Praise for the Beauty of Creation

Psalm 104 as interpreted by Deborah

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

Holy God, you are wonderful beyond all imagining!
You are clothed with majesty and splendor.
You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak
and spread out the heavens like a curtain.

Your royal chambers are in the heavens,
You make the clouds your chariot;
and ride on the wings of the storm.

You make the winds your messengers
and flames of fire Your servants.

You have set the earth upon its foundations,
and there it will remain forever;
You covered it with the oceans
like an azure cape.

The waters were above the mountains,
but fled at Your command.

At the voice of Your thunder they hurried away —
running up into the hills
and down into the valleys:
the places you established for them.

You set limits that they shall not pass;
and they will never again cover the earth.

You send the springs into the valleys;
they flow between the mountains.
All the beasts of the field drink their fill from them,
and the wild animals quench their thirst.

Beside them the birds of the air make their nests
and sing among the branches.
You water the mountains from your dwelling on high;
the earth comes alive at Your touch.

You make grass grow for flocks and herds,
and plants that bring forth food for us,
wine to gladden our hearts,
oil to bring smiles to our faces,
and bread to strengthen the heart.

The trees of the Lord are filled with life,
the majestic redwoods which he planted,
in which the birds build their nests,
and whose tops the eagle claims as her home.

The high hills are a refuge for the mountain goats,
and the stony cliffs a protection for the rock badgers.

You appointed the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows the right time to set.
You make darkness that it may be night,
in which all the beasts of the forest prowl.

The lions roar after their prey
and seek their food from God.
The sun rises, and they slip away
and lay down to rest in their dens.

Then people go forth in the light of day,
and work until the evening.

Holy One, Your wonders are beyond all counting!
in wisdom You have made them all;
the earth is full of Your creations.

There is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number,
creatures great and small.

There the ships sail,
and then there’s that Leviathan —
which You made just for fun.

All of them look to You
to feed them when they are hungry.
You provide it; they gather it;
You open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

You hide your face, and they are bewildered;
You take away their breath,
and they die and return to dust.

You send forth your Spirit,
and they are created;
and so You renew the face of the earth.

May the Holy Radiance shine on us forever;
and the Creator always delight in all that he has made.

God looks at the earth and it shivers with delight;
He touches the mountains and they are aflame.

I will sing to the Holy One as long as I live;
and give thanks to the Beloved always.

May my words bring joy to my God —
as God brings joy to me!

May the wicked be overwhelmed
by the beauty of the earth,
so they will never again harm the planet.

Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Hallelujah!