How Great Thou Art

“How Great Thou Art!”

Psalm 104

Introduction

There is a growing movement today to seriously consider the glaring evidence pointing to a designer behind this marvelous world. The growing research into DNA coding has compelled many scientists to reconsider their model of origins. Walking along the beach you come across four large rocks stacked on top of each other. Our first thought is that someone put them there.

Out of a whole beach of random rock arrangements, the observation of stacked rocks leads you to conclude that some intelligence arranged them. How much more the amazing complexity of even the tiniest aspect of the human body or creation compels us to consider the possibility of an intelligent designer. If there is a code, there must be a coder. If there is a computer program, there must be a programmer. The Bible appeals over and over to creation and the Creator.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; it rejoices as a strong man to run his course. Its rising is from one end of the heavens, and its circuit to the other end of them; and there is nothing hidden from its heat. Psa 19:1-6

To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing. Isa 40:26

Since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that all men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

When Job demanded answers to his excruciating trial, God took him back to creation.

The writer of this Psalm stirs his own soul to bless the Lord based on observation of creation.

He begins and ends his song with a call to bless the Lord and praise His name.

The catalyst for such ardent praise? Consideration of creation!

Some Bible commentators suggest that this Psalm follows a pattern similar to the six day account of creation in Genesis.

Light and sky on day one and two (1-6)

Separation of water and land and green plants on day three (7-18)

Sun and moon as guardians over the earth and creation on day four (19-23)

Life on the land and in the sea on day five and six (24-30)

Maybe even a Sabbath rest on day seven. (31-35)

This Psalm not only focuses on God as the original creator but the sustainer of His creation.

It is a call to individual praise of a most excellent and glorious God.

I. The call to bless the Lord

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

“bless” – the root occurs 415 times in the Old Testament.

To bless in the OT means “to endue with power for success, prosperity, fruitfulness, longevity, etc.”

We relate more readily to God blessing us, but it is more difficult to get a handle on us blessing God. The root word for “bless” can also indicate kneeling or bowing.

The parallelism in Psalm 103:1-2 provides a bit of light.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget none of His benefits

To bless God is to remember His benefits. To bless God is to humble ourselves in gratitude before Him as the great God that He is. The psalmist rouses his inner being to bless the Lord.

This is personal. He is not calling the people to bless the Lord. He calls his own soul to humbly acknowledge God’s greatness and majesty.

II. The reason to bless the Lord

Why should he bless the Lord?

O LORD my God, You are very great;

First, he delights in the personal nature of his relationship with God. “My God”

Next, he will reason from the general to the specific.

You are very great! Exceedingly, abundantly, forcefully.

“Great” = to grow in value, importance, significance, power, deeds. God is not just a great God but a VERY great God.

The psalmist follows with specific examples of His greatness as seen in creation. Those who advocate the view that God started the process of creation and evolution finished it, rip the guts out of a passage such as this As well as all the other passages that refer to God specific creative hand in all of creation. The wonder of creation is great but magnificence of the creator is even greater. The psalmist is careful to keep the focus on the Creator rather than the creation.