God the Creator and Provider:
1 Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendour and majesty. 2 The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent 3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. 4 He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. 5 He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved. 6 You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7 But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight; 8 they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them. 9 You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth. 10 He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. 11 They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. 12 The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches. 13 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work. 14 He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate-- bringing forth food from the earth: 15 wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts. 16 The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. 17 There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers. 18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax. 19 He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. 20 You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl. 21 The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. 22 The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens. 23 Then people go out to their work, to their labour until evening. 24 How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth if full of your creatures. 25 There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number - living things both large and small. |
In the sacred text, Psalm
104:1-25 from the Old Testament God is represented as not only the creator of
the world but as a provider too. Psalm 104 describes the beauty of creation
since God is actively involved in the un-folding or revealing of the natural
world. God is someone with honour, majesty and
light, therefore just like people wear clothes God wears this. We don’t see
people, we see their clothes so just like people we see what God wears (honour,
majesty and light) which is what makes him shine just like the sun. God is represented as a creator as it is evident
throughout the sacred text that “5 He set the earth on its foundations”
Every aspect of the earth whether it’s the waters, light, creatures or
mountains God created but not only did he create it he provided it or them with
a purpose. The writer describes the intimate relationship all living things
have with their creator which is why we are called upon to care for it in the
right way that reflects upon God’s endless and ongoing care. Throughout the sacred
text it demonstrates and represents the connection between these two
characteristics of God, the creator and provider as the text is like a
recurrence but a story. The text reminds us that God provides us with a life of
which he watches over as the skies is God’s roof over the earth making everyone
always feel at home and safe when connecting with God.
The author of the Psalms vary from many people although King David’s reputation for performing and writing music makes him the name of the author for many of the Psalms. There is a variety of themes throughout the Psalms which is why it can be grouped into 5 general categories. The Psalm 104:1-25 can be placed in the category of the historical psalms as they sing of the great wonders God has worked throughout the history of Israel. Over the period of 500 years or more the Psalms were collected and when they are read the reader is given the opportunity to imagine endless situations in the collective lives of the People of Israel. Gatherings for prayer, for religious sacrifices, for occasions of victory and defeat, for joys, sorrow and doubts in ordinary are the main arrangements that make up the world behind the texts of Psalms. Just like we each have our own favourite type of music which in some ways can express our philosophy or attitude towards life. Even though music is written by others we refer to it as our music. This implies to the Psalms in some ways as Israel’s music. They are a collection of hymns/songs that are used in Temple worship. The hymns were written to express the ups and downs of the Israelites relationship and connection with God. In this image God has his hands out to the people of the world whilst shining in light from above or as some may think from the heavens above. This image represents the sacred text, Psalm 104:1-25 as it demonstrates God being the creator and provider to all the people of the world. It also demonstrates the responsibility he is giving us, through his hands, to give endless care to what he has created. |