Psalm 104
I’m planning to do some posting on translating and transforming Hebrew poetry over the next few weeks, so I want to start with a couple of links to my existing work on Psalm 104. I did a considerable study of the structure of this Psalm in graduate school. I’m not in a position to repeat the work I did then or even to reaffirm it, but I’m planning to work from the text that I prepared for that paper, and build from there.
Here are the major links:
The translation was prepared for technical purposes and not for general reading. The actual translation without the notes follows.
(1) Bless the Lord, O my inmost being!
0 Lord, my God, you are very great;
You are clothed with majesty and splendor.
(2) He spreads out light like a covering;
He stretches out the heavens as a tent.
(3) He fills his upper chambers with water;
He makes the clouds his chariot;
He travels on the wings of the wind.
(4) He makes the winds his messengers,
Fire and flame his servants.
(5) He established the earth on its foundations;
It shall not be moved forever and ever.
(6) The primeval ocean covered it like a garment;
The waters stood over the mountains.
(7) Prom your rebuke they fled;
From your thunderous voice they rushed away.
(8) They went up to the mountains, down to the netherworld chasms,
To the place which you appointed for them.
(9) You set them a limit which they cannot transgress;
They will not return to cover the earth.
(10) He sends forth springs in the wadis;
They flow between the mountains.
(11) He makes all the beasts of the field drink;
He makes the onagers shatter their thirst.
(12) Near them (the streams) the birds of heaven nest;
Among them the ravens give forth their voice.
(13) He waters the mountains from his upper chambers;
From the fruit of his work, the earth is well supplied.
(14) He brings forth grain for the animals;
And grass for those who serve man.
He indeed brings grain from the earth;
(15) And wine which gladdens the heart of man.
He indeed makes their faces shine with oil;
And bread, which strengthens the heart of man.
(16) The trees of the Lord have plenty;
The cedars of Lebanon which he planted,
(17) Where the birds make their nests;
As for the stork, her house is among their tops.
(18) The high mountains are for the mountain goats;
The rocky places are for the coneys.
(19) He made the moon for appointed times;
The sun knows when to go down.
(20) It darkens, and becomes night;
In it creep all the beasts of the thicket.
(21) The lions roar for their prey;
They seek their food from God.
(22) The sun rises, so they may be gathered,
So they may lie down in their dens
(2)) Man goes forth to his work,
And to his labor until the evening.
(24) How marvelous are your works, O Lord!
You made them all wisely.
The earth is full of your created things.
(25) This sea, great and wide across,
In which are uncountable creatures,
Living things, both small and great —
(26) There the ships travel;
Leviathan which you made,
Plays in it.
(27) All of them look to you,
To give them their food on time.
(28) You give to them, so they may gather;
You open your hand, so they may be satisfied with good.
(29) You hide your face, and they are disturbed;
You bring their breath to an end,
And they return to their dust.
(30) You send forth your breath, and they are created;
So you renew the face of the ground.
(31) Let the glory of the Lord. be eternal;
Let 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 while I live.
I will sing to my God while I continue to exist.
(34) Let my song be pleasing to him,
I will rejoice in the Lord.
(35) Sinners shall be removed from the earth,
And the wicked will be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my inmost being!
I’ll be working from that basis on my various presentations of the content of this Psalm in different forms.
See also my recent note on Hebrew Poetry.