The
PS 104 belong to Book IV
Book of Ps , which is composed of a collection of texts 150 arranged by 5 poetry books. The Book of Psalms, for its
wisdom and
basic principles of human
action , is considered the heart of the Old Testament.
Book IV encompasses Psalms 90 to 106 . Psalm 104 is divided into 35 Verses.
The Psalms are
poems-prayers addressed to God, being the privileged way to address and speak to Him. These prayers represent
human experiences and
religious conscience . They portray the
common man , with his faults, insecurities, fears and hopes and, even today, we can identify with the Psalmist and draw inspiration from these texts to
pray and
plead with God when we feel
lost and
anguished or to express our
gratitude for some blessing received.
"There are enemies or friends, there is life or death, health or illness, pain or joy and, most of the time, there are no changes or gradations. Words are like stones and poetry like boulders carved by chisel"; "The Psalms are a bit like mountain paths, simple, especially when walking on snow, but they lead to the peaks; they are paths toward the peaks of meeting the Lord." - Carlo Maria Martini, Cardinal of Milan
Psalm 104 - Hymn to the Creator of the Universe
1 Bless you, O my soul, the Lord!
Lord, my God, how great You are!
You are clothed in splendor and majesty.
2 You are he who is enveloped in light like a mantle,
who stretches out the heavens like an awning;
3 he who stores his high abodes with water;
he who makes the clouds his car
and walks on the wings of the wind;
4 he who makes the winds his messengers,
and the lightnings his servants;
5 he who founded the earth on its foundations, that he
might never waver.
6 You covered it with the mantle of the ocean,
and the waters stood over the mountains.
7 With your threat they fled;
at the roar of your thunder, they rushed.
8 They went up to the mountains and descended into the depths,
according to the place you prepared for them.
9 You have set a limit so that the waters do
not overflow and do not cover the land again.
10 It is You who sends the water from the springs to the rivers
that flow through the mountains.
11 They give drink to all the beasts of the field;
there the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Above the rivers dwell the birds of the sky,
and from among the branches they sing their song.
13 You are the one who waters the mountains from your high abodes.
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of your works.
14 You are the one who causes grass to sprout for cattle,
and vegetables for the benefit of men,
so that they may bring forth their bread out of the ground
15 and the wine that gladdens the hearts of humans.
So you get oil to make your face shine
and bread that soothes your spirits.
16 The trees of the Lord are satisfied,
the cedars of Lebanon which He has planted.
17 There the birds make their nest;
of the cedars makes the stork its home.
18 High mountains are for goats,
cliffs are a refuge for rodents.
19 The Moon proceeds according to the times,
and the Sun knows its setting.
20 You spread darkness, and it is night;
in it roam all the animals of the jungle.
21 Lions roar in search of prey,
asking God for their food.
22 The sun rises, then they retreat
to retreat to their shelters.
23 Man goes out to his task,
to his work until nightfall.
24 How many are your works, Lord!
You did everything wisely;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Behold, the sea, great and of vast expanses,
where innumerable
animals stir, small and large.
26 That way the ships and the Levi at an walk, the
monster you formed to play with it.
27 All wait for you,
to give them food in due time.
28 You give them and they gather;
you open your hand and they are filled with goods.
29 If you hide your face from them, they are troubled;
if you take their breath away, they breathe out
and return to the dust from which they came.
30 If you send your spirit to them, they are created again.
And so you renew the face of the earth.
31 May the glory of the Lord be forever!
May the Lord rejoice in your works!
32 He looks at the earth and it trembles, it
touches the mountains and they smoke.
33 I want to sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will play for my God as long as I exist.
34 May my poem be pleasing to you,
for in the Lord is my joy.
35 Disappear from the earth sinners!
And no more evildoers!
Bless you, O my soul, the Lord!
Hallelujah!
Meaning and interpretation
The
PS 104 is a song shaped
wise meditation . In it, the psalmist describes in detail how the daily life of the universe is perceived as a result of the action and care with which God governs it.
This comprehensive reading of the meaning of everyday life is the cornerstone of
spirituality mirrored in the religious cultures of the ancient East. These sentiments can be found very similarly in other religious literatures of that time.
The
Sapiential Psalms are books of Sacred Scripture (
Libri Sapientiales ) that contain, above all,
moral sentences from ancient Israel - Proverbs, Job, Qohelet (Ecclesiastes), Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Song of Songs, Wisdom. These prayers are filled with ancient inspiration and wisdom, life experiences and the history of peoples. They analyze
human behavior ,
ethical choices and their consequences, and the search for the
meaning of life and death for each one of us and as a society.
Various themes are addressed in these Psalms such as justice / injustice; sinful / righteous; wisdom/foolishness; bad / good; fidelity / infidelity; the honor or lack of it, the virtue that exists in prudence in speaking, in being fair, in knowing how to be rich. The existence of God is never questioned. He is Creator, Lord, Judge, Wise.
The
Wisdom Psalms are also understood as a guide for everyone to
meditate on the issues of their daily lives and the mysteries of life. The Psalmist uses his own and others' experiences to
discern the path to take based on correct moral principles. They are based on the assumption that what we do in this world, we pay in this life. The wisdom style appears in Psalm 1; 14; 34; 36; 37; 39; 49; 53; 73; 74.
The Book of Psalms
The Joy and Happiness of the Righteous in Communion with God
The Psalms are
prayer-poems addressed to God, being the privileged way to address and speak to Him. Depicting the
common man , with his failures, insecurities, fears and hopes, we can still identify with the Psalmist and be inspired today in Psalms to make
prayers and
supplications to God in times of trouble or express our
gratitude for some blessing received.
The Psalms, despite being written in Antiquity, still
move ,
sensitize ,
awaken feelings ,
inspire and
enchant . In them, we can identify
anguish and
joy , deeply human feelings, praises, supplications, teachings of reflection on spiritual wisdom and prophetic words.
Written for
different situations , some Psalms are intimate, revealing the author's personal relationship with God; others provide guidelines and advice for life, others are compositions for specific liturgical events such as rituals and pilgrimages.
The
Book of Psalms is composed of a collection of 150 poetic texts and is divided into five parts, called Psalm Books or Booklets. Each Book closes with short
hymns of praise to God . The division into five parts was considered to correspond to the five books of Moses and it is assumed that each passage in the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible, called Torah by the Jews) was read in parallel with the corresponding Psalm. Its main forms are
lamentation ,
supplication ,
praise and
gratitude .
The Power of Prayer in Dialogue with the Divine
The Psalms elevate our thoughts to the Divine and
prayer is the
power of the word . Prayer is the language of faith. Any thought, word or image addressed to God is called
prayer . It is through it that we come into contact with our
God within and, therefore, it is so powerful in
transforming life . Prayer can produce
miracles , turn dreams into reality, give us hope for
change ,
harmony and
peace with ourselves and the world.
Each Psalm has an
intention that helps us
meditate and
walk with our God . For many theologians, the Book of Psalms has a prophetic or messianic tone as its verses refer to the coming of Christ into the world of men to guide them through the uncertainty and doubts of Human existence.
The
prayer has the power to call the
Spiritual Universe full mode, honest, sincere, conscious, for the purpose of spiritual self-protection, family protection and those who are dear to us, to have peace of mind, spiritual and physical, for prosperity and success, to protect health and relationships, to ward off negative energies and, above all, to connect us to something bigger than ourselves. From this
peace , well-being, hope and goodness in front of everyone and everything result.
The
faith can change our lives. It gives us
tranquility and
spiritual strength to face challenges. It helps us to
meditate on our mission in life and to create a
balanced and healthy environment for ourselves and those we love. When you pray, fill your heart with
love and
determination . The Psalms will guide you on a path of
peace and
communion with the higher energy.
