The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 103
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
Psalm 104 in the KJV and most English Bibles
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A Psalm of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; Thou hast clothed thyself with praise and honor:
Τῷ Δαυίδ. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον. Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου ἐμεγαλύνθης σφόδρα· ἐξομολόγησιν καὶ εὐπρέπειαν ἐνεδύσω,
..."Bless the Lord, O my soul." Let the soul of us all, made one in Christ, say this. "O Lord my God, Thou art magnified exceedingly!" Where art Thou magnified? "Confession and beauty Thou hast put on." Confess ye, that ye may be beautified, that He may put you on.
Who dost robe thyself with light as with a garment; Spreading out the heaven as a curtain.
ἀναβαλλόμενος φῶς ὡς ἱμάτιον, ἐκτείνων τὸν οὐρανὸν ὡσεὶ δέῤῥιν·
"Clothed with light as a garment." Clothed with His Church, because she is made "light" in Him, who before was darkness in herself, as the apostle says: "You were sometime darkness, but now light in the Lord." [Ephesians 5:8] "Stretching out the heaven like a skin:" either as easily as thou dost a skin, if it be "as…
Who covers his chambers with waters; Who makes the clouds his chariot; Who walks on the wings of the wind.
Ὁ στεγάζων ἐν ὕδασι τὰ ὑπερῷα αὐτοῦ, ὁ τιθεὶς νέφη τὴν ἐπίβασιν αὐτοῦ· ὁ περιπατῶν ἐπὶ πτερύγων ἀνέμων·
"Who covers with waters the upper parts thereof". The upper parts of what? Of Heaven. What is Heaven? Figuratively only we said, the Divine Scripture. What are the upper parts of the Divine Scripture? The commandment of love, than which there is none more exalted. [Mark 12:31] But wherefore is love compared to waters?…
Who makes his angels spirits, And his ministers a flaming fire.
Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πῦρ φλέγον·
"Who makes spirits His angels, and flaming fire His ministers": that is, those who are already spirits, who are spiritual, not carnal, He makes His Angels, by sending them to preach His gospel. "And flaming fire His ministers." For unless the minister that preaches be on fire, he enflames not him to whom he preaches.
Who establishes the earth on her sure foundation: It shall not be moved forever.
Ὁ θεμελιῶν τὴν γῆν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν αὐτῆς, οὐ κλιθήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος.
"He hath founded the earth upon its firmness." He hath founded the Church upon the firmness of the Church. What is the firmness of the Church, but the foundation of the Church. What is the foundation of the Church, but that of which the Apostle saith, "Other foundation can no man lay but that is laid, which is Christ…
The deep, as it were a garment, is his covering: The waters shall stand on the hills.
Ἄβυσσος ὡς ἱμάτιον τὸ περιβόλαιον αὐτοῦ, ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων στήσονται ὕδατα.
"The deep, like a garment, is its clothing." Whose? Is it perchance God's? But he had already said of His clothing, "Clothed with light as with a garment." I hear of God clothed in light, and that light, if we will, are we. What is, if we will? if we are no longer darkness. Therefore if God is clothed with light,…
At thy rebuke they shall flee; At the voice of thy thunder they shall be alarmed.
Ἀπὸ ἐπιτιμήσεώς σου φεύξονται, ἀπὸ φωνῆς βροντῆς σου δειλιάσουσιν.
"From Your rebuke they shall fly". And this was done, brethren; from God's rebuke the waters did fly; that is, they went back from pressing on the mountains. Now the mountains themselves stand forth, Peter and Paul: how do they tower! They who before were pressed down by persecutors, now are venerated by emperors. For…
They go up to the mountains, and down to the plains, To the place which thou hast founded for them.
Ἀναβαίνουσιν ὄρη, καὶ καταβαίνουσι πεδία εἰς τόπον ὃν ἐθεμελίωσας αὐτοῖς.
"The mountains ascend, and the plains go down, into the place which You have founded for them". He is still speaking of waters. Let us not here understand mountains as of earth; nor plains, as of earth: but waves so great that they may be compared to mountains. The sea did sometime toss, and its waves were as…
Thou hast set a bound which they shall not pass, Neither shall they turn again to cover the earth.
Ὅριον ἔθου ὃ οὐ παρελεύσονται, οὐδὲ ἐπιστρέψουσι καλύψαι τὴν γῆν.
Hear. "Thou hast set a bound which they shall not pass over, neither shall they turn again to cover the earth." What then, because now the bitterest waves have received a measure, that we must be allowed to preach such things even with freedom; because they have had their due limit assigned, because they cannot pass…
He sends forth his fountains among the valleys: The waters shall run between the mountains.
Ὁ ἐξαποστέλλων πηγὰς ἐν φάραγξιν, ἀναμέσον τῶν ὀρέων διελεύσονται ὕδατα.
They shall give drink to all the wild beasts of the field: The wild asses shall take of them to quench their thirst.
Ποτιοῦσι πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ ἀγροῦ, προσδέξονται ὄναγροι εἰς δίψαν αὐτῶν.
For it follows, "All the beasts of the wood shall drink". We do indeed see this also in the visible creation, that the beasts of the wood drink of springs, and of streams that run between the mountains: but now since it hath pleased God to hide His own wisdom in the figures of such things, not to take it away from…
By them shall the birds of the sky lodge: They shall utter a voice out of the midst of the rocks.
Ἐπʼ αὐτὰ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσει, ἐκ μέσου τῶν πετρῶν δώσουσι φωνήν.
Then the Psalm goes on in its text, "Upon them the fowls of the heaven shall inhabit". ...Upon the mountains, then, the fowls of the air shall have their habitation. We see these birds dwell upon the mountains, but many of them dwell in plains, many in valleys, many in groves, many in gardens, not all upon mountains.…
He waters the mountains from his chambers: The earth shall be satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
Ποτίζων ὄρη ἐκ τῶν ὑπερῴων αὐτοῦ, ἀπὸ καρποῦ τῶν ἔργων σου χορτασθήσεται ἡ γῆ.
"Watering the mountains from the higher places". Now if a Gentile uncircumcised man comes to us, about to believe in Christ, we give him baptism, and do not call him back to those works of the Law. And if a Jew asks us why we do that, we sound from the rock, we say, This Peter did, this Paul did: from the midst of the…
He makes grass to grow for the cattle, And green herb for the service of men, To bring bread out of the earth;
Ὁ ἐξανατέλλων χόρτον τοῖς κτήνεσι, καὶ χλόην τῇ δουλείᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· τοῦ ἐξαγαγεῖν ἄρτον ἐκ τῆς γῆς,
"Bringing forth grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men". This is true, I perceive; I recognise the creation: the earth doth bring forth grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men. But I perceive the words, "Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox which treadeth out the corn:…
And wine makes glad the heart of man, To make his face cheerful with oil: And bread strengthens man’s heart.
καὶ οἶνος εὐφραίνει καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου· τοῦ ἱλαρύναι πρόσωπον ἐν ἐλαίῳ, καὶ ἄρτος καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου στηρίζει.
"And wine makes glad the heart of man". Let no man prepare himself for intoxication; nay, let every man prepare him for intoxication. "How excellent is Your cup which makes inebriate!" We choose not to say, Let no man be drunk. Be inebriated; yet beware, from what source. If the excellent cup of the Lord does saturate…
The trees of the plain shall be full of sap; Even the cedars of Lebanon which he has planted.
Χορτασθήσεται τὰ ξύλα τοῦ πεδίου, αἱ κέδροι τοῦ Λιβάνου ἃς ἐφύτευσεν.
"The trees of the plain shall be satisfied": but with this grace, brought forth out of the earth. "The trees of the plain," are the lower orders of the nations. "And the cedars of Libanus which He hath planted." The cedars of Libanus, the powerful in the world, shall themselves be filled. The bread, and wine, and oil…
There the sparrows will build their nests; And the house of the heron takes the lead among them.
Ἐκεῖ στρουθία ἐννοσσεύσουσι, τοῦ ἐρωδιοῦ ἡ οἰκία ἡγεῖται αὐτῶν.
The high mountains are a refuge for the stags, And the rock for the rabbits.
Ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλὰ ταῖς ἐλάφοις, πέτρα καταφυγὴ τοῖς χοιρογρυλλίοις.
He appointed the moon for seasons: The sun knows his going down.
Ἐποίησε σελήνην εἰς καιροὺς, ὁ ἥλιος ἔγνω τὴν δύσιν αὐτοῦ.
Thou didst make darkness, and it was night; In it all the wild beasts of the forest will be abroad:
Ἔθου σκότος καὶ ἐγένετο νὺξ, ἐν αὐτῇ διελεύσονται πάντα τὰ θηρία τοῦ δρυμοῦ.
Even young lions roaring for prey, And to seek meat for themselves from God.
Σκυμνοι ὠρυόμενοι ἁρπάσαι, καὶ ζητῆσαι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ βρῶσιν αὐτοῖς.
The sun arises, and they shall be gathered together, And shall lie down in their dens.
Ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος καὶ συναχθήσονται, καὶ ἐν ταῖς μάνδραις αὐτῶν κοιτασθήσονται.
"The Sun has arisen, and they get them away together, and lay them down in their dens". More and more as the Sun rises, so that Christ is recognised by the round world, and glorified therein, do the lion's whelps get them away together; those devils recede from the persecution of the Church, who instigated men to…
"O Lord, how great are made Thy works!" Justly great, justly sublime! where were those works made, that are so great? what was that station where God stood, or that seat whereupon He sat, when He did those works? what was the place where He worked thus? whence did those so beautiful works proceed at the first? To take…
..."So is the great and wide sea also; wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts." He speaketh of the sea as terrible. Snares creep in this world, and surprise the careless suddenly; for who numbereth the temptations that creep? They creep, but beware, lest they snatch us away. Let us keep…
"There shall go the ships". Lo, ships float upon that which alarmed you, and sink not. By ships we understand churches; they go among the storms, among the tempests of temptations, among the waves of the world, among the beasts, both small and great. Christ on the wood of His cross is the Pilot. "There shall go the…
Dost thou wish to see how incapable he is of hurting thee, unless permitted? "These," he saith, "wait all upon Thee, that Thou mayest give them meat in due season." And this serpent wisheth to devour, but he devoureth not whom he wisheth. ...Thou hast heard what the serpent's meat is. Thou dost not wish that God give…
"When thou openest Thy hand, they shall all be filled with good." What is it, O Lord, that Thou openest Thy hand? Christ is Thy hand. "To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" To whom it is revealed, unto him it is opened: for revelation is opening. "When Thou openest Thy hand, they shall all be filled with good."…
And see what followeth: "Thou shalt send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be made." Thou shalt take away their spirit, and send forth Thine own: Thou shalt take away their spirit: they shall have no spirit of their own. Are they then forsaken? "Blessed are the poor in spirit:" but they are not forsaken. They refused…
"Who looks on the earth, and makes it tremble; who touches the hills, and they shall smoke". O earth, you were exulting in your good, to yourself you ascribed your fullness and opulence; behold, the Lord looks on you, and causes you to tremble. May He look on you, and make you tremble: for the trembling of humility is…
"I will sing unto the Lord in my life". What will sing? Everything that is willing. Let us sing unto the Lord in our life. Our life at present is only hope; our life will be eternity hereafter: the life of mortal life, is the hope of an everlasting life. "I will praise my God while I have my being." Since I am in Him…
"Let my discourse be pleasing to Him: my joy shall be in the Lord." What is the discourse of man unto God, save the confession of sins? Confess unto God what thou art, and thou hast discoursed with Him. Discourse unto Him, do good works, and discourse. "Wash you, make you clean," saith Isaiah. What is it to discourse…
"Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth". He seems angry! O holy soul, which here does sing and groan! Would that our soul were with that very soul! Would that it were coupled with it, associated, conjoined with it! It shall behold also His loving-kindness when he is angry. For who but he who is filled with…
Every note is a real passage, quoted word for word from a published English translation, with its source. Nothing here is summarised or written by us. Some verses have many notes and some have none, because the Fathers wrote more on some passages than others.
All of these translations are in the public domain. The passages were matched to their verses by the Historical Christian Commentaries project, which also hosts the full texts we link to. The Fathers are a treasury of the Church's mind, and they are best read alongside the life of the Church: if a passage raises a question, bring it to your priest.