Praise The Lord – Psalm 104:19-35

“He appointed the moon for seasons. The sun knows it’s going down.” Psalm 104:19

God established the continual cycle of day and night and appointed the sun and moon to govern them. Many ancient nations were so impressed by the sun and moon and their benefits to the earth that they worshiped them as gods. Scripture repeatedly reminds us that these heavenly bodies are not deities but servants of the one true God. [1]

In Genesis 37:9, Joseph’s vision from God depicts his father as the sun, his mother as the moon, and his brothers as stars. They represent the twelves tribes of Israel through whom God gave the revelation of Himself to humanity.

In Revelation 12:1, a “woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars” represent the nation of Israel.

In Jeremiah 31:35-36, God compares His faithfulness to preserve Israel with the reliability of the sun’s and moon’s daily appearance. “Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night... if this fixed order departs from before Me... then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before Me forever.”

“You make darkness, and it is night, in which all the beasts of the forest creep about. The young lions roar after their prey and seek their food from God.” Psalm 104:20-21

Though darkness may seem unpleasant, it contributes to the beauty and balance of creation. During the night, the wild animals leave their hiding places to seek food. [2]

This nighttime activity also reminds us of spiritual dangers. Just as wild animals emerge under cover of darkness, temptations often gain strength when our souls are darkened by ignorance, discouragement, or sin. Satan frequently takes advantage of such moments. [3]

The young lions roar as they hunt for prey. Their cries are, in a sense, appeals to their Creator for provision. If God notices the cries of lions, how much more does He hear the prayers and groanings of us His children, even when our words are weak and imperfect.

“When the sun rises, they gather together and lie down in their dens. Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening.” Psalm 104:22-23

When the sun rises, the night time predators retreat to their dens. This arrangement is a great mercy from God, protecting people as they travel and labor during the daylight hours. [4]

In a spiritual sense, the rising sun represents Christ. In John 8:12, Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In Acts 26:18, Jesus called Paul to “open the eyes of people so that they turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”

In 1 Peter 2:9, Peter wrote to Christians, saying, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His [God’s] own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

In Revelation 22:5, those in the Heavenly Jerusalem “will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” God will be the light.

“O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your riches.” Psalm 104:24

God has created more works of art than we can number. None of His works are senseless or foolish. Wisdom is contained in everything that He created. [5]

“This great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great. There the ships sail about. There is that leviathan which You have made to play there.” Psalm 104:25-26

The sea provides an abundant supply of fish and other sea creatures for food. It also provides a clear passageway for massive amounts of goods to be transported across great distances. [6]

In Job 41, leviathan is described as a beast of the sea that is impossible for humans to catch, with impenetrable scales, blazing eyes, and the terrifying ability to breathe fire and make the ocean boil. [7] In Psalm 74:14: God crushes the heads of Leviathan. In Isaiah 27:1, we read, “The Lord slays the dragon that is in the sea.” Revelation 12:3-17 and 20:1-3, connects the leviathan imagery to Satan, describing him as a red dragon who opposes God’s people.

In Psalm 104:25-26, the sea is a place where leviathan plays. Revelation 13 describes a beast coming out from the sea. The sea represents chaos. The beast is an incarnation of Satan. Satan gives him power and authority to war against saints. In Revelation 19:20, the beast is thrown into a lake of fire. In Revelation 20:10, Satan is cast into a lake of Fire. “Praise God!”

“These all wait for You, that You may give them their food in due season. What You give them they gather in. You open Your hand they are filled with good.” Psalm 104:27-28

Following the instincts God has given them, creatures seek food at the proper time and in the proper way. Yet they only obtain what He provides. He fills them with what is good for them. [8]

“You hide Your face, they are troubled. You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. You send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth.” Psalm 104:29-30

Creatures dying and creatures being born reminds us of the reality of death and resurrection.

Amidst these observations, the psalmist bursts into praise, saying...

“May the glory of the Lord endure forever! May the Lord rejoice in His works.” Psalm 104:31

What does the Psalmist want God to do? He asks God to make His glory endure forever, and to preserve His works that He delights in.

“He looks on the earth, and it trembles. He touches the hills, and they smoke.” Psalm 104:32

What ruins created things? Satan and sin do. In Jeremiah 2:7, the Lord says, “I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.” The pollution that God cannot tolerate is sin. In the Book of Revelation, the Lord issues seven seal, seven trumpet and seven bowl judgments upon creation for the purpose of bringing sinners to repentance so that they might be saved.

In Revelation 16:9, we read, “They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the Name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give Him glory.” When sinners do repent of their sin in the Name of Jesus and give God glory, He removes the curses.

The earth cannot withstand God’s wrath. Mountains that smoke with fire remind us of His righteous wrath against sin. A mere touch from God produces trembling. [9]

“I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him. I will be glad in the Lord.” Psalm 104:33-34

The psalmist sings praises to “my God” all his days. He has a personal relationship with God. He wants his thought-life to be sweet to God. He wants the Lord to see that He is glad in Him.

“May sinners be consumed from the earth, and the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!” Psalm 104:35

Those who know, love, and praise God want the hatred of Him to end. The last prayer in the Bible is recorded in Revelation 22:20. It is short. Just six words: “Amen! Even so, come, Lord, Jesus.” Rather than curse and hate God, the psalmist commands his soul to bless the Lord, and then, he exclaims, “Praise the Lord!”


[1-6] Material developed and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[7] gotquestions.org
[8-9] Material developed and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary