Psalms 104

“Bless the LORD , O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:” The line’s distinctive content terms include coverest, curtain, garment. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of…” The line’s distinctive content terms include beams, chambers, chariot. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:” The line’s distinctive content terms include angels, fire, flaming. Its relationship to verses 3 and 5 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.” The line’s distinctive content terms include earth, foundations, laid. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.” The line’s distinctive content terms include fled, hasted, rebuke. Its relationship to verses 6 shows what work it does in this passage.

“They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.” The line’s distinctive content terms include founded, mountains, place. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.” The line’s distinctive content terms include hills, sendeth, springs. Its relationship to verses 9 and 11 shows what work it does in this passage.

“They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.” The line’s distinctive content terms include asses, beast, drink. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.

“By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.” The line’s distinctive content terms include chambers, earth, fruit. Its relationship to verses 12 and 14 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include cattle, causeth, earth. Its relationship to verses 13 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s…” The line’s distinctive content terms include heart, bread, face. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.

“The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;” Naming Lebanon keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.” The line’s distinctive content terms include birds, house, nests. Its relationship to verses 16 and 18 shows what work it does in this passage.

“The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.” The line’s distinctive content terms include conies, goats, high. Its relationship to verses 17 and 19 shows what work it does in this passage.

“He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.” The line’s distinctive content terms include appointed, going, knoweth. Its relationship to verses 18 and 20 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.” The line’s distinctive content terms include ariseth, dens, gather. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.” Naming Man keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“O LORD , how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.” The line’s distinctive content terms include earth, full, LORD. Its relationship to verses 23 and 25 shows what work it does in this passage.

“So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.” The line’s distinctive content terms include leviathan, play, ships. Its relationship to verses 25 and 27 shows what work it does in this passage.

“These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.” The line’s distinctive content terms include mayest, meat, season. Its relationship to verses 26 and 28 shows what work it does in this passage.

“That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.” The line’s distinctive content terms include filled, gather, givest. Its relationship to verses 27 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.” Naming Thou keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.” The line’s distinctive content terms include earth, hills, looketh. Its relationship to verses 31 and 33 shows what work it does in this passage.

“I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.” The verse names God rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD .” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD , O my soul. Praise…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.