1Preise den HERRN, meine Seele! HERR, mein Gott, groß und erhaben bist du, mit Herrlichkeit und Pracht hast du dich bekleidet.2In Licht hüllst du dich wie in ein Gewand, den Himmel spannst du wie ein Zeltdach aus.3Er, der die Säulen seiner Wohnung im Wasser ´des Himmelsgewölbes` errichtet, der Wolken zu seinem Wagen macht und auf Flügeln des Windes erscheint,4der Winde zu seinen Boten macht und Feuerflammen zu seinen Dienern[1] –5er hat der Erde ihr Fundament gegeben, so dass sie für immer und ewig nicht wankt.6Du, ´Gott`, bedecktest sie mit gewaltigen Wassermassen wie mit einem Kleid[2], selbst über den Bergen standen die Fluten.7Doch auf deinen drohenden Befehl hin flohen sie, vor deiner Donnerstimme wichen sie schnell zurück.8So kamen Berge empor, Täler senkten sich. Die Wassermassen aber zogen sich zurück an den Ort, den du für sie bereitet hattest.9Eine Grenze hast du ihnen gesetzt, die sie nicht überschreiten dürfen; nie mehr sollen sie zurückkehren und die ganze Erde bedecken.10Auf Gottes Befehl hin ergießen sich Quellen in die Flusstäler, zwischen den Bergen schlängeln sich ihre Wasserläufe.11Sie tränken die Tiere des freien Feldes, Wildesel löschen dort ihren Durst.12Da finden auch die Vögel ihre Nistplätze, zwischen den Zweigen lassen sie ihre Stimme ertönen.13Von seinen Wohnungen in der Höhe aus bewässert Gott die Berge. Von der Frucht, die seine Werke hervorbringen, wird die Erde gesättigt.14Gras lässt er hervorsprießen für das Vieh und allerlei Pflanzen für den Bedarf des Menschen, damit dieser aus dem Schoß der Erde sein tägliches Brot gewinnt.15Er schenkt Wein, der das Herz des Menschen erfreut, Öl, mit dem er sein Gesicht pflegt, und Brot, das sein Herz stärkt.16Auch die Bäume des HERRN trinken sich satt, die herrlichen Zedern des Libanon, die er gepflanzt hat.17Dort wiederum bauen Vögel ihre Nester, auf den Zypressen nistet der Storch.18Die hohen Berge bieten den Steinböcken Lebensraum, die Felsen sind eine Zuflucht für die Klippdachse.19Gott hat den Mond geschaffen zur Festlegung der Zeiten, auch die Sonne weiß, wann sie untergehen soll.20Du bestimmst, wann es finster wird, und schon kommt die Nacht. Da regen sich dann alle Tiere des Waldes.21Die jungen Löwen brüllen nach Beute, sie verlangen von Gott ihre Nahrung.22Geht dann die Sonne auf, so ziehen sich die Tiere wieder zurück und legen sich nieder in ihren Verstecken.23Nun macht sich der Mensch auf und geht an seine Arbeit, an das, was er zu verrichten hat bis zum Abend.24Wie zahlreich sind doch deine Werke, HERR, alle hast du mit Weisheit ausgeführt, die Erde ist erfüllt von dem, was du geschaffen hast!25Da ist das Meer, schier endlos groß und weit, darin wimmelt es von unzählbar vielen Lebewesen, von kleinen wie von großen.26Dort ziehen Schiffe ihre Bahn, auch ´das Ungeheuer` Leviatan, das du geschaffen hast, um mit ihm zu spielen[3].27Alle Lebewesen hoffen auf dich, dass du ihnen ihre Speise gibst zur rechten Zeit.28Du gibst sie ihnen, sie sammeln alles ein. Du öffnest ´freigebig` deine Hand, und sie werden satt von ´deinen` guten Gaben.29Doch wenn du dein Angesicht verbirgst, dann erschrecken sie. Entziehst du ihnen den Lebensatem, so scheiden sie dahin und werden wieder zu Staub.30Entsendest du deinen Lebensatem, dann werden sie geschaffen. Und so erneuerst du den Anblick der Erde[4].31Die Herrlichkeit des HERRN währe ewig! Möge der HERR sich freuen an seinen Schöpfungswerken!32Er braucht die Erde nur anzublicken, und schon erbebt sie, rührt er die Berge an, dann rauchen sie.33Zur Ehre des HERRN will ich singen mein Leben lang, für meinen Gott musizieren, so lange ich bin.34Möge mein Denken und Sinnen ihm gefallen! Ja, ich will mich erfreuen am HERRN.35Alle, die sich von Gott abwenden, sollen von der Erde verschwinden – es soll keiner mehr da sein, der Gott verachtet. Preise den HERRN, meine Seele! Halleluja!
Psalm 104
New International Reader’s Version
von Biblica1I will praise the LORD. LORD my God, you are very great. You are dressed in glory and majesty.2The LORD wraps himself in light as if it were a robe. He spreads out the heavens like a tent.3He builds his palace high in the heavens. He makes the clouds serve as his chariot. He rides on the wings of the wind.4He makes the winds serve as his messengers. He makes flashes of lightning serve him.5He placed the earth on its foundations. It can never be moved.6You, LORD, covered it with the oceans like a blanket. The waters covered the mountains.7But you commanded the waters, and they ran away. At the sound of your thunder they rushed off.8They flowed down the mountains. They went into the valleys. They went to the place you appointed for them.9You drew a line they can’t cross. They will never cover the earth again.10The LORD makes springs pour water into the valleys. It flows between the mountains.11The springs give water to all the wild animals. The wild donkeys satisfy their thirst.12The birds in the sky build nests by the waters. They sing among the branches.13The LORD waters the mountains from his palace high in the clouds. The earth is filled with the things he has made.14He makes grass grow for the cattle and plants for people to take care of. That’s how they get food from the earth.15There is wine to make people glad. There is olive oil to make their skin glow. And there is bread to make them strong.16The cedar trees of Lebanon belong to the LORD. He planted them and gave them plenty of water.17There the birds make their nests. The stork has its home in the juniper trees.18The high mountains belong to the wild goats. The cliffs are a safe place for the rock badgers.19The LORD made the moon to mark off the seasons. The sun knows when to go down.20You, LORD, bring darkness, and it becomes night. Then all the animals of the forest prowl around.21The lions roar while they hunt. All their food comes from God.22The sun rises, and they slip away. They return to their dens and lie down.23Then people get up and go to work. They keep working until evening.24LORD, you have made so many things! How wise you were when you made all of them! The earth is full of your creatures.25Look at the ocean, so big and wide! It is filled with more creatures than people can count. It is filled with living things, from the largest to the smallest.26Ships sail to and fro on it. Leviathan, the sea monster you made, plays in it.27All creatures depend on you to give them their food when they need it.28When you give it to them, they eat it. When you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.29When you turn your face away from them, they are terrified. When you take away their breath, they die and turn back into dust.30When you send your Spirit, you create them. You give new life to the ground.31May the glory of the LORD continue for ever. May the LORD be happy with what he has made.32When he looks at the earth, it trembles. When he touches the mountains, they pour out smoke.33I will sing to the LORD all my life. I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.34May these thoughts of mine please him. I find my joy in the LORD.35But may sinners be gone from the earth. May evil people disappear. I will praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
1Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, (2Sam 7,22; Hi 37,22; Hi 40,10; Ps 93,1; Ps 103,1; Ps 103,22)2covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. (Hi 9,8; Jes 40,22)3He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; (2Sam 22,11; Ps 18,10; Ps 104,13; Jes 19,1; Am 9,6)4he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. (2Kön 1,10; 2Kön 2,11; Ps 103,21; Ps 148,8; Hebr 1,7)5He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. (Hi 38,4; Ps 24,2; Ps 89,11; Ps 136,6)6You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. (1Mo 7,19)7At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight. (1Mo 1,9; 1Mo 8,1; 1Mo 8,5; Ps 18,15; Ps 48,5; Ps 77,18; Ps 106,9; Mt 8,26)8The mountains rose, the valleys sank down to the place that you appointed for them. (Hi 38,8; Hi 38,10)9You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth. (1Mo 9,11; Hi 26,10)10You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills;11they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst. (Ps 104,13)12Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the branches.13From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. (5Mo 11,11; Hi 5,10; Ps 65,9; Ps 104,3; Ps 147,8; Jer 10,13; Jer 14,22)14You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth (1Mo 1,11; 1Mo 1,29; 1Mo 3,18; 1Mo 9,3; Hi 28,5; Ps 136,25; Ps 147,8; Ps 147,9)15and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man’s heart. (1Mo 18,5; Ri 9,9; Ri 9,13; Ps 23,5; Spr 31,6; Pred 10,19)16The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. (4Mo 24,6; Ri 9,15)17In them the birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the fir trees.18The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers. (3Mo 11,5; Hi 39,1; Spr 30,26)19He made the moon to mark the seasons;[1] the sun knows its time for setting. (1Mo 1,14; 3Mo 23,4)20You make darkness, and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep about. (Jes 45,7)21The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. (Hi 38,39)22When the sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens. (Hi 37,8)23Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. (1Mo 3,19)24O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. (Spr 3,19)25Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. (Ps 69,34)26There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.[2] (Hi 40,20; Hi 41,1)27These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. (Hi 36,31; Ps 104,14; Ps 145,15)28When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. (Ps 145,16)29When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. (5Mo 31,17; Hi 10,9; Hi 23,15; Hi 34,14; Ps 30,7)30When you send forth your Spirit,[3] they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. (Hi 33,4; Offb 21,5)31May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works, (1Mo 1,31; Ps 72,17; Spr 8,31)32who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! (2Mo 19,18; Ps 144,5; Am 9,5; Hab 3,10)33I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. (Ps 63,4)34May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. (Hi 15,4)35Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord! (Ps 37,38; Ps 104,1; Ps 105,45; Ps 106,48; Ps 113,9; Ps 150,6)