God The Creator

Psalms 104:1-9

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·May 31, 2026

Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed in glory and majesty. You wrap Yourself in light as in a garment; You spread out the heavens like a curtain. He sets the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot; He moves upon the wings of the wind. He makes the winds His messengers, flaming fire His ministers. He established the earth upon its foundations, that it should not be moved forever and ever. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled; at the sound of Your thunder they hurried away. They went up the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place which You had founded for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they may not return to cover the earth.

Commentary

This is an especially important passage from Psalms, which demonstrates clear evidence of ancient creation myths beyond those found in Genesis. This version of the Creation gives God a more active, mythic role. God stretches out the heavens, lays the roof of His upper chambers, establishes the earth on its foundations, and covers it with the deep. Even the creation of light is described in very active terms, with God covering Himself with light as with a garment. In contrast, in the Genesis creation myth God's actions are limited to speech — God speaks and everything comes into existence. Thus the portrayal of God in this myth from Psalms is far closer to that of polytheism, as found in Babylonian, Canaanite, and ancient story. For additional myths about the creation of light, see "The Light of the First Day," p. 83.

Themes

Original Sources

Psalms 104:1-9.

Biblical References

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