Psalm 104

Scroll of the Psalms

Psalm 104 (Hebrew "תהילים פרק קד", Greek numbering: Psalm 103) is a poem from the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible, describing the ongoing act of God continuously bringing the world into existence. German philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder remarked, "It is worth studying the Hebrew language for ten years in order to read Psalm 104 in the original". Some have noticed the Psalm shares certain similarities with the Egyptian poem the Great Hymn to the Aten, although there is currently no established link between them.

Liturgical Uses

Judaism

• Observant Jews recite Psalm 104 in its entirety every day during morning services, and on certain occasions, such as the New Moon (Rosh Chodesh), though customs vary.
• Is recited following Mincha between Sukkot and Shabbat Hagadol.
• Verses 1-2 are recited upon donning the tallit during morning services.
• Verse 24 is part of Hameir La'aretz in the Blessings before the Shema during Shacharit and is found in Pirkei Avot Chapter 6, no. 10.
• Verse 31 is the first verse of Yehi Kivod in Pesukei Dezimra, is part of Baruch Hashem L'Olam during Maariv, and is recited when opening the Hakafot on Simchat Torah.

Eastern Orthodox

Its main liturgical usage in the Eastern Orthodox Church is at the beginning of vespers (evening prayers) and the all-night vigil. While it is technically one of the elements of the vespers service prescribed for the senior reader (that is, the elder or abbot of a monastery, or in a parish the seniormost reader at the kliros), it is customarily read or chanted by a reader after the opening prayers of the service.

The psalm is meant to be read or chanted in a plain style at services of vespers which are not part of a vigil. When vespers is served as part of a vigil, an abbreviated musical version is usually sung by the choir. Several such musical arrangements of the psalm have been composed over the years; perhaps the most familiar is that found in the Obikhod, or common setting.

In the context of its vespers/vigil setting, this psalm is understood to be a hymn of creation, in all the fulness wherein God has created it - it speaks of animals, plants, waters, skies, etc. In the scope of the liturgical act, it is often taken to be Adam's song, sung outside the closed gates of Eden from which he has been expelled (cf. Genesis 3). While the reader chants the psalm, the priest stands outside the closed Royal Doors wearing only his epitrachilion, making this symbolism more evident.

Text

Psalm 104

My soul, elevate the Existent-One. My God, You are very great, You are attired with majesty and beauty. [You] enwrap Yourself with light like a garment; [You] extend the heavens like a curtain. Who roofs His upper chambers with water; Who makes clouds His chariot, which goes on the wings of the wind. He makes winds His messengers, burning fire His servants. He founded the earth in its course that it not change its orbit to eternity. You covered the deep as [with] a garment; the waters stand over the mountains. From Your rebuke they fled; from the sound of Your thunder they hastened away. They ascended mountains, they descended into valleys to this place, which You had founded for them. You set a boundary that they should not cross, that they should not return to cover the earth. He sends the springs into the streams; they go between the mountains. They water every animal of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the skys dwell; from between the branches they let out their voices. He waters the mountains from His upper chambers; from the fruit of Your works the earth is sated. He causes grass to sprout for the animals and vegetation for the work of man, to bring forth bread from the earth. And wine, which cheers man's heart, to make the face shine from oil, and bread, which sustains man's heart. The Existent-One's trees are sated, the cedars of Lebanon, which He planted. Where birds nest; as for the stork-the high junipers are its home. The lofty mountains for the ibexes; the rocks a shelter for the hyraxes. He made the moon for the appointed seasons; the sun knows its setting. You make darkness and it is night, in which every beast of the forest moves about. The young lions roar for prey and to beg their food from God. When the sun rises they gather in and couch in their dens. Man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening. How great are Your works, O Existent-One! You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your possessions! This sea-great and wide; there are creeping things and innumerable beasts, both small and large. There the ships go; You formed this leviathan with which to sport. They all look to You with hope, to give their food in its time. You give them that they may gather; You open Your hand that they may be sated with goodness. You hide Your face and they are frightened; You gather in their spirit and they perish and return to their dust. You will send forth Your spirit and they will be created, and You will renew the surface of the ground. The glory of the Existent-One will be forever; the Existent-One will rejoice with His works. He Who looks at the earth and it quakes; He touches the mountains and they emit smoke. I shall sing to the Existent-One while I am alive; I shall sing praises to my God as long as I exist. May my speech be pleasing to Him; I shall rejoice with the Existent-One. Wrongdoers will be destroyed from the earth and the wicked will be no more; my soul, elevate the Existent-One. Halleluya.

תהילים פרק קד

א בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי, אֶת-יְהוָה: יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי, גָּדַלְתָּ מְּאֹד; הוֹד וְהָדָר לָבָשְׁתָּ. ב עֹטֶה-אוֹר, כַּשַּׂלְמָה; נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם, כַּיְרִיעָה. ג הַמְקָרֶה בַמַּיִם, עֲלִיּוֹתָיו: הַשָּׂם-עָבִים רְכוּבוֹ; הַמְהַלֵּךְ, עַל-כַּנְפֵי-רוּחַ. ד עֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹת; מְשָׁרְתָיו, אֵשׁ לֹהֵט. ה יָסַד-אֶרֶץ, עַל-מְכוֹנֶיהָ; בַּל-תִּמּוֹט, עוֹלָם וָעֶד. ו תְּהוֹם, כַּלְּבוּשׁ כִּסִּיתוֹ; עַל-הָרִים, יַעַמְדוּ מָיִם. ז מִן-גַּעֲרָתְךָ יְנוּסוּן; מִן-קוֹל רַעַמְךָ, יֵחָפֵזוּן. ח יַעֲלוּ הָרִים, יֵרְדוּ בְקָעוֹת-- אֶל-מְקוֹם, זֶה יָסַדְתָּ לָהֶם. ט גְּבוּל-שַׂמְתָּ, בַּל-יַעֲבֹרוּן; בַּל-יְשֻׁבוּן, לְכַסּוֹת הָאָרֶץ. י הַמְשַׁלֵּחַ מַעְיָנִים, בַּנְּחָלִים; בֵּין הָרִים, יְהַלֵּכוּן. יא יַשְׁקוּ, כָּל-חַיְתוֹ שָׂדָי; יִשְׁבְּרוּ פְרָאִים צְמָאָם. יב עֲלֵיהֶם, עוֹף-הַשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׁכּוֹן; מִבֵּין עֳפָאיִם, יִתְּנוּ-קוֹל. יג מַשְׁקֶה הָרִים, מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָיו; מִפְּרִי מַעֲשֶׂיךָ, תִּשְׂבַּע הָאָרֶץ. יד מַצְמִיחַ חָצִיר, לַבְּהֵמָה, וְעֵשֶׂב, לַעֲבֹדַת הָאָדָם; לְהוֹצִיא לֶחֶם, מִן-הָאָרֶץ. טו וְיַיִן, יְשַׂמַּח לְבַב-אֱנוֹשׁ-- לְהַצְהִיל פָּנִים מִשָּׁמֶן; וְלֶחֶם, לְבַב-אֱנוֹשׁ יִסְעָד. טז יִשְׂבְּעוּ, עֲצֵי יְהוָה-- אַרְזֵי לְבָנוֹן, אֲשֶׁר נָטָע. יז אֲשֶׁר-שָׁם, צִפֳּרִים יְקַנֵּנוּ; חֲסִידָה, בְּרוֹשִׁים בֵּיתָהּ. יח הָרִים הַגְּבֹהִים, לַיְּעֵלִים; סְלָעִים, מַחְסֶה לַשְׁפַנִּים. יט עָשָׂה יָרֵחַ, לְמוֹעֲדִים; שֶׁמֶשׁ, יָדַע מְבוֹאוֹ. כ תָּשֶׁת-חֹשֶׁךְ, וִיהִי לָיְלָה-- בּוֹ-תִרְמֹשׂ, כָּל-חַיְתוֹ-יָעַר. כא הַכְּפִירִים, שֹׁאֲגִים לַטָּרֶף; וּלְבַקֵּשׁ מֵאֵל, אָכְלָם. כב תִּזְרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, יֵאָסֵפוּן; וְאֶל-מְעוֹנֹתָם, יִרְבָּצוּן. כג יֵצֵא אָדָם לְפָעֳלוֹ; וְלַעֲבֹדָתוֹ עֲדֵי-עָרֶב. כד מָה-רַבּוּ מַעֲשֶׂיךָ, יְהוָה-- כֻּלָּם, בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ; מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ, קִנְיָנֶךָ. כה זֶה, הַיָּם גָּדוֹל-- וּרְחַב יָדָיִם: שָׁם-רֶמֶשׂ, וְאֵין מִסְפָּר; חַיּוֹת קְטַנּוֹת, עִם-גְּדֹלוֹת. כו שָׁם, אֳנִיּוֹת יְהַלֵּכוּן; לִוְיָתָן, זֶה-יָצַרְתָּ לְשַׂחֶק-בּוֹ. כז כֻּלָּם, אֵלֶיךָ יְשַׂבֵּרוּן-- לָתֵת אָכְלָם בְּעִתּוֹ. כח תִּתֵּן לָהֶם, יִלְקֹטוּן; תִּפְתַּח יָדְךָ, יִשְׂבְּעוּן טוֹב. כט תַּסְתִּיר פָּנֶיךָ, יִבָּהֵלוּן: תֹּסֵף רוּחָם, יִגְוָעוּן; וְאֶל-עֲפָרָם יְשׁוּבוּן. ל תְּשַׁלַּח רוּחֲךָ, יִבָּרֵאוּן; וּתְחַדֵּשׁ, פְּנֵי אֲדָמָה. לא יְהִי כְבוֹד יְהוָה לְעוֹלָם; יִשְׂמַח יְהוָה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו. לב הַמַּבִּיט לָאָרֶץ, וַתִּרְעָד; יִגַּע בֶּהָרִים וְיֶעֱשָׁנוּ. לג אָשִׁירָה לַיהוָה בְּחַיָּי; אֲזַמְּרָה לֵאלֹהַי בְּעוֹדִי. לד יֶעֱרַב עָלָיו שִׂיחִי; אָנֹכִי, אֶשְׂמַח בַּיהוָה. לה יִתַּמּוּ חַטָּאִים מִן-הָאָרֶץ, וּרְשָׁעִים עוֹד אֵינָם-- בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי, אֶת-יְהוָה; הַלְלוּ-יָהּ.

Source

^ Daily Prayer Book, Philip Birnbaum, 1949, p. 465

External links

• Tehillim - Psalm 104 (Judaica Press) translation with Rashi's commentary at Chabad.org
• Psalms 104 at Mechon-Mamre Hebrew/English Bible.