As we grasp what it means to be a soul, made in God's image, and as we grasp that God is a soul, who is reaching out to our soul, we now seek to worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). We seek to bless God with all that is within us (Psalm 103:1; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:36-38). We lift up our soul to God and offer all that is within us to Him - for the LORD to examine, to correct, to perfect, to protect, to strengthen, to enjoy, and to use for His pleasure (Psalm 25:1). We take inventory and give thanks for our personal benefits that we receive from the LORD (Psalm 103:2-18).

We now look at the majesty and splendor of our holy and sovereign God (Psalm 103:19 - 104:35). This lesson cannot fathom it all, but is intended to help us take inventory and give thanks for who God is. May we be blessed by our meditation of Him (Psalm 104:34). May we learn how to bless the LORD with our very soul (Psalm 103:1-2,22; 104:1,35).

Psalm 103:19 - The LORD rules the universe in all supremacy.

Psalm 103:20-21 - The LORD of hosts deserves the worship and service of His angels. ("hosts" = "angel armies" - Psalm 24:10; 46:7,11; 89:6-8, & etc…)

Psalm 103:22 - The works of the LORD bring Him honor and praise (This shall be detailed in the next psalm cp. Psalm 104:24,31).

Psalm 104:1 - In Psalm 103:1-2, I am to tell my soul to bless the LORD for very personal reasons / personal benefits. Here, in Psalm 104:1, I am expanding my horizons to consider the sheer greatness, honor, and majesty of the LORD. This is not just personal. This is universal and eternal in scope. The LORD is glorious. The glory of God may be described as "Who He is and what He does." We will be considering how the LORD is Creator, Sustainer (Manager), and Judge of all things.

Psalm 104:2 - The Creator made space and dimension for His creation. He created light for His creatures to see His glorious work. See Genesis 1:1-5.

Psalm 104:3 - The Creator separated water below (seas) from waters above (clouds) so that there was atmosphere in between (air and wind). See Genesis 1:6-8.

Psalm 104:4 - The Creator made angelic beings who serve Him with purity and power. The elect angels are capable of great good and also capable of very destructive things. See Job 38:1-7; Hebrews 1:6-7,14; Psalm 89:6.

Psalm 104:5 - The strength and stability of the earth is described in terms of construction for a building - "foundations of the earth." See Job 38:4-6; Proverbs 8:1,4,12,22-29; Isaiah 51:12-13.

Psalm 104:6-9 - The Creator established the separation of land and sea. See Genesis 1:9-10. Note that the same kind of power and skill was used again in the world-wide flood in Noah's day. This passage also makes us think of those events in Genesis chapters 6-9.

Psalm 104:10-30 - The Creator put a lively environment together - an environment of vegetation, animal life, and human life. See Genesis 1:11-13,20-31. At this point, our text is describing the Creator as also the Sustainer (Manager) of all life. See Psalm 107:1-43; Acts 17:28. Note Psalm 104:19 - Celestial creations (Sun, Moon, Stars) are all designed to serve purposes to benefit life here on earth. See Genesis 1:14-19.

Psalm 104:24,31 - The LORD takes pleasure in His creation. The earth is full of His "riches" (Hebrew = "possessions, creatures, creations"). We, too, should take pleasure in these things and be good stewards of them. See Genesis 1:26-30 cp. Revelation 11:18.

At this point, it might be good to take time to slowly read Job 32:1 - 41:34. It is part of a climactic ending to a story in which Job and his friends needed to be reminded of the majesty, wisdom, power, and goodness of God. Pride and a judgmental spirit do not belong with those who worship the LORD (James 4:6,10; 5:7-9; Proverbs 3:5-8; Psalm 9:20; Daniel 4:34-37).

Psalm 104:31-35 - This is a benediction. Contemplating the glory of the LORD with our soul will bring us to a point in which we must go from wonder to worship! See Romans 11:33-36 - written after 11 chapters of beholding the mercy and grace of God in His dealings with sinful man!

Psalm 104:31 - Though most translations make this a prayer, it nonetheless describes the unceasing glory of God and His pleasure with His works.

Psalm 104:32 - The power of God is demonstrated (among other things) through earthquakes and lightning. These are a harbinger of a final judgement which is yet to come.

Psalm 104:33-34 - Despite the evil that is in the world, God's children should focus on the greatness and the goodness of the LORD. See Psalm 56:1-13; John 16:33; II Timothy 4:18; Romans 8:22-39; Philippians 4:4-9,19.

Psalm 104:35 - We might be tempted to want the psalm to end with verse 34. Verse 35 might be a jolt to our system! But we must learn to love and desire the just judgment of God. God has shown mercy, grace, and longsuffering throughout time. Meditate on Genesis 3:1 - 12:3 cp. Ecclesiastes 7:29; Acts 17:22-31. The time is coming when God will purge His creation and establish a perfect universe with only those who are perfect in love and righteousness through Jesus Christ our Lord. The LORD will have a future, eternal, and greater glory. Without hell, there could be no heaven. May the LORD give us grace to receive the sweetness of His full counsel. See Revelation 20:1 - 22:21; 11:16-18; 15:1-4; Psalm 2:1-12; 9:1-20; 46:1-11; 98:1-9; Isaiah 61:1-3; Romans 1:16 - 2:10; Galatians 1:3-5; II Thessalonians 1:3-12; II Peter 3:1-15; I John 2:15-17; 5:4-5,19-20.

Let your soul find rest and take pleasure in the LORD (Matthew 11:25-30 cp. Psalm 37:1-11; I Corinthians 16:22; Isaiah 30:15; Hebrews 4:9-16; Revelation 22:17-21).