"Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment... O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all" - Psalm 104
The author of this psalm is not included, but regardless it is one of my favorites, a beautiful composition of the reign and rule (sovereignty and providence) of God over his universe. O, how wonderful is his sovereignty and providence! Over the last year at PBU, in my studies and in my reading of Scripture these have become two of the doctrines most precious to my heart. To know my God reigns on high with authority, yet also works so intimately with his creation; to know that nothing is outside his sovereign will gives me great comfort and confidence. Comfort because God has sovereign freedom, he does all that he pleases (Psalm 115:3); and God works all things together for my good (Romans 8:28). Without this knowledge what comfort would I have, that I may say with Job, "The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21)? And confidence because if God is for me, who can be against me (Romans 8:31); and nothing in all creation can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35-39). This confidence leads to bold Christlike sacrifice for the glory of God and the joy of all peoples, so that I can say with Paul, "I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24), and also, "I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:10). With that said, let's take a look at how the psalmist describes these precious doctrines in this psalm.
The psalmist begins with a shout of praise, of exaltation to God, "Bless the LORD, O my soul!" And immediately he gives the reason why he (and we too) ought to bless the LORD, that is, the greatness of God, "O LORD my God, you are very great!" (v1). The rest of this psalm may well be considered an exposition of this first verse, as we will see. And the key to understanding the great realities of God's sovereignty and providence in this psalm is to observe the psalmist's references to God, especially those in which God is acting (God + verb).
In the thirty-five verses in this psalm there are over fifty references to God, whether the psalmist uses God, the LORD, he, him, you, your, or who. Of those fifty, twenty-seven are verb phrases where God is explicitly acting, and there are at least another eight where it is implied; not to mention the numerous ensuing actions/consequences of God's actions, which could be said to be ultimately caused by him. Clearly God is the central theme in this psalm. But what exactly is said of God? What does he do?
Verses 1b-4 present to us a magnificent picture of God and his holy habitation. God is clothed with splendor and majesty (v1); he covers himself with light as a garment (v2). He stretches out the heavens like a tent (v2) and he lays the beams of his chambers on the waters (v3). God makes the clouds his chariot (v3) and rides on the wings of the wind (v3). He makes his messengers winds (v4) and his ministers a flaming fire (v4). The psalmist has a grand view of the greatness of God. Indeed, he does not live with a small view of God as so many of us do day by day. If only we were able to pick our heads up out of our momentary troubles and behold the majesty of God, we would truly be different people (2 Corinthians 3:18).
The psalmist continues in verses 5-9 in what seem to be a record of creation. A few passages to correlate with these verses for further reflection would be Genesis 1, 7, 8; Job 38; Psalm 18:15, 89:11, 106:9; Matthew 8:26. But God did not create then leave the creation to care for itself. Read what John Calvin had to say about these verses,
"Whence is it that the mountains are elevated, and that the valleys sink down, but because bounds are set to the waters, that they may not return to overwhelm the earth? The passage then, it is obvious, may very properly be understood thus, -- that the sea, although a mighty deep, which strikes terror by its vastness, is yet as a beautiful garment to the earth. The reason of the metaphor is, because the surface of the earth stands uncovered. The prophet affirms that this does not happen by chance; for, if the providence of God did not restrain the waters, would they not immediately rush forth to overwhelm the whole earth? He, therefore, speaks advisedly when he maintains that the appearance of any part of the earth's surface is not the effect of nature, but is an evident miracle. Were God to give loose reins to the sea, the waters would suddenly cover the mountains."
Surely this is how we are to see and understand the marvels of the universe. If it were not for the providence of God, as though by his own hand holding back the waves, the whole earth would be washed away by the sea. Indeed, this is the greatness of God the psalmist spoke of in verse one. Praise the Lord! This is God's mighty providence, his intimate governing over all things, which should bring much comfort to believers.
In the next 21 verses (10-30) the psalmist continues to put on display the wonderful providence of God. These verses deal largely with the providence of God in regard to his creatures and their dependence upon him. The water from which beasts of the field drink comes from the springs which God makes gush forth (v10-11). From God's dwelling in heaven he waters the mountains, and all the earth is satisfied (v13). God causes the grass to grow for livestock and plants for man (v14-15). God plants trees and waters them abundantly, that birds may rest and sing (v12, 16-17). He makes the night when all the beasts of the forest creep about (v20). Lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God (v21). Indeed, all creatures of earth, sky and sea look to God for their food (v24b, 25, 27). When God opens his hand they are satisfied, but when he withholds they are dismayed (v28-29). When he takes away their breath, even their life, they die (v29), and when he sends his breath (or spirit) they are created (v30). Is God far off? Is he not involved? Does he not reign over and govern all things within his creation? Surely he does. And praise be to his name for it!
But let's bring this even closer to home. God governs over all these things: he gives animals their food, waters the earth, and is sovereign over life and death, but what about me? What about you? The psalmist addresses this in verse 14 and 15 with a definitive answer. But let me point you to Jesus, who also answered this question. In Matthew 6 Jesus is in the middle of his "Sermon on the Mount." Picking up in verse 25, he says,
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"What is Jesus saying? First of all life is about more than food and clothing, so don't be so focused and flustered about things that are not what life is all about. Then he points us to the providence of God. He tells us to consider the birds: they don't work for their food, and yet God feeds them. Then he tells us to consider the lilies also: they don't struggle to sprout and grow, and yet God clothes them with beauty. But here is the key: Jesus instructs us that we are more precious to God than the birds of the air and the lilies of the field (v26, 30). Did you hear that? You are precious to God, even more precious than the rest of his creation! And if he so graciously and providentially provides for his lesser creatures, will he not provide for you too? Without a doubt he will. Take comfort Christian, God will provide for all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). That does not mean that there won't be hard times, we're promised those in Scripture. But it does mean that God will never let you go (John 10:28); he will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20); he will uphold you with his righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10); he will give you wisdom when you don't know what to do (James 1:5-8); he will give you strength when your strength is gone (2 Corinthians 1:8-10; Isaiah 40:28-31); and he will be your everlasting joy, satisfying the deepest desires of your soul (Psalm 16:11, 43:4; John 4:13-14; Revelation 22:17). "Therefore," Jesus says, "do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
What shall be our response to these things? If we return to Psalm 104 I think we'll find a proper response to God's great sovereignty and providence. Starting in verse 31 the psalmist concludes by saying, "May the glory of the LORD endure forever." In light of the preceding thirty verses of glorious depiction of the reign and rule of God, the psalmist first concludes with "May God be glorified forever." That is the ultimate end of all things, to God be the glory. But how do we fit in? The psalmist continues, "I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being" (v33). We can glorify God by singing praises to him, for they are pleasant and fitting (Psalm 135:3, 147:1). "May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD" (v34). We also glorify God by rejoicing in him, by enjoying him, and delighting in his wonderful majesty. "Bless the LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!" (v35).
God give us the grace this day to delight in you, to rejoice in your holy name, and be thankful for your bountiful providence, for your boundless sovereignty. May our meditation: our thoughts, contemplations, words and actions be pleasing in your sight this day. And let your name be glorified this day and forever, in whose name all your promises are "Yes," Amen.
S.D.G.
