Psalm 104:24-34, 35b (NRSV)
Read Psalm 104:24-34, 35b on biblegateway.com
Verse 24O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Verse 25Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great.
Verse 26There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
Verse 27These all look to you to give them their food in due season;
Verse 28when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
Verse 29When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
Verse 30When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.
Verse 31May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works-
Verse 32who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke.
Verse 33I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
Verse 34May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.
Verse 35Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!
Devotion
We are blessed to live in a beautiful country. Soaring mountains, deep canyons, crashing oceans, fertile farmland, life-giving rivers, and wondrous day and nighttime skies. Psalm 104 is a poetic summary of the Holy Spirit’s creativeness. The psalmist tells us that God not only continues to care for the earth and all inhabitants, animal and human, but also that God enjoys every element of creation! As we admire the awesome power and beauty of our natural surroundings, we might also consider how we view the people around us. Do we see them as unique and as beautifully crafted as the other wonders of nature? Are we able to appreciate every talent, ability, and gift, even when they appear miles different from our own? With the Pentecost scene echoing in our minds, the Holy Spirit invites us to take a fresh look around and celebrate the special distinctiveness of God’s good creation.
Prayer
Creator God, enable us to be better caretakers of the world you created and called good. Renew in us the will to be careful with nature and with each other. Help us to love as you have loved. Amen.