Wonderful Creation, from Lions to Leviathans

¹ I praise you, God, with all my heart. You are glorious and majestic, dressed in royal robes ² and surrounded by light. You spread out the sky like a tent, ³ and you built your home over the mighty ocean. The clouds are your chariot with the wind as its wings. ⁴ The winds are your messengers, and flames of fire are your servants. ⁵ You built foundations for the earth, and it will never be shaken. ⁶ You covered the earth with the ocean that rose above the mountains. ⁷ Then your voice thundered! And the water flowed ⁸ down the mountains and through the valleys to the place you prepared. ⁹ Now you have set boundaries, so that the water will never flood the earth again. ¹⁰ You provide streams of water in the hills and valleys, ¹¹ so that the donkeys and other wild animals can satisfy their thirst. ¹² Birds build their nests nearby and sing in the trees. ¹³ From your home above you send rain on the hills and water the earth. ¹⁴ You let the earth produce grass for cattle, plants for our food, ¹⁵ wine to cheer us up, olive oil for our skin, and grain for our health. ¹⁶ Our , your trees always have water, and so do the cedars you planted in Lebanon. ¹⁷ Birds nest in those trees, and storks make their home in the fir trees. ¹⁸ Wild goats find a home in the tall mountains, and small animals can hide between the rocks. ¹⁹ You created the moon to tell us the seasons. The sun knows when to set, ²⁰ and you made the darkness, so the animals in the forest could come out at night. ²¹ Lions roar as they hunt for the food you provide. ²² But when morning comes, they return to their dens, ²³ then we go out to work until the end of day. ²⁴ Our , by your wisdom you made so many things; the whole earth is covered with your living creatures. ²⁵ But what about the ocean so big and wide? It is alive with creatures, large and small. ²⁶ And there are the ships, as well as Leviathan, the monster you created to splash in the sea. ²⁷ All of these depend on you to provide them with food, ²⁸ and you feed each one with your own hand, until they are full. ²⁹ But when you turn away, they are terrified; when you end their life, they die and rot. ³⁰ You created all of them by your Spirit, and you give new life to the earth. ³¹ Our , we pray that your glory will last forever and that you will be pleased with what you have done. ³² You look at the earth, and it trembles. You touch the mountains, and smoke goes up. ³³ As long as I live, I will sing and praise you, the God. ³⁴ I hope my thoughts will please you, because you are the one who makes me glad. ³⁵ Destroy all wicked sinners from the earth once and for all. With all my heart I praise you, ! I praise you!

Psalm 104