Psalm 104:1-23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 104:18

The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats ,.... Who have their name in Hebrew F4 יעלים ab עלה Buxtorf. Lexic. fol. 322. from their climbing and ascending them. What we commonly call "a wild goose chase" should be expressed "a wild goat's chase"; for not geese, but goats, are chased; and when they are, they flee to the hills for refuge. Hence they are sometimes called the wild goats of the rocks, Job 39:1 , and sometimes the rocks are called from them the rocks of wild goats,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 104:19

He appointeth the moon for seasons ,.... Or, "he made" F5 עשה "fecit", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c.; ; for the moon is the work of his hands, Psalm 8:3 as is likewise the sun. From the rain the psalmist passes to the luminaries; for this reason, as Aben Ezra thinks, because they are the cause of rain: the moon is taken notice of in the first place, because, as Kimchi observes, the night was before the day; and in the night of the fourth day were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 104:20

Thou makest darkness, and it is night ,.... The darkness was before the light, and the night before the day, Genesis 1:2 and now the darkness and night are made by the setting of the sun before mentioned; see Isaiah 45:7 . Wherein all the beasts of the field do creep forth ; out of their dens, and range about for their prey, as the evening wolves and others: and these are not the only creatures that choose the night and darkness; all wicked men do the same; whose deeds are evil, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 104:21

The young lions roar after their prey ,.... Or, "at the prey" F6 לטרף "ad praedam", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, &c.; ; for, according to the Scriptures, it seems as if their time of roaring was when they have got their prey, and are tearing it and feeding on it, and not till then, Amos 3:4 though naturalists tell us, that, when they are pinched with hunger, they make such a hideous roaring, as quite stupefies, as well as terrifies,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 104:22

The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together ,.... Having gone some one way, some another, seeking their prey; but upon the sun's rising gather together in order to return from whence they came, abhorring the light of the sun, as some creatures do, and fearing being hunted and taken by men, the fear of whom is still in some measure upon the beasts of the field, Genesis 9:2 . So wicked men do not care for the light of the day, nor do false teachers choose to come to the light of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 104:23

Man goeth forth to his work ,.... Having taken sleep in the night, being comfortably refreshed, and his strength recruited; he rises with the rising sun, and goes forth cheerfully and with intrepidity to his work in the field, or elsewhere, the beasts being fled and gone. And to his labour until the evening ; to till the ground, and do other services and labour, either of the head or hand; for man is born and designed for labour, and not for sloth and idleness: in his innocent state he... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 104:1

O Lord my God, thou art very great - The works of God, which are the subject of this Psalm, particularly show the grandeur and majesty of God. The strongest proofs of the being of God, for common understandings, are derived from the works of creation, their magnitude, variety, number, economy, and use. And a proper consideration of those works presents a greater number of the attributes of the Divine nature than we can learn from any other source. Revelation alone is superior. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 104:2

Who coverest thyself with light - Light, insufferable splendor, is the robe of the Divine Majesty. Light and fire are generally the accompaniments of the Supreme Being, when he manifests his presence to his creatures. He appeared thus to Abraham when he made a covenant with him, Genesis 15:17 ; and to Moses when he appointed him to bring the people out of Egypt, Exodus 3:2 ; and when he gave him his law on Sinai, Exodus 19:18 . Moses calls God a consuming fire, Deuteronomy 4:24 .... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 104:3

עליותיו במים המקרה hamekareh bammayim aliyothaiv . "Laying the beams of his chambers in the waters." The sacred writer expresses the wonderful nature of the air aptly, and regularly constructed, from various and flux elements, into one continued and stable series, by a metaphor drawn from the singular formation of the tabernacle, which, consisting of many and different parts, and easily reparable when there was need, was kept together by a perpetual juncture and contignation of them... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 104:4

רחות מלאכיו עשה oseh rnalachaiv ruchoth , להט אש משרתיו mesharethaiv esh lohet . The elements are described as prompt and expedite to perform the Divine commands, like angels or ministers serving in the tabernacle; the Hebrew word משרתיו mesharethaiv being a word most common in the sacred ministrations. read more

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