What does Psalms 104:1 mean?

Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Psalms 104:1

Explanation

Psalm 104:1 is a verse that opens with a call for the soul to bless the LORD, which is a call to worship and give praise to God. The psalmist, traditionally believed to be King David, uses the phrase “O LORD my God” to express a personal relationship with the divine. The descriptors “very great,” “clothed with honour,” and “majesty,” attribute to God not only the grandeur and awe that belong to a sovereign but also a sense of regal dignity and splendor. Essentially, the verse sets the tone for the entire Psalm, which is an exaltation of God as the creator and sustainer of the natural world.

Historical Context

Psalm 104 is part of the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew Bible, which was a collection of lyrical poems that were used in worship and personal reflection. The Psalms cover a period of several hundred years, stretching from the time of King David (around 1000 BCE) to the period after the Babylonian exile (6th century BCE). Psalms are set against the background of Israelite and later Jewish worship practices. Specifically, Psalm 104 is considered a hymn of creation, and it might have been influenced by the creation narratives of the surrounding cultures but is distinct in its monotheistic perspective.

Theological Insights

From the perspective of Jewish and Christian theology, this verse carries the idea of God’s transcendence – that God is above and beyond the created order, marked with honor and majesty. Theologians across different faith traditions have pointed out that this verse, and Psalm 104 as a whole, emphasises the immanence of God as well, depicting Him as actively involved in His creation. Furthermore, this verse speaks to the importance of inner worship – “O my soul” suggests a deep, personal engagement rather than mere external acts of worship.

Practical Applications

In a practical sense, Psalm 104:1 can inspire individuals to begin their day or prayer with a mindset of reverence towards God. It suggests that acknowledging God’s splendor and greatness can be an essential part of personal spirituality. This acknowledgment can lead to gratitude, humility, and a sense of peace, knowing that one’s life is in the hands of the majestic creator.

Cross-References

• Psalm 103:1: “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
• Psalm 145:3: “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.”
• Psalm 96:4: “For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.”
• 1 Chronicles 29:11: “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.”

Language Study

The key words in the original Hebrew text are:

• “Bless” (ברך, barak): To kneel; by implication, to bless God as an act of adoration.

• “Soul” (נפש, nephesh): Breath, life, self, the inner being of a person.

• “LORD” (יהוה, YHWH): The tetragrammaton, denoting the sacred name of God, often translated as “LORD” in English.

• “Thou art clothed” (עטה, atah): To wrap oneself, enwrap, cover, clothe.

• “Honour” (הוד, hod): Splendor, glory, majesty, authority, beauty.

• “Majesty” (הדר, hadar): Splendor, dignity, grandeur, magnificence.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Many ancient Near Eastern cultures had creation myths where gods exhibited greatness and majesty. For instance, the Enuma Elish is a Babylonian epic that narrates the story of the god Marduk’s rise to power and how he created the world from the body of the defeated goddess Tiamat. In contrast, Psalm 104 reaffirms monotheism and the Hebrew belief in one God who is both the unchallenged creator and sustainer of the universe without any mythological battles or rivals.

Scientific Perspectives

Psalm 104:1 doesn’t directly engage with scientific ideas; instead, it focuses on a poetic and theological reflection on God’s nature. However, it can be seen in dialogue with scientific perspectives by those who see science and religion as complementary. For example, the concept of a God “clothed with honor and majesty” may resonate with the awe some feel when contemplating the vastness and complexity of the universe as uncovered by disciplines like astronomy and physics.

Commentaries

Various biblical commentators have offered insights into Psalm 104:1. Matthew Henry’s Commentary, for instance, highlights that the psalmist calls on his soul to stir up itself to praise the majesty and glory of God’s grace and providence. The Pulpit Commentary notes the phrase “thou art very great” as recognizing the supreme greatness of God over all other beings. John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible points to this verse as an indication of the worship due to God as the great, the mighty, and the terrible, being expressive of his power, glory, and majesty.