Psalm Chapter 104
The Psalmist describes the creation of God and all nature – including light and darkness, water and fire, wind, night and day.
The whole creation, living creatures, birds, mountains, deep sea, grass and tress … every thing has its order and law (2-22).
And under God’s control, all life is nurtured and nourished (10-13).
God also provides for the needs of man – including wine, oil and food (14-15).
But God does not just provide for man but also the countless animals and plants. They all thrive because they get what they need (16-18).
The night is where God allows man to rest while the animals have a chance to find food. But daytime is when the animals rest and it is time for man to work (22-23).
Man goes to work and toils until night. This describes the natural order of things of a person throughout his life – working at sunrise and resting at sunset.
God also does not despise the lives of animals as all life is in the hands of God. This great and vast creation is truly perfect (27-30).
The Psalmist was so touched that while he was alive, he would sing and praise God because he knew that all created things come from God. And this manifests the love and glory of God. Therefore the Psalmist is full of peace and joy (34) and reminds everyone to praise God in the last verse (35).
I hope we can all learn from the Psalmist – always thinking about the God who created the heavens and earth – whatever circumstances we may be in – good or bad, prosperous or suffering… as long as we are alive, we will continue to sing and praise God with gratitude.