CREATED/SUSTAINED (Psalm 104)

I'm looking forward to summer and another crop of blueberries! Every

handful reminds me of God's creativity in providing us with food.

(A continuing series of the 48 psalms recommended for study during times of “feeling down,” as listed in pastor/counselor David Seamands’ book, Healing for Damaged Emotions.)

Getting away from it all, like going to an inspiring outdoors location, is a well-known “medicine” for times when life gets you down. Psalm 104 is the guidebook for such mental health rehabilitation. From time to time we need respite to just absorb in the splendor of God’s creation. If getting away isn’t possible, then there’s value in finding a quiet corner and reading thoughtfully through Psalm 104.

If music aids you in worship, find a hymnal and sing through Robert Grant’s 1830 hymn, “O Worship the King,” based on this psalm. Pause as its lyrics exalt God as King, Shield, Defender, Ancient of Days, Maker, Redeemer, and Friend. Marvel at the poetic expressions for things that are hard to wrap our minds around: His power, might, grace, bountiful care, love, and majesty. In singing this hymn, bear in mind that Grant was born into British political privilege in India. Both he and his father served in high British political positions, including posts in Parliament and India governance. Yet Grant was also known for his love and zeal for the Lord and his mission efforts. India, his adopted homeland, named a medical school in his honor.

Yet despite his worldly honors, his heart remained true to scripture study and worship. His study one day of Psalm 104 led to the lyrics later matched to a hymn tune. Though nearly two centuries old, they still instruct us in how to “gratefully sing [of] His pow’r and His love.” 

CREATOR

Psalm 104 strands in awe of God as Creator and Sustainer, the One “clothed in splendor and majesty” (v. 1) .We get a hint of that in just drinking in the beauty of nature—the land, water, foliage, skies. The psalm restates in poetic form the Genesis-revealed sequence of creation, starting with Genesis 1:3’s “Let there be light.” That’s followed by expressions of God separating out the waters, rising up land and plants, assigning time to the sun and moon, creating animal life (fish, birds, animals), and providing food and a “sprinkling system” to grow them. Finally, there’s the crown of creation—people—with work (purpose) and sustenance. 

In a nod to Genesis 2:7, which described the first man coming alive through the breath of God, Psalm 104:29 reminds us of the mortality that sin imposed: “When you take away their breath, they die and return to the earth.” We depend on God for our very breath.  As someone who takes medicine for my asthma, I’m acutely aware of that—and also that some day, I will take the final breath that separates my earthly existence from eternity.

My blessings far outnumber the generous number

of berries from this picking!

WORTHY

Life would be a meaningless churn of birth, living, and death without a purpose under God. That’s where Psalm 104 ends:I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD. (vv. 33-34).Then it breaks in with disturbing reality: But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. (v. 35) That’s reality. Those who reject God will not enjoy eternity with Him.  How much better the attitude reflecting in the psalm’s ending high note of praise: Praise the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord. (v. 35b). In Hebrew, that phrase is “Hallelu jah!” It acknowledges the vast and amazing creation of God and His comprehensive care of it all.  He opens His hand, and we are filled with good (v. 28). No wonder the psalmist urges us to look around and be lifted up in realizing we know and serve such a great God. 

ANOTHER ‘SUSTAINED’ ILLUSTRATION A little over seven years ago, the then-pastor of my church challenged the congregation to “be the church” in the community. That led to a day of volunteerism involving repairs, painting, and cleanup among our community’s needy. The planned projects weren’t the greatest for me as an asthmatic, but I can sew—and in the past had taken patchwork baby blankets to our community’s pro-life ministry, to give women deciding to keep their babies. Others were now fulfilling that agency’s needs, but I learned our local hospital could use these blankets to give babies born into impoverishment.Can you imagine being so poor you don’t even have a nice blanket for your baby, and maybe “home” is a car? Some, I was told, would go with newborns placed in foster homes. I put a way-out-there goal for myself--50-- obviously to be accomplished in more time than just that one “be-the-church” day. With each completed blanket (usually a two-hour effort) and each delivery of several at a time, I sensed the smile and sustaining presence of God. The "50" became 100 and more. People started giving me fabric, batting, and thread, even gift cards to fabric stores. I found other supplies at thrift stores and yard sales.  A few weeks ago, I finished blanket #1,000 and took it to one of five hospitals within 100 miles where I donated regularly. Yes, the staff knows they’re for “people in need”—“and we have many of those,” the head obstetrics nurses in those hospitals have assured me. Who would have guessed that a simple baby blanket could be a ministry?