Psalm 104 (v2)

Abraham Coles

2 Thou, art the Light of light,
Light is Thy dazzling veil —
Compared with this, Thy raiment white.
The light of suns is pale.

With high aerial grace,
The azure firmament
Thou hangest o'er the empty place,
In likeness of a tent.

3 Thy chambers' buoyant beams
Rest on that upper sea,
Where unseen rivers flow, and streams
Pour tribute silently.

Thou makest clouds Thy car,
By winds tempestuous driven;
4 Th'obedient lightnings bear afar
The messages of Heaven.

5 Immovably Thy hand
The earth established — still
Beneath its strong foundations stand
The pillars of Thy will.

6 Thou poured'st the deep around,
Whose waters roared and swirled
Above the mountains of a drowned
And ocean-buried world.

7 At Thy rebuking word,
They trembling fled away —
The thunder of Thy voice they heard
And hastened to obey.

8 In endless ebb they shrink
To lower levels fast;
The mountains rise, the valleys sink,
Till, gathered at the last,

9 They keep the place assigned —
Th'unsounded depths of seas,
By bars of adamant confined,
And Thy unchanged decrees.

10 In valleys cool and sweet,
Spring brooks and murmuring rills,
That walk the meads with shining feet,
And run among the hills.

11 Beasts of the field there drink:
Wild asses thirst allay;
12 Among the trees that shade the brink
Sing happy birds all day.

13 Thou water'st all the land,
And makest glad the sod;
The earth contented owns the hand
And husbandry of God.

14 Thou makest grass to spring
For cattle; and dost plan
Supplies of every needful thing
For the support of man.

15 The tilled and teeming soil
Brings forth the foodful wine,
That cheers the heart of man, and oil
That makes his face to shine.

16 The cedars of the Lord,
The pride of Lebanon,
With plenteous sap and vigor stored,
Thou planted'st every one.

17 The birds there build, and hide
Their nests from human ken;
Fir trees for storks a house provide,
Far from the haunts of men.

18 The wild goats climb the steep
Of friendly hills that mocks
Pursuing feet; and conies creep
For safety in the rocks.

All these Thy thoughts employ;
Thy tender mercies share;
The great and mean alike enjoy
Thy universal care.

19 The changeful moon observes
Thine ordinances yet;
The sun his orbit keeps, nor swerves,
And knows his time to set.

20 Thou makest dark: 't is night.
Mid settling shadows brown,
Wild beasts with eyeballs flashing light
The forests trample down.

21 Young lions roar for prey.
And food from Thee require;
22 But, when the sun arises, they
Back to their dens retire.

23 After the night's repose,
Refreshed in every power,
Man to his work and labor goes,
Until the evening hour.

24 O Lord, how manifold
Thy works, in wisdom framed;
The earth is full of wealth untold,
Beneficence unnamed.

25 So this great sea and wide,
Where things unnumbered creep;
Beasts small and great there swiftly glide
And populate the deep.

26 There go the ships; there plough
Monsters of mighty fin —
That huge leviathan, whom Thou
Hast made to play therein.

27 These wait without alarm
On Thee, their bounteous Lord,
Who hang'st Creation on Thine arm,
And feed'st it at Thy board.

28 Thy love and pity grand
Assure them timely food;
Thou op'nest Thy paternal hand,
And they are filled with good.

29 Thou hid'st Thy Face and they
Are struck with mortal fear;
Thou takest soon their breath away,
They die and disappear.

30 Thy Spirit broods above,
They live, in numbers more;
The earth beneath Thy smile of love
Seems fairer than before.

31 The glory of Thy power
Shall stand as it has stood,
Since that divine rejoicing hour
When Thou mad'st all things good.

32 Earth trembles at the stroke
Of Thy swift-glancing eyes;
The hills Thou touchest and they smoke —
Volcanic flames arise.

33 O Lord my God! I fling
Me down at Thy dear feet;
There will I lie and gladly sing
Adoring anthems sweet.

34 Bless thou the Lord, my soul!
Permitted as thou art.
Of this majestic cosmic whole
To form a noble part.