Psalm 104

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Settings by composers

Joseph Barnby SATB (v. 24, BCP English) Daniel Belknap SATB (English, Isaac Watts paraphrase, st. 6, 8) John Dowland SATB (English, William Kethe paraphrase, Old Version) Richard Garbett SATB (vv. 1-5,9, English) John Goldwin SATB (vv. 33-35, English) Nobuaki Izawa SATB (vv. 13,14,15, Latin) Philibert Jambe de Fer SATB (French paraphrase by Clément Marot) James Lyon SATB (English paraphrase by Isaac Watts)

Philippe de Monte SAATB (vv. 31-34, Latin) (v. 31 aeternum, v. 33 fuero) John Moreton SATB (English paraphrase by Isaac Watts) Paolo Pandolfo (Latin) Sergei Rachmaninoff SSAATTBB (from All-Night Vigil, in Slavonic) Thomas Ravenscroft SATB (English, William Kethe paraphrase, Old Version) Daniel Read SATB (English paraphrase by Isaac Watts) Timothy Swan SATB (English paraphrase by Isaac Watts) Thomas Tomkins TTBB (v. 24, BCP English)

See also Cantabo Domino in vita mea for settings of vv. 33-34.

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• Daniel Belknap — Syria  English SATB
• Sydney Bevan — Double chant in G major  English SATB
• John Dowland — My soul, praise the Lord, speak good of his name  English SATB
• Philibert Jambe de Fer — Psalm 104  French SATB
• Richard Garbett — Bless God, my soul  English SATB
• John Goldwin — I will sing unto the Lord  English SATB
• Robert Philip Goodenough — Double chant in C major  English SATB
• Nobuaki Izawa — De fructu  Latin SATB
• James Lyon — Psalm 104  English SATB
• Philippe de Monte — Sit gloria Domini  Latin SAATB
• John Moreton — My soul, thy great Creator praise  English SATB
• Paolo Pandolfo — Emitte Spiritum tuum  Latin SSAA,SATB
• Walter Parratt — Double chant in C major  English SATB
• Roger Petrich — The earth is replete  English SATB
• Henry Purcell — I will sing unto the Lord, Z 22  English SSATB
• Sergei Rachmaninoff — Blagoslovi Duche (Op. 37, No. 2)  Church Slavonic SSAATTBB
• Thomas Ravenscroft — My soul, praise the Lord, speak good of his name  English SATB
• Daniel Read — Monticello  English SATB
• Johann Heinrich Rolle — Die Ehre des Herrn ist ewig  German SATB
• Heinrich Schütz — Herr, dich lob die Seele mein, SWV 202  German SATB
• Timothy Swan — Dover  English SATB
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — Pryednachinatyel'nyi Psalom  Church Slavonic SATB
• Thomas Tomkins — O Lord, how manifold are thy works  English TTBB

 

Text and translations

Clementine Vulgate (Psalm 103) Latin text 1  Ipsi David. Benedic, anima mea, Domino: Domine Deus meus, magnificatus es vehementer. Confessionem et decorem induisti, 2  amictus lumine sicut vestimento. Extendens caelum sicut pellem, 3  qui tegis aquis superiora ejus: qui ponis nubem ascensum tuum; qui ambulas super pennas ventorum: 4  qui facis angelos tuos spiritus, et ministros tuos ignem urentem. 5  Qui fundasti terram super stabilitatem suam: non inclinabitur in saeculum saeculi. 6  Abyssus sicut vestimentum amictus ejus; super montes stabunt aquae. 7  Ab increpatione tua fugient; a voce tonitrui tui formidabunt. 8  Ascendunt montes, et descendunt campi, in locum quem fundasti eis. 9  Terminum posuisti quem non transgredientur, neque convertentur operire terram. 10  Qui emittis fontes in convallibus; inter medium montium pertransibunt aquae. 11  Potabunt omnes bestiae agri; expectabunt onagri in siti sua. 12  Super ea volucres caeli habitabunt; de medio petrarum dabunt voces. 13  Rigans montes de superioribus suis; de fructu operum tuorum satiabitur terra: 14  producens foenum jumentis, et herbam servituti hominum, ut educas panem de terra, 15  et vinum laetificet cor hominis: ut exhilaret faciem in oleo, et panis cor hominis confirmet. 16  Saturabuntur ligna campi, et cedri Libani quas plantavit: 17  illic passeres nidificabunt: herodii domus dux est eorum. 18  Montes excelsi cervis; petra refugium herinaciis. 19  Fecit lunam in tempora; sol cognovit occasum suum. 20  Posuisti tenebras, et facta est nox; in ipsa pertransibunt omnes bestiae silvae: 21  catuli leonum rugientes ut rapiant, et quaerant a Deo escam sibi. 22  Ortus est sol, et congregati sunt, et in cubilibus suis collocabuntur. 23  Exibit homo ad opus suum, et ad operationem suam usque ad vesperum. 24  Quam magnificata sunt opera tua, Domine! omnia in sapientia fecisti; impleta est terra possessione tua. 25  Hoc mare magnum et spatiosum manibus; illic reptilia quorum non est numerus: animalia pusilla cum magnis. 26  Illic naves pertransibunt; draco iste quem formasti ad illudendum ei. 27  Omnia a te expectant ut des illis escam in tempore. 28  Dante te illis, colligent; aperiente te manum tuam, omnia implebuntur bonitate. 29  Avertente autem te faciem, turbabuntur; auferes spiritum eorum, et deficient, et in pulverem suum revertentur. 30  Emittes spiritum tuum, et creabuntur, et renovabis faciem terrae. 31  Sit gloria Domini in saeculum; laetabitur Dominus in operibus suis. 32  Qui respicit terram, et facit eam tremere; qui tangit montes, et fumigant. 33  Cantabo Domino in vita mea; psallam Deo meo quamdiu sum. 34  Jucundum sit ei eloquium meum; ego vero delectabor in Domino. 35  Deficiant peccatores a terra, et iniqui, ita ut non sint. Benedic, anima mea, Domino.

Church of England 1662 Book of Common Prayer English text 1  Praise the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, thou art become exceeding glorious; thou art clothed with majesty and honour. 2  Thou deckest thyself with light as it were with a garment: and spreadest out the heavens like a curtain. 3  Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: and maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind. 4  He maketh his angels spirits: and his ministers a flaming fire. 5  He laid the foundations of the earth: that it never should move at any time. 6  Thou coveredst it with the deep like as with a garment: the waters stand in the hills. 7  At thy rebuke they flee: at the voice of thy thunder they are afraid. 8  They go up as high as the hills, and down to the valleys beneath: even unto the place which thou hast appointed for them. 9  Thou hast set them their bounds which they shall not pass: neither turn again to cover the earth. 10  He sendeth the springs into the rivers: which run among the hills. 11  All beasts of the field drink thereof: and the wild asses quench their thirst. 12  Beside them shall the fowls of the air have their habitation: and sing among the branches. 13  He watereth the hills from above: the earth is filled with the fruit of thy works. 14  He bringeth forth grass for the cattle: and green herb for the service of men; 15  That he may bring food out of the earth, and wine that maketh glad the heart of man: and oil to make him a cheerful countenance, and bread to strengthen man's heart. 16  The trees of the Lord also are full of sap: even the cedars of Libanus which he hath planted; 17  Wherein the birds make their nests: and the fir-trees are a dwelling for the stork. 18  The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats: and so are the stony rocks for the conies. 19  He appointed the moon for certain seasons: and the sun knoweth his going down. 20  Thou makest darkness that it may be night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do move. 21  The lions roaring after their prey: do seek their meat from God. 22  The sun ariseth, and they get them away together: and lay them down in their dens. 23  Man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour: until the evening. 24  O Lord, how manifold are thy works: in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches. 25  So is the great and wide sea also: wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. 26  There go the ships, and there is that Leviathan: whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein. 27  These wait all upon thee: that thou mayest give them meat in due season. 28  When thou givest it them they gather it: and when thou openest thy hand they are filled with good. 29  When thou hidest thy face they are troubled: when thou takest away their breath they die, and are turned again to their dust. 30  When thou lettest thy breath go forth they shall be made: and thou shalt renew the face of the earth. 31  The glorious majesty of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works. 32  The earth shall tremble at the look of him: if he do but touch the hills, they shall smoke. 33  I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will praise my God while I have my being. 34  And so shall my words please him: my joy shall be in the Lord. 35  As for sinners, they shall be consumed out of the earth, and the ungodly shall come to an end: praise thou the Lord, O my soul, praise the Lord.

Paraphrase by Isaac Watts, 1719

English text My soul, thy great Creator praise When clothed in his celestial rays, He in full majesty appears, And, like a robe, his glory wears. The heav'ns are for his curtains spread, The unfathomed deep he makes his bed. Clouds are his chariot when he flies On winged storms across the skies. Angels, whom his own breath inspires, His ministers, are flaming fires; And swift as thought their armies move To bear his vengeance or his love. The world's foundations by his hand Are poised, and shall for ever stand; He binds the ocean in his chain, Lest it should drown the earth again. When earth was covered with the flood, Which high above the mountains stood, He thundered, and the ocean fled, Confined to its appointed bed. The swelling billows know their bound, And in their channels walk their round; Yet thence conveyed by secret veins, They spring on hills and drench the plains. He bids the crystal fountains flow, And cheer the valleys as they go; Tame heifers there their thirst allay, And for the stream wild asses bray. From pleasant trees which shade the brink, The lark and linnet light to drink Their songs the lark and linnet raise, And chide our silence in his praise. God from his cloudy cistern pours On the parched earth enriching showers; The grove, the garden, and the field, A thousand joyful blessings yield. He makes the grassy food arise, And gives the cattle large supplies With herbs for man of various power, To nourish nature or to dire.

What noble fruit the vines produce! The olive yields a shining juice; Our hearts are cheered with gen'rous wine, With inward joy our faces shine. O bless his name, ye Britons, fed With nature's chief supporter, bread; While bread your vital strength imparts, Serve him with vigor in your hearts. Behold, the stately cedar stands, Raised in the forest by his hands; Birds to the boughs for shelter fly, And build their nests secure on high. To craggy hills ascends the goat, And at the airy mountain's foot The feebler creatures make their cell; He gives them wisdom where to dwell. He sets the sun his circling race, Appoints the moon to change her face; And when thick darkness veils the day, Calls out wild beasts to hunt their prey. Fierce lions lead their young abroad, And, roaring, ask their meat from God; But when the morning beams arise, The savage beast to covert flies. Then man to daily labor goes; The night was made for his repose; Sleep is thy gift, that sweet relief From tiresome toil and wasting grief. How strange thy works! how great thy skill! And every land thy riches fill Thy wisdom round the world we see; This spacious earth is full of thee. Nor less thy glories in the deep, Where fish in millions swim and creep With wondrous motions, swift or slow, Still wand'ring in the paths below. There ships divide their wat'ry way, And flocks of scaly monsters play; There dwells the huge leviathan, And foams and sports in spite of man.

Vast are thy works, Almighty Lord; All nature rests upon thy word, And the whole race of creatures stands Waiting their portion from thy hands. While each receives his diff'rent food, Their cheerful looks pronounce it good Eagles and bears, and whales and worms, Rejoice and praise in diff'rent forms. But when thy face is hid, they mourn, And, dying, to their dust return; Both man and beast their souls resign; Life, breath, and spirit, all is thine. Yet thou canst breathe on dust again, And fill the world with beasts and men; A word of thy creating breath Repairs the wastes of time and death. His works, the wonders of his might, Are honored with his own delight; How awful are his glorious ways! The Lord is dreadful in his praise. The earth stands trembling at thy stroke, And at thy touch the mountains smoke; Yet humble souls may see thy face, And tell their wants to sovereign grace. In thee my hopes and wishes meet, And make my meditations sweet; Thy praises shall my breath employ, Till it expire in endless joy. While haughty sinners die accursed, Their glory buried with their dust, I to my God, my heav'nly King, Immortal hallelujahs sing.

The glory of God in creation and providence by Isaac Watts
[Note.-This Psalm may be sung to the tune of the 100th Psalm. It may also be sung to the old 112th or 127th Psalm, by adding these two lines to every stanza: Great is the Lord, what tongue can frame / An equal honor to his name?]

Káldi fordítás

Hungarian text

Dávidé. Áldjad és lelkem az Urat, Uram Istenem! fölötte fönséges vagy, dicsőségbe és ékességbe öltöztél,
világossággal mint köntössel körűl vagy öltve, kiterjesztvén az eget, mint a sátorfödelet;
ki befödöd vizekkel annak felső részeit, ki a felhőt szekereddé teszed, ki a szelek szárnyain jársz;
ki angyalaidat szélvészszé teszed, és szolgáidat égető tüzzé;
ki a földet állandóságra alapítottad, hogy nem fog ingadozni örökön örökké.
A vizmélység öltözet gyanánt födte azt; a hegyeken vizek állottak.
A te feddésed előtt elfutottak; mennydörgésed szavától megijedtek.
A hegyek fölemelkedtek, a völgyek alászállottak azon helyre, melyet nekik alapítottál.
Határt vontál, melyet nem fognak átlépni, s nem térnek vissza a földet elborítani.
Ki forrásokat fakasztasz a völgyekben, a hegyek között folynak a vizek.
Iszik azokból minden mezei vad; azok után lihegnek szomjúságukban a vadszamarak.
Azok mellett lakoznak az égi madarak; a kősziklák közől szózatot adnak.
Ki megöntözöd a hegyeket onnan felől; a te műveid gyümölcséből megelégíttetik a föld.
Ki szénát teremtesz a barmoknak, és veteményt az emberek szolgálatára, hogy kenyeret termeszsz a földből,
és bor vidámítsa föl az ember szivét; hogy olajjal derítse föl orczáját, és a kenyér erősítse meg az ember szívét.
Jóllaknak a mező fái, és a Libanon czedrusai, melyeket ültetett.
Ott fészkelnek a madarak, a gólya háza fő azok között.
A magas hegy a szarvasok, a kőszikla a sűldisznók menedéke.
A holdat időmértékül teremté; a nap tudja lenyugvását.
Sötétséget parancsolsz, és éj van; mely alatt mind kimennek az erdei vadak,
az oroszlán ordító kölykei, hogy ragadozzanak, és az Istentől magoknak eledelt keressenek.
Fölkel a nap, és összegyűlnek, és hajlékaikba helyezkednek.
Kimegy az ember munkájára és dolgára napestig.
Mely igen fölségesek a te műveid, Uram! mindeneket bölcseséggel cselekedtél; mi a földet betölti, mind a te jószágod.
Ez a nagy és tágas öblű tenger, ott az úszók, melyeknek száma nincs, a kicsiny állatok a nagyokkal;
ott járnak a hajók, a czethal, melyet alkottál, hogy játszék abban.
Mindnyájan tőled várják, hogy eledelt adj nekik idejében.
Te adván nekik, gyűjtenek; fölnyitván kezedet, minden betelik jóval.
De ha elfordítod arczodat, megréműlnek; ha elveszed lélekzetöket, elfogynak, és a porba visszatérnek.
Beléjök bocsátván leheletedet, fölélednek; és megújítod a föld szinét.
Legyen az Úré a dicsőség mindörökké. Az Úr örűlni fog alkotmányaiban;
ki letekint a földre, és megrendíti azt; ki a hegyeket megérinti, és füstölögnek.
Énekelni fogok az Úrnak életemben, dicséretet mondok az én Istenemnek, valamig leszek.
Legyen kellemes neki az én beszédem; én pedig az Úrban fogok gyönyörködni.
Fogyjanak el a bűnösök a földről és a gonoszok, úgy, hogy ne legyenek; áldjad én lelkem az Urat.

English metrical paraphrase by William Kethe, 1560 (Old Version)

English text Meter 10 10. 11. 11. D 1. My soul, Praise the Lord, speak good of his Name O Lord our great God, how dost thou appear! So passing in glory, that great is thy fame, Honor and Majesty in thee shine most clear. With light as a robe thou hast thyself clad, Whereby all the earth thy greatness may see: The heavens in such sort thou also hast spread, That they to a curtain compared may be. 2. His chamber-beams lie in the clouds full sure, Which as his chariots are made him to bear: And there with much swiftness his course doth endure, Upon the wings riding of winds in the air. He maketh his spirits as heralds to go, And lightnings to serve we see also pressed; His will to accomplish they run to and fro, To save or consume things as seemeth him best. 3. He groundeth the earth so firmly and fast, That it once to move none shall have such power The deep a fair covering for it made thou hast, Which by its own nature the hills would devour. But at thy rebuke the waters do flee, And so give due place thy word to obey: At thy voice of thunder so fearful they be, That in their great raging they haste soon away. 4. The mountains full high they then up ascend, If thou do but speak, thy word they fulfil: So likewise the valleys most quickly descend, Where thou them appointest, remain they do still: Their bounds thou hast set how far they shall run, So that in their rage not that pass they can: For God hath appointed they shall not return The earth to destroy more, which made was for man.

The Second Part. 5. He sendeth the springs to strong streams or lakes, Which run do full swift among the huge hills; Where both the wild asses their thirst often slakes, And beasts of the mountains thereof drink their fills. By these pleasant springs and rivers most clear, The fowls of the air abide shall and dwell; Who moved by nature do hop here and there, Among the green branches their songs shall excel. 6. The mountains to moist the clouds he doth use. The earth with his works is wholly replete: So as the brute cattle he doth not refuse, But grass doth provide them, and herb for man's meat. Yea, bread, wine, and oil, he made for man's sake, His face to refresh, and heart to make strong: The cedars of Liban this great Lord did make, Which trees he doth nourish that grow up so long. 7. In these may birds build, and all make their nest; In fir-trees the storks remain and abide; The high hills are succors for wild goats to rest, Also the rock stony for conies to hide. The moon then is set her seasons to run, The days from the nights thereby to discern; And by the descending also of the sun, The cold from heat alway thereby we do learn. 8. When darkness doth come by God's will and power, Then creep forth do all the beasts of the wood The lions range roaring their prey to devour: But yet it is thou, Lord who giveth them food. As soon as the sun is up they retire. To couch in their dens then are they full fain; That man to his works may, as right doth require, Till night come and call him to take rest again.

The Third Part. 9. How sundry, O Lord, are all thy works found ! With wisdom full great they are indeed wrought; So that the whole world of thy praise doth sound; And as for thy riches, they pass all men's thought. So is the great sea, which large is and broad, Where things that creep swarm and beasts of each sort, There both mighty ships sail, and some lie at road; The whale huge and monstrous there also doth sport. 10. All things on thee wait, thou dost them relieve, And thou in due time full well dost them feed. Now when it doth please thee the same for to give, They gather full gladly those things which they need: Thou openest thy hand, and they find such grace, That they with good things are filled we see; But sore they are troubled if thou turn thy face, For if thou their breath take vile dust then they be. 11. Again when thy Spirit from thee doth proceed, All things to appoint, and what shall ensue; Then are they created as thou hast decreed, And dost by thy goodness the dry earth renew. The praise of the Lord for ever shall last, Who may in his works by right well rejoice; His look can the earth make to tremble full fast, And likewise the mountains to smoke at his voice, 12. To this Lord and God sing will I always; So long as I live my God praise will I; Then am I most certain, my words shall him please, I will rejoice in him, to him I will cry. The sinners, O Lord, consume in thine ire; Also the perverse, them root out with shame: But as for my soul now let it still desire, And say with the faithful, Praise ye the Lord's name.