Corpus Psalterium · Vol. V
Psalm CIV (104)
Cantillated — Creation Refrain Praise
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 104 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
Bless Yahweh, my soul. Yahweh, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty.
בָּרֲכִ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י אֶת־יְה֫וָ֥ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי גָּדַ֣לְתָּ מְּאֹ֑ד ה֭וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר לָבָֽשְׁתָּ׃
He covers himself with light as with a garment. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
עֹֽטֶה־א֭וֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָ֑ה נוֹטֶ֥ה שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם כַּיְרִיעָֽה׃
He lays the beams of his rooms in the waters. He makes the clouds his chariot. He walks on the wings of the wind.
הַ֥מְקָרֶֽה בַמַּ֗יִם עֲֽלִיּ֫וֹתָ֥יו הַשָּׂם־עָבִ֥ים רְכוּב֑וֹ הַֽ֝מְהַלֵּ֗ךְ עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ׃
He makes his messengers winds, and his servants flames of fire.
עֹשֶׂ֣ה מַלְאָכָ֣יו רוּח֑וֹת מְ֝שָׁרְתָ֗יו אֵ֣שׁ לֹהֵֽט׃
He laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be moved forever.
יָֽסַד־אֶ֭רֶץ עַל־מְכוֹנֶ֑יהָ בַּל־תִּ֝מּ֗וֹט עוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃
You covered it with the deep as with a cloak. The waters stood above the mountains.
תְּ֭הוֹם כַּלְּב֣וּשׁ כִּסִּית֑וֹ עַל־הָ֝רִ֗ים יַֽעַמְדוּ־מָֽיִם׃
At your rebuke they fled. At the voice of your thunder they hurried away.
מִן־גַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣ יְנוּס֑וּן מִן־ק֥וֹל רַֽ֝עַמְךָ֗ יֵחָפֵזֽוּן׃
The mountains rose, the valleys sank down, to the place which you had assigned to them.
יַעֲל֣וּ הָ֭רִים יֵרְד֣וּ בְקָע֑וֹת אֶל־מְ֝ק֗וֹם זֶ֤ה ׀ יָסַ֬דְתָּ לָהֶֽם׃
You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they don’t turn again to cover the earth.
גְּֽבוּל־שַׂ֭מְתָּ בַּל־יַֽעֲבֹר֑וּן בַּל־יְ֝שׁוּב֗וּן לְכַסּ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
He sends springs into the valleys. They run among the mountains.
הַֽמְשַׁלֵּ֣חַ מַ֭עְיָנִים בַּנְּחָלִ֑ים בֵּ֥ין הָ֝רִ֗ים יְהַלֵּכֽוּן׃
They give drink to every animal of the field. The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
יַ֭שְׁקוּ כָּל־חַיְת֣וֹ שָׂדָ֑י יִשְׁבְּר֖וּ פְרָאִ֣ים צְמָאָֽם׃
The birds of the sky nest by them. They sing among the branches.
עֲ֭לֵיהֶם עוֹף־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׁכּ֑וֹן מִבֵּ֥ין עֳ֝פָאיִ֗ם יִתְּנוּ־קֽוֹל׃
He waters the mountains from his rooms. The earth is filled with the fruit of your works.
מַשְׁקֶ֣ה הָ֭רִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָ֑יו מִפְּרִ֥י מַ֝עֲשֶׂ֗יךָ תִּשְׂבַּ֥ע הָאָֽרֶץ׃
He causes the grass to grow for the livestock, and plants for man to cultivate, that he may produce food out of the earth:
מַצְמִ֤יחַ חָצִ֨יר ׀ לַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וְ֭עֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הָאָדָ֑ם לְה֥וֹצִיא לֶ֝֗חֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
wine that makes the heart of man glad, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man’s heart.
וְיַ֤יִן ׀ יְשַׂמַּ֬ח לְֽבַב־אֱנ֗וֹשׁ לְהַצְהִ֣יל פָּנִ֣ים מִשָּׁ֑מֶן וְ֝לֶ֗חֶם לְֽבַב־אֱנ֥וֹשׁ יִסְעָֽד׃
Yahweh’s trees are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted,
יִ֭שְׂבְּעוּ עֲצֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה אַֽרְזֵ֥י לְ֝בָנ֗וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָטָֽע׃
where the birds make their nests. The stork makes its home in the cypress trees.
אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֭ם צִפֳּרִ֣ים יְקַנֵּ֑נוּ חֲ֝סִידָ֗ה בְּרוֹשִׁ֥ים בֵּיתָֽהּ׃
The high mountains are for the wild goats. The rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.
הָרִ֣ים הַ֭גְּבֹהִים לַיְּעֵלִ֑ים סְ֝לָעִ֗ים מַחְסֶ֥ה לַֽשְׁפַנִּֽים׃
He appointed the moon for seasons. The sun knows when to set.
עָשָׂ֣ה יָ֭רֵחַ לְמוֹעֲדִ֑ים שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ יָדַ֥ע מְבוֹאֽוֹ׃
You make darkness, and it is night, in which all the animals of the forest prowl.
תָּֽשֶׁת־חֹ֭שֶׁךְ וִ֣יהִי לָ֑יְלָה בּֽוֹ־תִ֝רְמֹ֗שׂ כָּל־חַיְתוֹ־יָֽעַר׃
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their food from God.
הַ֭כְּפִירִים שֹׁאֲגִ֣ים לַטָּ֑רֶף וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ מֵאֵ֣ל אָכְלָֽם׃
The sun rises, and they steal away, and lie down in their dens.
תִּזְרַ֣ח הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ יֵאָסֵפ֑וּן וְאֶל־מְ֝עוֹנֹתָ֗ם יִרְבָּצֽוּן׃
Man goes out to his work, to his labor until the evening.
יֵצֵ֣א אָדָ֣ם לְפָעֳל֑וֹ וְֽלַעֲבֹ֖דָת֣וֹ עֲדֵי־עָֽרֶב׃
Yahweh, how many are your works! In wisdom, you have made them all. The earth is full of your riches.
מָֽה־רַבּ֬וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֨יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה כֻּ֭לָּם בְּחָכְמָ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ מָלְאָ֥ה הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ קִנְיָנֶֽךָ׃
There is the sea, great and wide, in which are innumerable living things, both small and large animals.
זֶ֤ה ׀ הַיָּ֥ם גָּדוֹל֮ וּרְחַ֪ב יָ֫דָ֥יִם שָֽׁם־רֶ֭מֶשׂ וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֑ר חַיּ֥וֹת קְ֝טַנּ֗וֹת עִם־גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃
There the ships go, and leviathan, whom you formed to play there.
שָׁ֭ם אֳנִיּ֣וֹת יְהַלֵּכ֑וּן לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן זֶֽה־יָצַ֥רְתָּ לְשַֽׂחֶק־בּֽוֹ׃
These all wait for you, that you may give them their food in due season.
כֻּ֭לָּם אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן לָתֵ֖ת אָכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃
You give to them; they gather. You open your hand; they are satisfied with good.
תִּתֵּ֣ן לָ֭הֶם יִלְקֹט֑וּן תִּפְתַּ֥ח יָֽ֝דְךָ֗ יִשְׂבְּע֥וּן טֽוֹב׃
You hide your face; they are troubled. You take away their breath; they die and return to the dust.
תַּסְתִּ֥יר פָּנֶיךָ֮ יִֽבָּהֵ֫ל֥וּן תֹּסֵ֣ף ר֭וּחָם יִגְוָע֑וּן וְֽאֶל־עֲפָרָ֥ם יְשׁוּבֽוּן׃
You send out your Spirit and they are created. You renew the face of the ground.
תְּשַׁלַּ֣ח ר֭וּחֲךָ יִבָּרֵא֑וּן וּ֝תְחַדֵּ֗שׁ פְּנֵ֣י אֲדָמָֽה׃
Let Yahweh’s glory endure forever. Let Yahweh rejoice in his works.
יְהִ֤י כְב֣וֹד יְהוָ֣ה לְעוֹלָ֑ם יִשְׂמַ֖ח יְהוָ֣ה בְּמַעֲשָֽׂיו׃
He looks at the earth, and it trembles. He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
הַמַּבִּ֣יט לָ֭אָרֶץ וַתִּרְעָ֑ד יִגַּ֖ע בֶּהָרִ֣ים וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ׃
I will sing to Yahweh as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have any being.
אָשִׁ֣ירָה לַיהוָ֣ה בְּחַיָּ֑י אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה לֵאלֹהַ֣י בְּעוֹדִֽי׃
Let my meditation be sweet to him. I will rejoice in Yahweh.
יֶעֱרַ֣ב עָלָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י אָ֝נֹכִ֗י אֶשְׂמַ֥ח בַּיהוָֽה׃
Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. Let the wicked be no more. Bless Yahweh, my soul. Praise Yah!
יִתַּ֤מּוּ חַטָּאִ֨ים ׀ מִן־הָאָ֡רֶץ וּרְשָׁעִ֤ים ׀ ע֤וֹד אֵינָ֗ם בָּרֲכִ֣י נַ֭פְשִׁי אֶת־יְהוָ֗ה הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
Bless the LORD
O my soul
O LORD my God
You are so great
Clothed in splendor
clothed in majesty
Clothed in light
as with a garment
light
light
light
You stretch the heavens
like a tent
like a tent
like a tent
You build Your chambers
upon the waters
upon the waters
You make the clouds
Your chariot
You ride upon
the wings of wind
wind
wind
wind
You make Your angels
spirits
Your servants
flames of fire
run
run
run
At Your rebuke
they fled away
At Your thunder
they ran
Mountains rose
valleys sank
To the place
You made
How many are Your works
O LORD
In wisdom
You made them all
The earth is filled
with Your riches
Filled with Your riches
How many are Your works
O LORD
In wisdom
You made them all
The earth is filled
with Your riches
Filled with Your riches
Bless the LORD
O my soul
Bless the LORD
O my soul
Bless the LORD
O my soul
Bless the LORD
O my soul
Bless the LORD
O my soul
Bless the LORD
O my soul
Bless the LORD
O my soul
Bless the LORD
O my soul
my soul
my soul
my soul
You send the springs
through valleys
Giving drink
to every beast
Wild donkeys
quench their thirst
Birds of heaven
dwell beside them
Sing among
the branches
You water mountains
from above
The earth is filled
with fruit
You cause the grass
to grow
Plants for man
to cultivate
Wine to gladden
human hearts
Bread to strengthen
human life
Cedars of Lebanon
You planted
Birds build nests
within them
High mountains
for wild goats
Rocks become
their shelter
You made the moon
for seasons
The sun knows
when to set
Night falls down
the creatures move
Lions roar
for their prey
Man goes out
to his labor
Until evening comes
How many are Your works
O LORD
In wisdom
You made them all
There is the sea
vast and wide
vast and wide
Creatures beyond
all number
Ships move across
the waters
Leviathan
plays within
All creation waits
upon You
To give them food
in season
You hide Your face
they tremble
You take their breath
they die
You send ⸻
run
run
Your Spirit
they are created
Renew the earth
run
Renew
Atthe earth
May the glory
of the LORD endure
May the LORD rejoice
in His works
He looks on earth
and it trembles
He touches mountains
they smoke
I will sing
to the LORD all my life
I will praise my God
while I live
Bless the LORD
O my soul
Hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
Hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
Hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
hallelujah
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.