Psalm 104
Bless the Lord, O my soul
: O Lord my God, how great you are!
Clothed with majesty and honour
: wrapped in light as in a garment.
You have stretched out the heavens like a tent-cloth
: and laid the beams of your dwelling upon their waters;
You make the clouds your chariot
: and ride upon the wings of the wind;
You make the winds your messengers
: and flames of fire your ministers;
You have set the earth on its foundations
: so that it shall never be moved.
The deep covered it as with a mantle
: the waters stood above the hills.
At your rebuke they fled
: at the voice of your thunder they hurried away;
They went up to the mountains, they went down by the valleys
: to the place which you had appointed for them.
You fixed a limit which they may not pass
: they shall not return again to cover the earth.
You send springs into the gullies
: which run between the hills;
They give drink to every beast of the field
: and the wild asses quench their thirst.
Beside them the birds of the air build their nests
: and sing among the branches.
You water the mountains from your dwelling on high
: and the earth is filled by the fruits of your work.
You cause the grass to grow for the cattle
: and all green things for the servants of mankind.
You bring food out of the earth
: and wine that makes glad the heart of man,
Oil to give him a shining countenance
: and bread to strengthen his heart.
The trees of the Lord are well-watered
: the cedars of Lebanon that he has planted,
Where the birds build their nests
: and the stork makes her home in the pine-tops.
The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats
: and the crags a cover for the conies.
You created the moon to mark the seasons
: and the sun knows the hour of its setting.
You make darkness, and it is night
: in which all the beasts of the forest move by stealth.
The lions roar for their prey
: seeking their food from God.
When the sun rises, they retire
: and lay themselves down in their dens.
Man goes out to his work
: and to his labour until the evening.
Lord, how various are your works
: in wisdom you have made them all,
and the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the wide, immeasurable sea
: there move living things without number,
great and small;
There go the ships, to and fro
: and there is that Leviathan
whom you formed to sport in the deep.
These all look to you
: to give them their food in due season.
When you give it to them, they gather it
: when you open your hand
they are satisfied with good things.
When you hide your face, they are troubled
: when you take away their breath,
they die and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit they are created
: and you renew the face of the earth.
May the glory of the Lord endure for ever
: may the Lord rejoice in his works.
If he look upon the earth, it shall tremble
: if he but touch the mountains, they shall smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live
: I will praise my God while I have any being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him
: for my joy shall be in the Lord.
May sinners perish from the earth,
let the wicked be no more
: bless the Lord, O my soul; O praise the Lord.