A Choral Reading of Psalm 104

Optional staging: Consider staging tableaux as part of this choral reading. View the service that uses this reading starting at 1:25:40.

(Tableau 1.) 

Reader 1: Bless the LORD, O my soul;
O LORD my God,
you are very great!

Reader 2: You are clothed with majesty and splendor.
You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak
and stretch out the heavens like a tent.

Reader 3: You lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above;
you make the clouds your chariot;
you ride on the wings of the wind.

Reader 4: You make the wind your messengers
and flames of fire your servants.
You set the earth upon its foundations,
so that from now until forever it shall never be moved.

(Tableau 2.)

Reader 1: You covered it with the deep
as with a garment;
the waters stood above the mountains.
At your rebuke the waters fled,
scattered by your voice of thunder.

Reader 2: They went up into the mountains
and descended down to the valleys,
to the place where you assigned them.
You set the limits that they should not pass;
never shall they return to cover the earth again.

Reader 3: You made the springs into rivers
that flow between the mountains.

Reader 4: All the animals drink their fill from them,
and the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
Beside them the birds of the air make their nests;
among the branches they lift their voice. 

(Tableau 3.)

Reader 1: From your dwelling on high,
you water the mountains;
the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your works.

Reader 2: You make grass grow for the cattle,
and plants to serve humankind;
that they may bring forth food from the earth,
wine to gladden human hearts,
oil to make the face shine,
and bread to strengthen the human heart.

Reader 3: You made the moon to mark the seasons,
and the sun knows the time of its setting.
You bring on darkness that it may be night,
in which all the beasts of the forest prowl.

Reader 4: The lions roar for their prey seeking their food from God.
The sun rises, and they withdraw
and lay themselves down in their dens.

(Tableau 4.)

Reader 1: People go forth to their work and to their labor until the evening.
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

Reader 2: May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
O LORD, rejoice in all your works.
You look at the earth and it trembles;
you touch the mountains and they smoke.

Reader 3: I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will praise my God while I have my being.

Reader 4: May these words of mine please God.
I will rejoice in the LORD.
Let sinners be consumed from the earth
and the wicked be no more.

All In Unison:
Bless the LORD, O my soul.
Hallelujah!

_{Psalm text from Evangelical Lutheran Worship © 2006 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, admin. Augsburg Fortress Publishers}