Point of View (Psalm 104)

Sunday's full One Year Bible readings:
Judges 17:1-18:31 ~ John 3:1-21 ~ Psalm 104:1-23 ~ Proverbs 14:20-21
Monday's full One Year Bible readings:
Judges 19:1-20:48 ~ John 3:22-4:3 ~ Psalm 104:24-35 ~ Proverbs 14:22-23

Our readings have camped us in Psalm 104 for the last two days. From the opening phrase to the closing proclamation, this is truly a psalm of praise. It is mostly to praise God for his mighty and awesome works, such as the glory of His creation.

Have you noticed the point of view in which songs are written? I have noticed that many worship songs have been written from the first and second person point of view and are thus to be sung directly to God. This helps facilitate a personal conversation between the worshiper and God.

However, some worship songs use primarily the third person point of view and thus, rather than encourage a conversation with God, they facilitate a conversation about God. Both songs have there place, and both can be used to bring GREAT GLORY to GOD!

Psalm 104 actually does both. (As you read it, notice how the pronouns change.)

¹ Praise the LORD, O my soul.
O LORD my God, you are very great;
you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

² He 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, ^a]">[a]
flames of fire his servants.

⁵ He set the earth on its foundations;
it can never be moved.

⁶ You covered it with the deep 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.

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 man goes out to his work,
to his labor until evening.

²⁴ How many are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

²⁵ There is the sea, vast and spacious,
teeming with creatures beyond number—
living things both large and small.

²⁶ There the ships go to and fro,
and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.

²⁷ These all look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.

²⁸ When you give it to them,
they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
they are satisfied with good things.

²⁹ When you hide your face,
they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
they die and return to the dust.

³⁰ When you send 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 who looks at the earth, and it trembles,
who touches the mountains, and they smoke.

³³ I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

³⁴ May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.

³⁵ But may sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked be no more.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Praise the LORD.

Psalm 104:1-9, 20-35

Today, as an act of worship, speak of Him and to Him! Proclaim His great works. He has done amazing and marvelous things. Open your eyes to the majesty of His creation. Join with the psalmist and PRAISE HIM!