Psalm of Creation

The LORD is described here with details of His creation. From the mountains to the waters of the deep and the water that cover the earth. He is the God who provides water by directing the springs to the animals and to water the Earth. It is written beautifully that: "The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works. "

God had worked wonderfully in His creation, supplying all that is needed to His creatures, the plants and man. There is also a reference to the Leviathan - which some believe may be some large sea creatures mentioned in various myths.

This is a wonderful testimony of the God's handiwork in His creation. Everything from the celestial objects to the Earth and all the living things are beautifully designed by Him. In verse 29 and 30, a very important point is revealed that "You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;"


Psalm 104
Praise to the Sovereign LORD for His Creation and Providence

 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul!
         O LORD my God, You are very great:
         You are clothed with honor and majesty,
 2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
         Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.
       
 3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters,
         Who makes the clouds His chariot,
         Who walks on the wings of the wind,
 4 Who makes His angels spirits,
         His ministers a flame of fire.
       
 5 You who laid the foundations of the earth,
         So that it should not be moved forever,
 6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
         The waters stood above the mountains.
 7 At Your rebuke they fled;
         At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.
 8 They went up over the mountains;
         They went down into the valleys,
         To the place which You founded for them.
 9 You have set a boundary that they may not pass over,
         That they may not return to cover the earth.
       
 10 He sends the springs into the valleys;
         They flow among the hills.
 11 They give drink to every beast of the field;
         The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
 12 By them the birds of the heavens have their home;
         They sing among the branches.
 13 He waters the hills from His upper chambers;
         The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.
       
 14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
         And vegetation for the service of man,
         That he may bring forth food from the earth,
 15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man,
         Oil to make his face shine,
         And bread which strengthens man’s heart.
 16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap,
         The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
 17 Where the birds make their nests;
         The stork has her home in the fir trees.
 18 The high hills are for the wild goats;
         The cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers.[a]
       
 19 He appointed the moon for seasons;
         The sun knows its going down.
 20 You make darkness, and it is night,
         In which all the beasts of the forest creep about.
 21 The young lions roar after their prey,
         And seek their food from God.
 22 When the sun rises, they gather together
         And lie down in their dens.
 23 Man goes out to his work
         And to his labor until the evening.
       
 24 O LORD, how manifold are Your works!
         In wisdom You have made them all.
         The earth is full of Your possessions—
 25 This great and wide sea,
         In which are innumerable teeming things,
         Living things both small and great.
 26 There the ships sail about;
         There is that Leviathan
         Which You have made to play there.
       
 27 These all wait for You,
         That You may give them their food in due season.
 28 What You give them they gather in;
         You open Your hand, they are filled with good.
 29 You hide Your face, they are troubled;
         You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
 30 You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
         And You renew the face of the earth.
       
 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
         May the LORD rejoice in His works.
 32 He looks on the earth, and it trembles;
         He touches the hills, and they smoke.
       
 33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
         I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
 34 May my meditation be sweet to Him;
         I will be glad in the LORD.
 35 May sinners be consumed from the earth,
         And the wicked be no more.
       
         Bless the LORD, O my soul!
         Praise the LORD!

O God, Why Have You Cast Us Off Forever?

The psalm starts with the question to God asking Him why has he abandoned His people whom he had redeemed. Interesting reminder that God had purchased the congregation and also the reference of redeemed. This may be pointing towards our Lord Jesus redemptive work on the Cross, since at the time the psalm was written, the idea of a Purchased people has only a vague connection.

The sense of God's abandonment arose because of the victories and destruction by their enemies over Israel. It seemed that God's Temple or holy places have been overrun by the enemies. Some of these have been set on fire. In addition the prophets are no longer there, adding to the sense of abandonment by God. So they remembered a time when they regarded God as their King, and God used to deliver them from their enemies. And they acknowledged that God is the creator of the universe, including light and day.

So the desperate people plea to God to remember the Covenant and deal with the enemies who blaspheme God's name.


Psalm 74
A Contemplation[a] of Asaph.

 1 O God, why have You cast us off forever?
         Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
 2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
         The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed—
         This Mount Zion where You have dwelt.
 3 Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations.
         The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary.
 4 Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place;
         They set up their banners for signs.
 5 They seem like men who lift up
         Axes among the thick trees.
 6 And now they break down its carved work, all at once,
         With axes and hammers.
 7 They have set fire to Your sanctuary;
         They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground.
 8 They said in their hearts,
         “Let us destroy them altogether.”
         They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.
        
 9 We do not see our signs;
         There is no longer any prophet;
         Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
 10 O God, how long will the adversary reproach?
         Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
 11 Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
         Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them.
 12 For God is my King from of old,
         Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
 13 You divided the sea by Your strength;
         You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
 14 You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces,
         And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
 15 You broke open the fountain and the flood;
         You dried up mighty rivers.
 16 The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;
         You have prepared the light and the sun.
 17 You have set all the borders of the earth;
         You have made summer and winter.
        
 18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD,
         And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
 19 Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast!
         Do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
 20 Have respect to the covenant;
         For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty.
 21 Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed!
         Let the poor and needy praise Your name.
        
 22 Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
         Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
 23 Do not forget the voice of Your enemies;
         The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually.

God describes the Leviathan

God continues speaking to Job by describing another great beast - the Leviathan. Some believe this can be a legendary sea monster. In any case, the Leviathan is an awesome creature which no man can control. The point is God made the Leviathan and how much more powerful God is - v11 "Everything under heaven is Mine." From v14-v20, one can easily identify his creature as the legendary fire-breathing dragon of many cultures.

Why is God in his infinite wisdom choose to describe two awesome animals in response to Job's whinging and whining? No doubt God is rebuking Job, but almost in a manner of a Father telling a story to His children. Rather than direct rebuke, God lovingly points out the limited power of man not so much physically, but rather is position relative to the Creator of all things. And perhaps ultimately, as seen in v34, it is to put our pride in check should we think we know enough to tell God what is right or wrong, or question God's justice.


Job 41

 1 “Can you draw out Leviathan[a] with a hook,     Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?
 2 Can you put a reed through his nose,      Or pierce his jaw with a hook?
 3 Will he make many supplications to you?      Will he speak softly to you?
 4 Will he make a covenant with you?      Will you take him as a servant forever?
 5 Will you play with him as with a bird,      Or will you leash him for your maidens?
 6 Will your companions make a banquet[b] of him?      Will they apportion him among the merchants?
 7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons,      Or his head with fishing spears?
 8 Lay your hand on him;      Remember the battle—       Never do it again!
 9 Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false;      Shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him?
 10 No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up.      Who then is able to stand against Me?

 11 Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him?      Everything under heaven is Mine.
 12 “I will not conceal[c] his limbs,      His mighty power, or his graceful proportions.
 13 Who can remove his outer coat?      Who can approach him with a double bridle?
 14 Who can open the doors of his face,      With his terrible teeth all around?
 15 His rows of scales are his pride,      Shut up tightly as with a seal;
 16 One is so near another      That no air can come between them;
 17 They are joined one to another,      They stick together and cannot be parted.
 18 His sneezings flash forth light,      And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
 19 Out of his mouth go burning lights;      Sparks of fire shoot out.
 20 Smoke goes out of his nostrils,      As from a boiling pot and burning rushes.
 21 His breath kindles coals,      And a flame goes out of his mouth.
 22 Strength dwells in his neck,      And sorrow dances before him.

 23 The folds of his flesh are joined together;      They are firm on him and cannot be moved.
 24 His heart is as hard as stone,      Even as hard as the lower millstone.
 25 When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid;      Because of his crashings they are beside[d] themselves.
 26 Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail;      Nor does spear, dart, or javelin.
 27 He regards iron as straw,      And bronze as rotten wood.
 28 The arrow cannot make him flee;      Slingstones become like stubble to him.
 29 Darts are regarded as straw;      He laughs at the threat of javelins.
 30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds;      He spreads pointed marks in the mire.
 31 He makes the deep boil like a pot;      He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.
 32 He leaves a shining wake behind him;      One would think the deep had white hair.
 33 On earth there is nothing like him,      Which is made without fear.
 34 He beholds every high thing;      He is king over all the children of pride.”