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"In Praise of the Creator"

Psalm 104.26-35

Good News Translation (GNT)

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26  The ships sail on it, and in it plays Leviathan,
   that sea monster which you made. (a)
27  All of them depend on you to give them food
   when they need it.
28  You give it to them, and they eat it; you
   provide food, and they are satisfied.
29  When you turn away, they are afraid; when
   you take away your breath, they die and go
   back to the dust from which they came.
30  But when you give them breath, (b) they are
   created; you give new life to the earth.
31  May the glory of the Lord last forever!
   May the Lord be happy with what he has
   made!
32  He looks at the earth, and it trembles; he
   touches the mountains, and they pour out
   smoke.
33  I will sing to the Lord all my life; as long as I
   live I will sing praises to my God.
34  May he be pleased with my song, for my
   gladness comes from him.
35  May sinners be destroyed from the earth;
   may the wicked be no more.
   Praise the Lord, my soul!
   Praise the Lord!

   Footnotes:
   Psalm 104:26 in it plays ... made;
   or
   Leviathan is there, that sea monster you made
   to amuse you.

   Psalm 104:30 give them breath;
   or
   send out your spirit.

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 Commentary taken from the 'word-on-the-web'
  supplied by the Scripture Union
  and from
  The Enduring Word Bible Commentary
  by David Guzik (Copyright)

'In Praise of the Creator'

   Psalm 104.26-35

This is a truly magnificent psalm. Let the sheer wonder of this description of God's creative and sustaining activity soak into your being.

It stresses his authority over all of nature. The psalmist thought of the greatness of the oceans (in his case, the Mediterranean Sea).

The vast waters contain many things. The Leviathan may mean the whale, or any of the large marine animals. Sometimes the crocodile is intended by the original word.

The psalmist recognised that all kinds of created things from the land, sea, and air depended upon God, who provided for them, when they needed it.

God feeds the animals, but does not pour food into their mouths from heaven. He provides, but they must collect it from the ground. Creation is so dependent upon God that if He were to turn away or take away their breath, they would soon perish.

There is a real sense in which creation is much more responsive and surrendered to God than humanity.

The Spirit of God creates every day and provides for the created beings.

His works may pass away, but not his glory. The Lord deserves to be praised without ceasing for what he has already done.

The psalmist also wanted God to find pleasure in what He had created.

This implies that His creatures should deliberately choose to give God reasons to be happy.

The shaking earth and smoking hills may be a reference to God's manifested presence at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19).

This remarkable psalm has little or no focus on God as redeemer and saviour.

Its focus is on the greatness and goodness of God as displayed in creation.

The God of all creation is worthy of our life-long praise.

The rejection of God as Creator has had deep and terrible effects upon the hearts and minds of the modern world.

This prayer against the wicked seems a strange and solemn declaration in this psalm. Yet it is the logical consequence for those who reject God as Creator.

Paul later developed this thought, speaking of the guilt and consequences due to those who reject God as Creator and worship the creature rather than the Creator.

The psalmist could not end this remarkable psalm on a dark note. This is the first psalm which closes with Hallelujah (Praise the Lord)."

Other versions are available here

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