This part of Psalm 104 contains three petitions, all signifying the meaning of mature faith. The first is at once simple and profound. With the psalmist we acknowledge our deepest intentionality: that the glory of the Lord will endure not for a while but forever; that the grace of God will not be here today and gone tomorrow like a reed blowing in the wind but that it will last from the beginning to the end of time. Praise the Lord!

In the second petition, we ask God, despite our sinfulness, not to forsake the works of God’s hands that span the vastness of creation. Flawed though our vision may be, we cannot help but behold their beauty. Even in the face of natural wonderings ranging from volcanic eruptions and violent storms to lush rain forests and flowing streams, we acknowledge with joy that God’s providence prevails. Our main duty is not to lament our losses but to adore and praise God.

We ask thirdly that this meditation on the wonders of creation, complemented by the admission of our own smallness, be found pleasing to God. We can choose to grumble about life’s limits, but a better choice would be to rejoice in the Lord and trust that God’s ways are not our own. Our place is to pray that the good may prevail and the evil perish while knowing full well that final judgment is God’s alone to give. Our duty is not to label anyone as deserving of ultimate condemnation, for only God can read the secrets of a person’s heart. Our role is to defer to Divine Wisdom and say, “Bless the LORD, O my soul.”