Bless the LORD, My Soul

Bless the LORD, my soul.The LORD, my God, you are very great.You are clothed with honor and majesty.

Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

The psalm begins with the speaker telling his own soul to bless the LORD. God is described as very great and clothed with honour and majesty. The same call to the soul returns in verse 35.

Also read Psalm 7:1, Psalm 93:1, Daniel 7:9, Jeremiah 32:17-19

He covers himself with light as with a garment.He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.

Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

God covers himself with light as with a garment and stretches out the heavens like a curtain. The images are domestic, like dressing and hanging cloth. The vast sky is pictured as easy work for him.

Also read 1 John 1:5, Isaiah 40:22, Isaiah 45:12, 1 Timothy 6:16

He lays the beams of his rooms in the waters.He makes the clouds his chariot.He walks on the wings of the wind.

Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

Also read Nahum 1:3, Psalm 18:10-11, Isaiah 19:1, Revelation 1:7

He makes his messengers winds,and his servants flames of fire.

Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

God makes his messengers winds and his servants flames of fire. Wind and fire are pictured as serving him. The King James Version reads this line with angels and ministers.

Also read 2 Kings 6:17, Psalm 148:8, Ezekiel 1:13, Hebrews 1:14

He laid the foundations of the earth,that it should not be moved forever.

Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

Also read Psalm 33:9, Psalm 93:1, Psalm 24:2, Revelation 6:14

You covered it with the deep as with a cloak.The waters stood above the mountains.

Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

Also read Genesis 1:2-10, 2 Peter 3:5, Genesis 7:19

At your rebuke they fled.At the voice of your thunder they hurried away.

At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

At God's rebuke the waters fled, and at the voice of his thunder they hurried away. The waters that stood above the mountains in verse 6 obey his voice. Creation is described as a command obeyed.

Also read Psalm 106:9, Psalm 77:18, Genesis 8:1, Proverbs 8:28

The mountains rose,the valleys sank down,to the place which you had assigned to them.

They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

Also read Psalm 33:7, Genesis 8:5

You have set a boundary that they may not pass over,that they don’t turn again to cover the earth.

Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

Also read Jeremiah 5:22, Job 26:10, Isaiah 54:9, Genesis 9:11-15

He sends springs into the valleys.They run among the mountains.

He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.

After the waters are pushed back in verses 6 to 9, this verse shows the same waters put to use. God sends springs into the valleys, and they run among the mountains. The next verses show who drinks from them: the animals of the field, the wild donkeys and the birds.

Also read Psalm 107:35, Isaiah 35:7, Isaiah 41:18, Deuteronomy 8:7

They give drink to every animal of the field.The wild donkeys quench their thirst.

They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.

Also read Psalm 145:16, Psalm 104:13, Job 39:5-8

The birds of the sky nest by them.They sing among the branches.

By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.

The birds of the sky nest by the springs and sing among the branches. It is a small, close detail in a wide picture. The water God sends supports life around it.

Also read Psalm 147:9, Psalm 148:10, Psalm 104:16-17, Matthew 6:26

He waters the mountains from his rooms.The earth is filled with the fruit of your works.

He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

Also read Acts 14:17, Jeremiah 14:22, Psalm 65:9-13, Job 38:37

He causes the grass to grow for the livestock,and plants for man to cultivate,that he may produce food out of the earth:

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

Also read 1 Corinthians 3:7, Genesis 4:12, Genesis 9:3, Jeremiah 14:5-6

wine that makes the heart of man glad,oil to make his face to shine,and bread that strengthens man’s heart.

And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.

The gifts named here are wine that makes the heart glad, oil that makes the face shine, and bread that strengthens the heart. The verse names gladness as well as need. What God provides includes enjoyment, not only survival.

Also read Deuteronomy 8:3, Ezekiel 4:16, Ecclesiastes 8:1, Deuteronomy 28:40

The LORD’s trees are well watered,the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted,

The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;

The LORD's trees, the cedars of Lebanon, are well watered, and he planted them. Even the great trees are described as his planting. They are tended like a garden.

Also read Numbers 24:6, Ezekiel 17:23, Psalm 29:5, Psalm 92:2

where the birds make their nests.The stork makes its home in the cypress trees.

Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

Also read Ezekiel 31:6, Psalm 104:12, Jeremiah 22:23, Daniel 4:21

The high mountains are for the wild goats.The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.

Also read Deuteronomy 14:7, Job 39:1, 1 Samuel 24:2, Leviticus 11:5

He appointed the moon for seasons.The sun knows when to set.

He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

God appointed the moon for seasons, and the sun knows when to set. The lights in the sky keep time for the earth. Even the sun is pictured as following an order it knows.

Also read Psalm 136:7-9, Psalm 19:6, Psalm 8:3, Genesis 1:14-18

You make darkness, and it is night,in which all the animals of the forest prowl.

Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

Also read Psalm 74:16, Genesis 1:4-5, Amos 1:13, Psalm 50:10

The young lions roar after their prey,and seek their food from God.

The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

The young lions roar after their prey and seek their food from God. Their hunting is described as asking God for food. The psalm includes predators in God's care.

Also read Joel 1:18, Psalm 145:15, Joel 1:20, Psalm 147:9

The sun rises, and they steal away,and lie down in their dens.

The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

Also read Job 24:13-17, Job 37:8, Nahum 3:17, John 3:20

Man goes out to his work,to his labor until the evening.

Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

Also read Genesis 3:19, 2 Thessalonians 3:8-12, Ephesians 4:28, Judges 19:16

LORD, how many are your works!In wisdom, you have made them all.The earth is full of your riches.

O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

Here the long survey of creation breaks into direct praise. The speaker turns to the LORD and marvels at how many his works are, says they were all made in wisdom, and calls the earth full of his riches. The KJV reads O LORD, how manifold are thy works.

Also read Psalm 8:3, Romans 11:33, 1 Timothy 6:17, Genesis 1:24-25

There is the sea, great and wide,in which are innumerable living things,both small and large animals.

So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

The sea is great and wide and full of countless living things, small and large. The psalm turns from the land to the ocean. It marvels at the number of creatures there.

Also read Deuteronomy 33:19, Genesis 1:20-22, Psalm 69:34, Deuteronomy 33:14-16

There the ships go,and leviathan, whom you formed to play there.

There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

Also read Ezekiel 27:9, Job 41:1-34, Genesis 49:13, Isaiah 27:1

These all wait for you,that you may give them their food in due season.

These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

Also read Psalm 136:25, Job 38:41, Job 36:31, Luke 12:24-28

You give to them; they gather.You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.

That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

Also read Psalm 145:16

You hide your face; they are troubled.You take away their breath; they die and return to the dust.

Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

When God hides his face, living things are troubled. When he takes away their breath, they die and return to the dust. Life depends on his attention from moment to moment.

Also read Job 34:29, Genesis 3:19, Romans 8:20-22, Psalm 146:4

You send out your Spirit and they are created.You renew the face of the ground.

Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

When God sends out his Spirit, they are created, and he renews the face of the ground. This is the answer to verse 29. The same God who takes breath gives new life.

Also read Revelation 21:5, Psalm 33:6, Ephesians 2:4-5, Isaiah 32:14-15

Let the LORD’s glory endure forever.Let the LORD rejoice in his works.

The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

The speaker prays that the LORD's glory will endure forever and that the LORD will rejoice in his works. God is pictured as taking pleasure in what he made. The hymn turns toward its ending.

Also read Psalm 102:16, Romans 11:36, Luke 15:5-6, 2 Timothy 4:18

He looks at the earth, and it trembles.He touches the mountains, and they smoke.

He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

Also read Psalm 144:5, Psalm 114:7, Isaiah 64:1-2, Psalm 77:16

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live.I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.

I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

The speaker vows to sing to the LORD as long as he lives and to praise God while he has any being. The whole survey of creation ends in personal praise. His own life is counted among God's works.

Also read Psalm 146:2, Psalm 145:1-2, Psalm 63:4

Let my meditation be sweet to him.I will rejoice in the LORD.

My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

Also read Luke 1:47, Psalm 1:2, Psalm 77:12, Psalm 63:5-6

Let sinners be consumed out of the earth.Let the wicked be no more.Bless the LORD, my soul.Praise the LORD!

Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

Also read Revelation 19:1-2, Judges 5:31, Psalm 68:1-2, Psalm 73:27