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Christian prayer

Psalm 104

Psalm 104 in its original text and with its meaning, praising God as the creator and sustainer of life.

  • 35 verses
  • About 2 minutes to recite
  • From the Bible

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  1. 1

    בָּרֲכִ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י אֶת־יְה֫וָ֥ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי גָּדַ֣לְתָּ מְּאֹ֑ד ה֭וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר לָבָֽשְׁתָּ׃

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

  2. 2

    עֹֽטֶה־א֭וֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָ֑ה נוֹטֶ֥ה שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם כַּיְרִיעָֽה׃

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

  3. 3

    הַ֥מְקָרֶֽה בַמַּ֗יִם עֲֽלִיּ֫וֹתָ֥יו הַשָּׂם־עָבִ֥ים רְכוּב֑וֹ הַֽ֝מְהַלֵּ֗ךְ עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ׃

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

  4. 4

    עֹשֶׂ֣ה מַלְאָכָ֣יו רוּח֑וֹת מְ֝שָׁרְתָ֗יו אֵ֣שׁ לֹהֵֽט׃

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

  5. 5

    יָֽסַד־אֶ֭רֶץ עַל־מְכוֹנֶ֑יהָ בַּל־תִּ֝מּ֗וֹט עוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃

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

  6. 6

    תְּ֭הוֹם כַּלְּב֣וּשׁ כִּסִּית֑וֹ עַל־הָ֝רִ֗ים יַֽעַמְדוּ־מָֽיִם׃

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

  7. 7

    מִן־גַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣ יְנוּס֑וּן מִן־ק֥וֹל רַֽ֝עַמְךָ֗ יֵחָפֵזֽוּן׃

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

  8. 8

    יַעֲל֣וּ הָ֭רִים יֵרְד֣וּ בְקָע֑וֹת אֶל־מְ֝ק֗וֹם זֶ֤ה ׀ יָסַ֬דְתָּ לָהֶֽם׃

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

  9. 9

    גְּֽבוּל־שַׂ֭מְתָּ בַּל־יַֽעֲבֹר֑וּן בַּל־יְ֝שׁוּב֗וּן לְכַסּ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

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

  10. 10

    הַֽמְשַׁלֵּ֣חַ מַ֭עְיָנִים בַּנְּחָלִ֑ים בֵּ֥ין הָ֝רִ֗ים יְהַלֵּכֽוּן׃

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

  11. 11

    יַ֭שְׁקוּ כָּל־חַיְת֣וֹ שָׂדָ֑י יִשְׁבְּר֖וּ פְרָאִ֣ים צְמָאָֽם׃

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

  12. 12

    עֲ֭לֵיהֶם עוֹף־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׁכּ֑וֹן מִבֵּ֥ין עֳ֝פָאיִ֗ם יִתְּנוּ־קֽוֹל׃

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

  13. 13

    מַשְׁקֶ֣ה הָ֭רִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָ֑יו מִפְּרִ֥י מַ֝עֲשֶׂ֗יךָ תִּשְׂבַּ֥ע הָאָֽרֶץ׃

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

  14. 14

    מַצְמִ֤יחַ חָצִ֨יר ׀ לַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וְ֭עֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הָאָדָ֑ם לְה֥וֹצִיא לֶ֝֗חֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

    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;

  15. 15

    וְיַ֤יִן ׀ יְשַׂמַּ֬ח לְֽבַב־אֱנ֗וֹשׁ לְהַצְהִ֣יל פָּנִ֣ים מִשָּׁ֑מֶן וְ֝לֶ֗חֶם לְֽבַב־אֱנ֥וֹשׁ יִסְעָֽד׃

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

  16. 16

    יִ֭שְׂבְּעוּ עֲצֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה אַֽרְזֵ֥י לְ֝בָנ֗וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָטָֽע׃

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

  17. 17

    אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֭ם צִפֳּרִ֣ים יְקַנֵּ֑נוּ חֲ֝סִידָ֗ה בְּרוֹשִׁ֥ים בֵּיתָֽהּ׃

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

  18. 18

    הָרִ֣ים הַ֭גְּבֹהִים לַיְּעֵלִ֑ים סְ֝לָעִ֗ים מַחְסֶ֥ה לַֽשְׁפַנִּֽים׃

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

  19. 19

    עָשָׂ֣ה יָ֭רֵחַ לְמוֹעֲדִ֑ים שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ יָדַ֥ע מְבוֹאֽוֹ׃

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

  20. 20

    תָּֽשֶׁת־חֹ֭שֶׁךְ וִ֣יהִי לָ֑יְלָה בּֽוֹ־תִ֝רְמֹ֗שׂ כָּל־חַיְתוֹ־יָֽעַר׃

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

  21. 21

    הַ֭כְּפִירִים שֹׁאֲגִ֣ים לַטָּ֑רֶף וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ מֵאֵ֣ל אָכְלָֽם׃

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

  22. 22

    תִּזְרַ֣ח הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ יֵאָסֵפ֑וּן וְאֶל־מְ֝עוֹנֹתָ֗ם יִרְבָּצֽוּן׃

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

  23. 23

    יֵצֵ֣א אָדָ֣ם לְפָעֳל֑וֹ וְֽלַעֲבֹ֖דָת֣וֹ עֲדֵי־עָֽרֶב׃

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

  24. 24

    מָֽה־רַבּ֬וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֨יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה כֻּ֭לָּם בְּחָכְמָ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ מָלְאָ֥ה הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ קִנְיָנֶֽךָ׃

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

  25. 25

    זֶ֤ה ׀ הַיָּ֥ם גָּדוֹל֮ וּרְחַ֪ב יָ֫דָ֥יִם שָֽׁם־רֶ֭מֶשׂ וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֑ר חַיּ֥וֹת קְ֝טַנּ֗וֹת עִם־גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃

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

  26. 26

    שָׁ֭ם אֳנִיּ֣וֹת יְהַלֵּכ֑וּן לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן זֶֽה־יָצַ֥רְתָּ לְשַֽׂחֶק־בּֽוֹ׃

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

  27. 27

    כֻּ֭לָּם אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן לָתֵ֖ת אָכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃

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

  28. 28

    תִּתֵּ֣ן לָ֭הֶם יִלְקֹט֑וּן תִּפְתַּ֥ח יָֽ֝דְךָ֗ יִשְׂבְּע֥וּן טֽוֹב׃

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

  29. 29

    תַּסְתִּ֥יר פָּנֶיךָ֮ יִֽבָּהֵ֫ל֥וּן תֹּסֵ֣ף ר֭וּחָם יִגְוָע֑וּן וְֽאֶל־עֲפָרָ֥ם יְשׁוּבֽוּן׃

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

  30. 30

    תְּשַׁלַּ֣ח ר֭וּחֲךָ יִבָּרֵא֑וּן וּ֝תְחַדֵּ֗שׁ פְּנֵ֣י אֲדָמָֽה׃

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

  31. 31

    יְהִ֤י כְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֣ה לְעוֹלָ֑ם יִשְׂמַ֖ח יְהוָ֣ה בְּמַעֲשָֽׂיו׃

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

  32. 32

    הַמַּבִּ֣יט לָ֭אָרֶץ וַתִּרְעָ֑ד יִגַּ֖ע בֶּהָרִ֣ים וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ׃

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

  33. 33

    אָשִׁ֣ירָה לַיהוָ֣ה בְּחַיָּ֑י אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה לֵאלֹהַ֣י בְּעוֹדִֽי׃

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

  34. 34

    יֶעֱרַ֣ב עָלָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י אָ֝נֹכִ֗י אֶשְׂמַ֥ח בַּיהוָֽה׃

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

  35. 35

    יִתַּ֤מּוּ חַטָּאִ֨ים ׀ מִן־הָאָ֡רֶץ וּרְשָׁעִ֤ים ׀ ע֤וֹד אֵינָ֗ם בָּרֲכִ֣י נַ֭פְשִׁי אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃

    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.

Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here

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When it is prayed

Many Christians recite Psalm 104 in personal prayer or communal worship to give thanks for creation. It is especially fitting for reflection on the natural world and humanity's dependence on God. In some Christian traditions, passages from it are used at Pentecost, highlighting God's life-giving Spirit.

  • Daily prayer
  • Care for creation
  • Thanksgiving
  • Pentecost

Where it comes from

Psalm 104 comes from the Book of Psalms in the Bible's Old Testament, shared with the Jewish scriptures. It is an ancient Hebrew hymn describing God's provision for the earth, its creatures and human life. Its author is not known with certainty.

In the libraryThe King James Version of the BibleSee the book

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Questions about Psalm 104

How many verses are in Psalm 104?

Psalm 104 has 35 verses.

What is Psalm 104 about?

It praises God as the creator and sustainer of the world. Its descriptions of water, animals, plants and human work invite gratitude for the life and order of creation.

How long does it take to recite?

It takes about 2 minutes to recite, though the pace will vary.

Who wrote Psalm 104?

Its author is not known with certainty. It belongs to the ancient Hebrew collection of prayers and songs preserved in the Book of Psalms.

Why is Psalm 104 associated with Pentecost?

In some Christian traditions, its words about God sending the Spirit and renewing the earth are read at Pentecost. Christians hear these words in connection with the Holy Spirit's life-giving presence.

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