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Song (Psalm) 104

Note: This is still a very early look into the unfinished text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public. Some things (like capitalisation of ‘him’ referring to Jesus or ‘father’ referring to God) in the RV haven’t been decided yet so we’re still testing both ways.

Note: The Readers’ Version on the left is a translation into contemporary English aimed at the person on the street who hasn’t necessarily been brought up with exposure to Biblical jargon and/or 500-year old English. It’s designed to be used alongside the Literal Version on the right which gives the English reader a window into what’s actually written in the original languages. (See the introduction for more details—we recommend that you read the introduction first if you’re wanting to fully understand the Literal Version.) By comparing the left and right columns, you should be able to easily get the message of the text, while at the same time keeping an eye on what it was actually translated from.

Note that greyed words in the RV are words that the translators consider were most probably in the mind of the writer, but as none of us can double-check with the original speakers or writers, the reader is free to disagree. They are clearly marked because we’ve tried to be as honest and transparent as possible.

The lighter coloured words in the LV are words which aren’t needed in the grammar of the original languages but are required or implied in English. You can read the Key to learn more about them. The underlines joining words in the LV show when one original language word needs to be translated into two or more English words. (Just hide them with the button if you don’t need that information and find it distracting.) Also, the majority of sentences in the LV don’t have the words put into a sensible English order yet. (This should be completed by the end of 2023.)

See also the FAQs and the Glossary.

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

104:1 Praising the creator

God the Creator and Provider

104 Bless Yahweh, my own inner being.

Yahweh my God, you are very powerful.

You are clothed with splendour and majesty.

2 You wrap yourself in light as if it’s a robe.

You stretched out the heavens like a tent.

3 The floor joists for your rooms are laid across the clouds.

You make the clouds your chariot

you walk on the wings of the wind.

4 He makes the winds his messengers,

and ≡makes flames of fire his servants.[ref]

5 He laid the foundations of ≈this planet,

and it will never be shaken off.

6 You covered it with deep water like a ≈jacket.

The waters stood above the mountains.

7 Then your rebuke made the waters recede.

They hurried away at the thunderous sound of your voice.

8 The mountains rose up and the valleys sunk down—

all into the #places that you’d established for them.

9 You set a boundary that the waters won’t cross again to cover the earth.

10 Now he sends springs to flow into the valleys,

and that flow between the mountains.

11 They ≈supply water for all the animals in the countryside

the wild donkeys can break their thirst.

12 The birds build their nests beside them.

They ≈chirp away from among the greenery.

13 He waters the mountains from his rooms above.

The land becomes satisfied because of ≈his work.

14 He makes the grass grow for the cattle,

and plants for people to cultivate,

in order to produce food from the land

15 and wine that makes people’s hearts happy,

along with oil that makes faces shine

and bread that sustains the ≈people’s bodies.

16 Yahweh’s trees ≈have everything they need to prosper

including Lebanon’s cedars that he planted,

17 where the birds make their nests.

The #storks make the cypress trees their #homes.

18 The high hills are for the wild goats.

&Their crevices are a safe place for the rock badgers.

19 He made the moon to mark the ≈months.

The sun knows ≈when it’s time to go down.

20 You make the darkness at night,

when all the animals in the forest move around.

21 The young lions roar for their prey,

and ≈expect God to supply their food.

22 They ≈slink away when the sun ≈comes up

and lie down in their dens.

23 Meanwhile #people ≈head off to do #their work,

and toil away until evening.

24 Yahweh, ≈you’ve made so many different kinds of things.

You ≈used your wisdom when you made them.

Now the earth is full with your various creatures.

25 The ocean is ≈wide and huge

Swimming creatures there without number

both small and large.

26 Ships ≈travel across it.

The sea dragon that you formed plays in it.[ref]

27 All of them look to you

to give them their food at ≈the appropriate time.

28 They gather what you give to them.

≈When you open your hand, they’re satisfied.

29 When you hide ≈yourself away, they’re upset.

≈If you take away their breath, they die and return to dust.

30 When you send out your spirit, they’re created,

and you renew the ground’s surface.

31 May Yahweh’s splendour last forever.

May Yahweh ≈find pleasure in everything he’s made and done.

32 He just looks at the world and it trembles.

He touches the mountains and they start smoking.

33 I will sing to Yahweh all my life.

I will sing praises to my God as long as I have ≈breath.

34 May my ≈thoughts please him.

I’m happy about Yahweh.

35 May sinners be destroyed from the world,

and may there be no more wicked >people.

I will bless Yahweh with my ≈entire being.

Praise Yah.

104Bless soul_of_my DOM YHWH Oh_YHWH god_of_my you_are_great exceedingly splendour and_majesty you_are_clothed.

2 you_are_wrapping_yourself light as_a_garment you_are_stretching_out the_heavens like_a_tent.

3 The_lays_the_beams in/on/at/with_waters upper_chambers_of_his the_makes clouds chariot_of_his the_rides on the_wings_of the_wind.

4 he_is_making messengers_of_his winds ministers_of_his a_fire blazing.

5 He_established the_earth on foundations_of_its not it_will_be_shaken forever and_ever.

6 The_deep as_a_garment covered_it above the_mountains they_stood the_waters.

7 From rebuke_of_your fled from the_sound_of thunder_of_your hurried_away.

8 They_went_up mountains they_went_down valleys to the_place_of (of)_which you_had_established to/for_them.

9 A_boundary you_set not cross not again to_cover the_earth/land.

10 The_gush_forth springs in/on/at/with_valleys between the_mountains flow.

11 They_give_drink_to every_of beast_of the_field wild_donkeys they_break thirst_of_their.

12 Beside_them the_birds_of the_heavens it_dwells from_among foliage they_give_forth voice.

13 he_is_watering mountains from_upper_chambers_of_his from_the_fruit work_of_your it_is_satisfied the_earth/land.

14 he_is_causing_to_grow grass for_the_cattle and_plants for_cultivate_of the_humankind to_bring_forth food from the_earth/land.

15 And_wine which_it_makes_glad the_heart_of humankind to_shine faces with_oil and_bread which_the_heart_of humankind it_sustains.

16 the_trees_of They_are_satisfied of_YHWH the_cedars_of Ləānōn which he_planted.

17 Where there birds they_make_nests the_stork is_fir_trees home_of_its.

18 the_mountains the_high for_the_wild_goats crags are_a_refuge for_the_coneys.

19 He_made the_moon to_seasons the_sun it_knows setting_of_its.

20 You_make darkness and_ night _let_it_be in/on/over_him/it every_of it_moves_about animals_of the_forest.

21 The_young_lions are_roaring for_their_prey and_to_seek from_god food_of_their.

22 It_rises the_sun withdraw and_near/to dens_of_their lie_down.

23 He_goes_out a_person to_work_of_his and_to_labour_of_his until evening.

24 How they_are_many works_of_your Oh_YHWH all_of_them in/on/at/with_wisdom you_have_made it_is_full the_earth/land creatures_of_your.

25 This the_sea is_great and_spacious_of both_sides are_there moving_things and_without a_number living_creatures small with large.

26 There ships go Leviathan which you_formed to_play in/on/over_him/it.

27 All_of_them to_you look to_give food_of_their in/on/at/with_due_season_of_him.

28 You_give to/for_them gather_up you_open hand_of_your satisfied good_things.

29 You_hide face_of_your dismayed you_withdraw breath_of_their die and_near/to dust_of_their return.

30 You_send_forth spirit_of_your created and_renew the_surface_of the_ground.

31 the_glory_of May_it_be of_YHWH to_forever YHWH may_he_rejoice in/on/at/with_works_of_his.

32 The_looks at_the_earth and_trembles he_touches in/on/at/with_mountains and_smoke.

33 I_will_sing to/for_YHWH in/on/at/with_life_of_my I_will_sing_praises to_god_of_my in/on/at/with_have_being_I.

34 May_it_be_pleasing on/upon/above_him/it meditation_of_my I I_rejoice in/on/at/with_LORD.

35 Let_them_be_destroyed sinners from the_earth/land and_wicked be_again no_they bless soul_of_my DOM YHWH praise Yah.

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