Psalms 104:26

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. -From the sun and moon, the highest of the visible manifestations of God's omnipotence and love, the transition is made to the deepest-namely, the sea. The work of the fifth day of creation is here alluded to; but the Psalmist refers not so much to the formation of the fish and the birds on that day as he does to the preparation of the sea for its countless inhabitants, and for man's use in navigation. He already has treated of God's care of birds. Verse 24. O LORD, HOW MANIFOLD ARE THY WORKS! - thy manifold arrangements for the well being of thy creatures, according to their several needs and organizations: each finds his sphere of existence and his means of subsistence. THE EARTH IS FULL OF THY RICHES literally 'thy possessions;' these thou keepest not to thyself but blessest th...

19-30 We are to praise and magnify God for the constant succession of day and night. And see how those are like to the wild beasts, who wait for the twilight, and have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Does God listen to the language of mere nature, even in ravenous creatures, and shall he not much more interpret favourably the language of grace in his own people, though weak and broken groanings which cannot be uttered? There is the work of every day, which is to be done in its day, which man must apply to every morning, and which he must continue in till evening; it will be time enough to rest when the night comes, in which no man can work. The psalmist wonders at the works of God. The works of art, the more closely they are looked upon, the more rough they appear; the works of nature appear more fine and exact. They are all made in wisdom, for they all answer the end...

Verse Psalms 104:26. _THERE GO THE SHIPS_] By means of navigation, countries the most remote are connected, and all the inhabitants of the earth become known to each other. He appears at this time to have seen the ships under sail. _THAT LEVIATHAN_] This may mean the _whale_, or any of the large marine animals. The _Septuagint_ and _Vulgate_ call it _dragon_. Sometimes the _crocodile_ is intended by the original word. _TO PLAY THEREIN._] Dreadful and tempestuous as the sea may appear, and uncontrollable in its billows and surges, it is only the field of _sport_, the _play-ground_, the _bowling-green_ to those huge marine monsters....

THERE GO THE SHIPS - There the vessels move along - objects that would, of course, attract the attention of one looking at the sea, and admiring its wonders. The psalmist is describing the active scenes on the surface of the globe, and, of course, on looking at the ocean, these would be among the objects that would particularly attract his attention. THERE IS THAT LEVIATHAN - The Septuagint and the Vulgate render this, dragon. On the meaning of the word “leviathan,” see the notes at Job 41:1. WHOM THOU HAST MADE - Margin, as in Hebrew, “formed.” The idea of creation is implied in the word. TO PLAY THEREIN - As his native element. To move about therein; to make quick and rapid motions, as if in sport....

EXPOSITION "THE psalmist, in a time of severe trouble, arising from the power of the heathen, seeks consolation in reflecting on the greatness of God in nature," So Hengstenberg, correctly. The main topic of the psalm (Psalms 104:2) is thus the greatness of God as seen in his works. A direct ascription of praise precedes (Psalms 104:1) and follows (Psalms 104:33-19) the description of God's wonders in nature. PSALMS 104:1 BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL (see the comment on P

THERE GO THE SHIPS,.... From place to place, from one end of the world to the other, for the sake of merchandise r; this is one of the four things that were too wonderful for Solomon, "the way of a ship in the midst of the sea", Proverbs 30:19 though navigation was improved in his times indeed not so much as it is now. The original of ships was doubtless Noah's ark, so that they owe their first draught to God himself. They seem to be an emblem of the church and people of God passing through the sea of this world to the haven of eternal rest. The ship is but a small vessel, and takes up but a small room in comparison of the vast ocean on which it is; and so the church of Christ is but small, a little city, and few men in it, a little flock, a small remnant: a ship is unfixed and unsettled, sometimes here and sometimes there; so the church of Christ is sometimes in one place, and sometimes

I trust that we have already felt something of holy enjoyment while our hearts and voices have been praising the Lord our God. Perhaps this Psalm may help to keep us in a praising state of mind. First of all, David sang of the majesty of God in his works; then it seems as if the spirit of praise within him became like a strong-winged angel, and, mounting into the sky, he began to soar aloft over the varied landscapes of the world until the sun went down; and even then, he continued scudding along through the darkness till the sun arose again, and found him still praising his God. We will note, as we read the Psalm, this strange, mysterious flight of the spirit of praise. Psalms 104:1. _Bless the LORD, O my soul._ There is the key-note. Strike it, my brethren, each one of you!...

Psalms 104 Creation's Praise _ 1. The Creator (Psalms 104:1)_ 2. The foundations of the earth (Psalms 104:5) 3. His works manifesting His kindness (Psalms 104:10) 4. How manifold are Thy works (Psalms 104:24) 5. Rejoicing in His works: Hallelujah! (Psalms 104:31) He is now praised as the Creator by creation. He is seen in His creator-glory. When the kingdom is established that glory will then be manifes

CIV. THE GLORY OF THE CREATOR. Psalms 104:1. Yahweh's power in the heavens. He is clothed in the light which God made first (Genesis 1:3) before the heavenly bodies. He lays the foundation of His dwelling in the waters above the firmament (Genesis 1:7 *). Thence He issues from time to time in person riding on the clouds (Isaiah 19:1), or else sends His message by wind or flame. Psalms 104:5. Separation of land and sea. Psalms 104:10. God's c

SHIPS: or nautilus, the "small" of Psalms 104:25. LEVIATHAN. sea monster, or the "great" of Psalms 104:25. MADE. formed. PLAY. sport....