Creator, Sustainer

A friend asked me to make a quilt for her out of her old t-shirts. This is my first t-shirt quilt, and I didn’t want it to be typical twelve-inch squares. I also needed a layout that would accommodate all of my friend’s t-shirts. I found a basic design that incorporated different sizes and shapes for the t-shirts as well as plenty of quilting fabrics to give it more of a “quiltish” look. I’ve been adapting the pattern, creating my own design. One reason I enjoy quilting (and decorating) is for the creative factor. Different fabric colors and patterns can completely alter the look of a quilt not to mention the plethora of layouts and designs. Each element that goes into a quilt (or decorating) creates a distinct tone. I enjoy creating something that reflects a specific person.

My creative efforts pale in comparison to the Creator of all that has ever existed, currently exists, and will exist. Psalm 104 gives an awe-inspiring glimpse of our Creator.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord my God, you are very great!

You are clothed with splendor and majesty,

2 covering yourself with light as with a garment,

stretching out the heavens like a tent.

3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;

he makes the clouds his chariot;

he rides on the wings of the wind;

4 he makes his messengers winds,

his ministers a flaming fire.

5 He set the earth on its foundations,

so that it should never be moved.

6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

the waters stood above the mountains.

7 At your rebuke they fled;

at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.

8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down

to the place that you appointed for them.

9 You set a boundary that they may not pass,

so that they might not again cover the earth.

10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;

they flow between the hills;

11 they give drink to every beast of the field;

the wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;

they sing among the branches.

13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;

the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock

and plants for man to cultivate,

that he may bring forth food from the earth

15 and wine to gladden the heart of man,

oil to make his face shine

and bread to strengthen man’s heart.

16 The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,

the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

17 In them the birds build their nests;

the stork has her home in the fir trees.

18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;

the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;

the sun knows its time for setting.

20 You make darkness, and it is night,

when all the beasts of the forest creep about.

21 The young lions roar for their prey,

seeking their food from God.

22 When the sun rises, they steal away

and lie down in their dens.

23 Man goes out to his work

and to his labor until the evening.

24 O Lord, how manifold are your works!

In wisdom have you made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.

25 Here is the sea, great and wide,

which teems with creatures innumerable,

living things both small and great.

26 There go the ships,

and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.

27 These all look to you,

to give them their food in due season.

28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;

when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;

when you take away their breath, they die

and return to their dust.

30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,

and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;

may the Lord rejoice in his works,

32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,

who touches the mountains and they smoke!

33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,

for I rejoice in the Lord.

35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,

and let the wicked be no more!

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Praise the Lord![1]

I included the entire Psalm because I wanted you to read it. Each time I read through it, I was filled with increasing awe. Because I want you to spend time meditating on this psalm and being filled with awe, we will highlight only a few things.

First, we can divide the Psalm into three sections:

1. Praise of Creator God as King (vs 1-2a).

2. Praise for our Creator God who sustains His creation (Vs 2b-30)

3. Praise for God’s glory (vs 31-35).

I would encourage you to re-read Psalm 104 and look for the above three things as we will not cover all the details of the psalm although I wish we could. Many cool tidbits.

Second, verses 1-2a contain language that befits a king. I would have missed it on my own, but it is key. God not only created all things, but He is sovereignly ruling over all of His creation. He is not detached, but inextricably sovereign. The phrase “very great” was often linked both to earthly kings and the Divine King. “Clothed” and “covering” are also royal pictures (vs 1b, 2a). The psalmist specifically highlights God being clothed with splendor (honor) and majesty and covering Himself with light as with a garment.

Mark Futato states, “That God is ‘dressed in a robe of light’ is an unparalleled expression in the Bible.[2]

Spurgeon writes, “If light itself is but his garment and veil, what must be the blazing splendour of his own essential being! We are lost in astonishment, and dare not pry into the mystery lest we be blinded by its insufferable glory.”

And Paul wrote to Timothy, “who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:16).

These first two verses in Psalm 104 paint an awe-inspiring view of God which the rest of the psalm will expand on and creation reflects. My feeble words cannot do justice to all that is contained in the opening of this psalm, but hopefully, you have begun to take in God’s splendor and majesty.

Third, keep Genesis 1 in mind as you read Psalm 104. You will observe the heavens and earth, light and darkness, life and death, sea and land, plants, animals, sea creatures, and man.

Fourth, God created all things and sustains all things. He provided water for the land, animals, and man. He provides food (vs 14-15, 27-28, grain, wine, and oil depict the harvest cycle). He ordained and continues to sustain necessary times and seasons. God faithfully provides for His creation.

Note in verses 3-30 each instance the psalmist asserts that it is God who is making, causing, or acting to sustain all creation (Colossians 1:16-17). Creation is entirely dependent on God. This is illustrated particularly in verses 29, “When You hide Your face, they [creation] is dismayed; when You take away their breath, they die.”

Fifth, the psalmist interrupts his depiction of God’s sustaining hand throughout creation with praise. Meditating on God’s sovereignty over and sustaining care for creation has overwhelmed the psalmist with awe. “O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom have You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures” (vs 24).

The right response to our Creator and Sustainer is praise. He is glorious (vs 31) and deserves all praise. This is why the psalmist requests that all sinners be consumed from the earth (vs 35a). Sin has marred God’s creation (Romans 1) which should encourage us to look expectantly to the new heavens and new earth. But the psalmist doesn’t end with sin, he ends as he began, “Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!” As we learned a few weeks ago, this phrase “Praise the Lord” is comprised of two Hebrew words: hālal and yâ (shortened form of Jehovah or Yahweh) from which we get our word hallelujah. Join the psalmist in praise to our Creator and Sustainer.

Reflection

1. What specific things in creation leave you in awe of God?

2. How often do you meditate on the truth that you are entirely dependent on God sustaining you? How are you currently trying to live independent of God?

3. Verse 27 speaks of “due season” or God’s timing. How often or well do you wait for God’s timing? What truths can you remember to trust God’s perfect timing?

4. “When You give it to them, they gather it up; when You open Your hand, they are filled with good things” (vs 28). God provides good things and all that we need, but are we seeing and using what He provides? Are we giving thanks for God’s provision or are we complaining and ignoring God’s good gifts?

5. Listen to Chris Tomlin’s song “You Do All Things Well.”

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 104:1–35. [2] Mark D. Futato, “The Book of Psalms,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs(Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 331.