivers, and springs on the land. He brought order to the waters that were once chaotic. As a result, the earth became a rich place for animals and people. Water refreshes the ground and provides life for birds and other animals.

The Lord set a firm boundary for the seas to protect the land. This shows that the Lord rules both the sea and the land. This idea also challenged the beliefs of the Canaanites, who celebrated Baal as the god who defeated the sea (see Psalm 29).

The psalmist celebrates animal, plant, and human life, as well as the Lord’s abundant provision for all of it (Genesis 1:9–30).

for man to cultivate: People are the managers of the created order, and they receive nourishment from the work of their hands.

Both wine and olive oil can be misused (compare Proverbs 21:17), but the Lord gives them as gifts to improve life. Life is sustained by basic food, represented by bread.

• The storks migrated from northern Europe and stayed in Palestine during the winter.

• rock badgers: These animals are about the size of a rabbit and live in rocky areas.

The psalmist rejoices in the order of night and day, marking day four of creation (Genesis 1:14–19). This cycle gives all creatures an opportunity to live.

• the moon to mark the seasons: Ancient Israel based its calendar on the cycles of the moon.

• the sun knows when to set: This poetic description reflects what people normally see. The sun goes down at a regular time each evening.

Cycles of darkness and dawn mark the days on earth.

The Lord’s works testify to his wisdom. All parts fit together (land and sea, night and day, land creatures and sea creatures). The Lord’s wisdom makes life orderly and wonderful.

teeming with creatures beyond number: The ocean is full of all kinds of life (see Genesis 1:20–21). This shows the Lord's creative work.

• ships pass: Commercial ships used for sea trade were one of the wonders of the ancient Near East (see Isaiah 2:16; 23:1, 3).

• Leviathan: The psalmist describes this feared sea creature as something the Lord created and controls.

All living things depend on the Lord, who provides what they need and who has power over life and death (compare Matthew 6:11).

When You send Your Spirit: Life on earth is only possible as the Lord’s gift, symbolized by his breath (Hebrew ruakh, which means "breath, wind, or spirit"). The Lord’s Spirit is the agent of renewal (Isaiah 32:15–20).

The psalmist moves from describing the known creation to anticipating the new creation, when the Lord will renew the created order into a world without sinners.

The Lord reveals his presence in the created order (see Psalms 8:1; 19:1–4; 24:7) and delights in his new creation (see Isaiah 65:19).

The trembling earth and the smoking mountains represent the Lord’s coming in judgment against sinners and salvation for his faithful people (see Psalm 18:7–15).

• The Lord will remove all forms of evil that defile his creation.

• The final phrase returns to the opening words of Psalm 104:1 (see also 103:1–2, 22; 146:1).