Psalm 104 – Wrapped in Light

December 8, 2025

In Psalm 104 – wrapped in light, God comes to the earth clothed in splendor and wrapped in light. It is a love story – the love of God for creation. What does it mean to be wrapped in light?

Psalm 104

Psalm 104 is another psalm of praise. It begins with a familiar verse, one we heard three times in Psalm 103 – “praise the Lord, my soul.” God comes riding on the clouds, clothed in splendor and majesty, wrapped in light. It parallels the beginning of Genesis where God speaks and there is light. “God’s honor and majesty are as apparent as a person’s clothing, and so is the light-like purity of His being. Just as the creation in Genesis begins with describing the creation of light, so the psalmist first mentions light.” https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-104/

“Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.

The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters.
>He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.
>He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.

He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.” (1-4)

Clothed in Water

Just as God is clothed in light, the earth is clothed with water. God created the water and set boundaries.

“You covered it with the watery depths as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;
they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them.
You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.

He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains.” (5-10)

The writer names different animals, all part of God’s creation story.

“They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.
He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the fruit of his work.
He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth:
wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.
The trees of the Lord are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.” (11-16)

Leviathan

The writer playfully mentions the dreaded Leviathan, dwelling within the sea.

“There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small.
There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.” (25-26)

“Leviathan is often listed in the Old Testament as a dreaded creature that is untamable, like the sea itself (Job 41). Therefore, the statement about Leviathan is a particularly important claim that God is master over the creation that no creature is beyond God’s control. But verse 26 may make an even more radical claim than the translation given indicates. Leviathan appears here not as a fearsome creature, but one that “frolics” and plays.” (https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/day-of-pentecost-3/commentary-on-psalm-10424-34-35b-6)

“In other words, not only is Leviathan not a creature God dreads or sees as an enemy, it is God’s pet or plaything. This image of God playing with the great sea monster offers comfort for all those who feel the world around them is chaotic and unruly; it assures them that God is ultimately in control even though they may feel out of control.” https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/day-of-pentecost-3/commentary-on-psalm-10424-34-35b-6

Rejoice in Creation

The writer invites God to rejoice in all he has done, like in Genesis when God looked at creation and saw that it was good.

“May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works.” (31)

The psalm ends with the writer singing praise to God. There is a brief mention of sinners being no more, but the psalm ends as it began, in continued praise of God.

“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.
But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more.

Praise the Lord, my soul. Praise the Lord.” (33-34)

A Love Song

Psalm 104 – wrapped in light, is a love song about God and God’s creation. “The Psalm does not just praise a distant and uninvolved creator, but a creator who loves the creation and is intimately involved in it. Following closely after Psalm 103 that celebrates God’s saving help for humanity, this Psalm asserts God’s close involvement with the whole of creation and all its creatures.” (https://cepreaching.org/commentary/2018-10-15/psalm-104-1-9-24-35c/

“It addresses a deep need within us to take delight in the world around us.” (https://cepreaching.org/commentary/2018-10-15/psalm-104-1-9-24-35c/

God truly loves the world and all that dwells within it. And then, when the time was right, God so loved this world that he had created that he sent his son to be a light to the world.

Psalm 104 – wrapped in light, invites us into this love story as well, inviting us to delight in the world God has created.

The Power of Light

Light possesses healing powers. Light therapy treats jaundice and skin disorders. It also reduces inflammation, boosts collagen, and improves mood disorders such as depression and seasonal affective disorders. Sometimes all we need is a dose of sunshine to chase our blues away.

Light is also a powerful symbol in Scripture. “The biblical motif of light serves as a powerful symbol of God’s nature, His revelation, and His call to holiness. It is a reminder of the divine order established at creation, the guidance offered through His Word, and the promise of eternal fellowship with Him. Through the lens of light, believers are invited to reflect on their relationship with God and their role as bearers of His light in the world.” https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_importance_of_light.htm

God’s light symbolizes purity, truth and divine presence. “From the opening verses of Genesis to the closing chapters of Revelation, light is a recurring theme that underscores God’s nature and His relationship with creation.” https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_importance_of_light.htm