Psalm 104: David’s Vision of Redemption

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This Psalm also contains prophetic sentiments for the messianic times. When writing a prophetic text, it is questionable whether the writer actually knows he is writing something of prophetic nature. At times, it is clear that the author is aware of this prophetic nature, as is the case in Psalms when King David specifically turns to us, the readers of future times. Other times, the prophetic nature of the text settles on the author as divine inspiration - a sense of alignment with the writing process, a state of deep flow, which unbeknown to the author, taps into truths that echo in futures that have yet to pass. These become known as prophetic texts only after the events had passed. 

Some might argue that this type of divine inspiration is not truly prophetic, and is more similar in nature to a broken clock, which is also right at telling time twice each day. The broken clock being right twice does not make the clock a dependable measurement for time. However, if we find that a clock is right almost all the time, but not always, we can assume that the mechanism is not working perfectly, but it is, nonetheless, working and telling time. 

Similarly, when we read through King David’s texts, where there have been some prophetic laments that have come to pass in biblical times, combined with the degree of relevance his pleading with G-d still hold truths to our modern days, we can assume that King David’s writing is not like a broken clock, but more of a not fully aligned clock - he might not have been an official prophet, but he seemed to have had the ability to tap into eternal truths, and at times, even write realities that will unfold thousands of years after his death. 

My suggestion is that the following Psalm uses spiritual and mystical Jewish understandings which carry  into our modern day, paving the path to messianic perspectives of what G-d is. In my opinion, it is the ultimate description that King David gives to describing G-d as the Wind. David speaks of G-d as the one who tilts the ski, rides the clouds, and uses the wings of air movement; all reflect on the force of G-d as the force of the Wind.

When David writes that “His [G-d] works through the winds, His servants are passionate fires” he might be referring to prophets and angels that he had witnessed himself, David might have been referring to his own awakening experience, or he might have been describing a vision of the work G-d will be doing in messianic times. Mystical Jewish teachings refer to the Wind as having a key role in awakening the world to a renewed faith in One G-d, when a messianic-like figure will be teaching the secrets of the Wind in order to bring the world back from its dark place into deeper faith, unity and an elevated reality of lasting peace. It is possible, then, that David has witnessed a vision of these messianic times.  

When G-d sets “the foundation of earth” He puts in motion all that is needed, from the moment of creation to eternity, “so that it [the world] will never fall.” The foundation is referring both to the literal creation of earth, our planet, and all that is required in our solar system to sustain it. Like the macro, so is the micro; the foundation also refers to our individual souls. G-d has set us all with a bedrock of faith - the inner mechanism we need to find our internal Temples, so we can have all we need to not fall in our personal lives. But first we must acknowledge the existence of our having a belief in something beyond ourselves to be able to find this internal eternal bedrock of our soul. 

“The abyss with clothes You have covers” refers to way it can become hard to find our inner Temples; G-d has purposefully hidden this sacred internal spaciousness of ours. And as it is deep and dark, it elevates us into new perceptions - into our ability to understand that even on the top of a mountain, we are all standing in the Divine breath, in G-d’s precipitation: “Over mountains waters will stand.”

On the literal (peshat פשט) level, we can understand the next line as what happens when G-d rebukes and all fear His immense forceful power: “From Your scolding they will flee, from the sounds of Your thunder they will quicken their actions.” However, when reading this Psalm as a prophetic vision to messianic times, this line becomes a description of the worlds response to a new prophet that comes out rebuking all the wrongdoers. Those who can flee, while those who can fix their ways are quick to do so. 

Once more echoing the idea of the inner Temple, David describes the process of repentance, Teshuva, that people will start taking: “They will go over mountains, they will go down into valleys, towards this Place which You had established for them.“ What is “this Place”? “The Place” in Jewish biblical texts, many times refers to the location of the physical Temple, the wholly mountain where King David bought the land, and his son King Solomon built the first Temple. Yet in this line, King David refers to an already established place. Therefore, David is either referring to the internal temple each one of us has, or he is referring to the temple that will be built in the future. A third option is that David is referring both to the inner and the external temples in this text. 

Now that we understand the basic premise for this new interpretation of Psalm 104 as a potential prophecy for messianic times, we can keep reading the Psalm through the lens of our time. Additional comments are in the body of the translation:

בָּרֲכִ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י אֶת־ה’ ה’ אֱ֭לֹקי גָּדַ֣לְתָּ מְּאֹ֑ד ה֭וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר לָבָֽשְׁתָּ׃

My soul, bless G-d,

G-d, my Lord, Your loftiness has become immense.

You adorned Yourself with splendour and majesty.

עֹֽטֶה־א֭וֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָ֑ה נוֹטֶ֥ה שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם כַּיְרִיעָֽה׃

You wrapped light in a complete way,

You tilt the skies canvases.

הַ֥מְקָרֶֽה בַמַּ֗יִם עֲ‍ֽלִיּ֫וֹתָ֥יו הַשָּׂם־עָבִ֥ים רְכוּב֑וֹ הַֽ֝מְהַלֵּ֗ךְ עַל־כַּנְפֵי־רֽוּחַ׃

The one who covers with waters all His elevations,

The one who uses clouds as His chariot,

The one who walks on-the-wings-of-wind.

עֹשֶׂ֣ה מַלְאָכָ֣יו רוּח֑וֹת מְ֝שָׁרְתָ֗יו אֵ֣שׁ לֹהֵֽט׃

His works through the winds,

His servants are passionate fires.

יָֽסַד־אֶ֭רֶץ עַל־מְכוֹנֶ֑יהָ בַּל־תִּ֝מּ֗וֹט עוֹלָ֥ם וָעֶֽד׃

He set the foundation of earth on its mechanism [systems],

So that it will never fall, for eternity.

תְּ֭הוֹם כַּלְּב֣וּשׁ כִּסִּית֑וֹ עַל־הָ֝רִ֗ים יַֽעַמְדוּ־מָֽיִם׃

The abyss with clothes You have covers,

Over mountains waters will stand. 

מִן־גַּעֲרָ֣תְךָ֣ יְנוּס֑וּן מִן־ק֥וֹל רַֽ֝עַמְךָ֗ יֵחָפֵזֽוּן׃

From Your scolding they will flee,

From the sounds of Your thunder they will quicken their actions.

יַעֲל֣וּ הָ֭רִים יֵרְד֣וּ בְקָע֑וֹת אֶל־מְ֝ק֗וֹם זֶ֤ה ׀ יָסַ֬דְתָּ לָהֶֽם׃

They will go over mountains, they will go down into valleys,

Towards this Place which You had established for them. 

גְּֽבוּל־שַׂ֭מְתָּ בַּל־יַֽעֲבֹר֑וּן בַּל־יְ֝שׁוּב֗וּן לְכַסּ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

You had set boundaries that cannot be passed,

Boundaries that will not return to cover the land.

הַֽמְשַׁלֵּ֣חַ מַ֭עְיָנִים בַּנְּחָלִ֑ים בֵּ֥ין הָ֝רִ֗ים יְהַלֵּכֽוּן׃

The one who makes springs flow into streams,

Between mountains they [the streams] will pass.

יַ֭שְׁקוּ כָּל־חַיְת֣וֹ שָׂדָ֑י יִשְׁבְּר֖וּ פְרָאִ֣ים צְמָאָֽם׃

They will bring water to the lips of all the mammals,

Wild animals will break their thirst. 

 The usual translation of חַיְת֣וֹ שָׂדָ֑י is animals of the filed, or a version of wild field animals. My translation reads שדי without the punctuation. Shadai שדי, one of the names of G-d, according to my interpretation, refers to the feminine aspect of G-d - the word literally means “my breast”, and in the context of this line it is referring to the nursing animales G-d has created. Therefore, it is not wild animals, nor is it farm animals - it is mammals.

עֲ֭לֵיהֶם עוֹף־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם יִשְׁכּ֑וֹן מִבֵּ֥ין עֳ֝פָאיִ֗ם יִתְּנוּ־קֽוֹל׃

Above them the birds of the sky will dwell,

From between the branches they will sing.

מַשְׁקֶ֣ה הָ֭רִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָ֑יו מִפְּרִ֥י מַ֝עֲשֶׂ֗יךָ תִּשְׂבַּ֥ע הָאָֽרֶץ׃

He waters the mountains with every elevation,

From the fruit of your actions the land will be recommitted.

he waters that are being elevated are the springs of Eden; the divine inspiration that the Massiah will be able to spread around him every time he manages to rise from another one of his falls. The fruit of the Massiah’s work will be the very thing that will cause other people to decide to turn to G-d in faith and try to walk the path of returning to finding their own “place”, their own internal truth.

מַצְמִ֤יחַ חָצִ֨יר ׀ לַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וְ֭עֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הָאָדָ֑ם לְה֥וֹצִיא לֶ֝֗חֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

He grows hay for cattle and wheat for the work of man,

So bread could come out of the ground

he waters that are being elevated are the springs of Eden; the divine inspiration that the Massiah will be able to spread around him every time he manages to rise from another one of his falls. The fruit of the Massiah’s work will be the very thing that will cause other people to decide to turn to G-d in faith and try to walk the path of returning to finding their own “place”, their own internal truth.

וְיַ֤יִן ׀ יְשַׂמַּ֬ח לְֽבַב־אֱנ֗וֹשׁ לְהַצְהִ֣יל פָּנִ֣ים מִשָּׁ֑מֶן וְ֝לֶ֗חֶם לְֽבַב־אֱנ֥וֹשׁ יִסְעָֽד׃

And wine will delight every human heart,

To internally rejoice with oil and bread,

The heart of humans will feast.

יִ֭שְׂבְּעוּ עֲצֵ֣י ה’ אַֽרְזֵ֥י לְ֝בָנ֗וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָטָֽע׃

The trees of G-d will be satisfied;

The cedars of Lebanon which He planted.

אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֭ם צִפֳּרִ֣ים יְקַנֵּ֑נוּ חֲ֝סִידָ֗ה בְּרוֹשִׁ֥ים בֵּיתָֽהּ׃

That is where the birds will nest,

A cypress tree will be her home. 

הָרִ֣ים הַ֭גְּבֹהִים לַיְּעֵלִ֑ים סְ֝לָעִ֗ים מַחְסֶ֥ה לַֽשְׁפַנִּֽים׃

The high mountains are for the ibex,

The rocks provide hiding spaces for the hyrax.

עָשָׂ֣ה יָ֭רֵחַ לְמוֹעֲדִ֑ים שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ יָדַ֥ע מְבוֹאֽוֹ׃

He made the moon to mark the times,

The sun knew about his coming.

תָּֽשֶׁת־חֹ֭שֶׁךְ וִ֣יהִי לָ֑יְלָה בּֽוֹ־תִ֝רְמֹ֗שׂ כָּל־חַיְתוֹ־יָֽעַר׃

You lay the foundation for darkness, and it will be night,

In it will creep all His animals of wood. 

הַ֭כְּפִירִים שֹׁאֲגִ֣ים לַטָּ֑רֶף וּלְבַקֵּ֖שׁ מֵאֵ֣ל אָכְלָֽם׃

The lion cubs roar for their prey, asking G-d for their food.

תִּזְרַ֣ח הַ֭שֶּׁמֶשׁ יֵאָסֵפ֑וּן וְאֶל־מְ֝עוֹנֹתָ֗ם יִרְבָּצֽוּן׃

The sun will rise and collect them to their dens, so they can couch.

יֵצֵ֣א אָדָ֣ם לְפָעֳל֑וֹ וְֽלַעֲבֹ֖דָת֣וֹ עֲדֵי־עָֽרֶב׃

Each men will leave to act and do his work until the evening.

מָֽה־רַבּ֬וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֨יךָ ׀ ה’ כֻּ֭לָּם בְּחָכְמָ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ מָלְאָ֥ה הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ קִנְיָנֶֽךָ׃

How myriad are Your actions, G-d,

All with wisdom You created,

The land is filled with Your wealth.

זֶ֤ה ׀ הַיָּ֥ם גָּדוֹל֮ וּרְחַ֪ב יָ֫דָ֥יִם שָֽׁם־רֶ֭מֶשׂ וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֑ר חַיּ֥וֹת קְ֝טַנּ֗וֹת עִם־גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃

This ocean is grand and vast,

Countless creeping animals live there, the small with the large. 

שָׁ֭ם אֳנִיּ֣וֹת יְהַלֵּכ֑וּן לִ֝וְיָתָ֗ן זֶֽה־יָצַ֥רְתָּ לְשַֽׂחֶק־בּֽוֹ׃

There the ships will pass by,

This leviathan which You created to play with.

 reference to the leviathan that will be needed in the messianic times, when a Sukkah is said to be built with the leviathan’s skin.

כֻּ֭לָּם אֵלֶ֣יךָ יְשַׂבֵּר֑וּן לָתֵ֖ת אָכְלָ֣ם בְּעִתּֽוֹ׃

All will turn to You and break down, 

So that You will give them their sustenance when it is time.

תִּתֵּ֣ן לָ֭הֶם יִלְקֹט֑וּן תִּפְתַּ֥ח יָֽ֝דְךָ֗ יִשְׂבְּע֥וּן טֽוֹב׃

Give them a small backpack,

Open Your hands, and they will commit to do good.

תַּסְתִּ֥יר פָּנֶיךָ֮ יִֽבָּהֵ֫ל֥וּן תֹּסֵ֣ף ר֭וּחָם יִגְוָע֑וּן וְֽאֶל־עֲפָרָ֥ם יְשׁוּבֽוּן׃

Hide Your face and they will become scared,

Add to their spirits [winds] and they will starve,

And to their dust they will return.

תְּשַׁלַּ֣ח ר֭וּחֲךָ יִבָּרֵא֑וּן וּ֝תְחַדֵּ֗שׁ פְּנֵ֣י אֲדָמָֽה׃

Send forth Your Wind and bring into creation,

And renew the face of earth.

יְהִ֤י כְב֣וֹד ה’ לְעוֹלָ֑ם יִשְׂמַ֖ח ה’ בְּמַעֲשָֽׂיו׃

May the honour of G-d be eternal,

May G-d be glad with His work.

It is possible that the reference to “His work” is not a prayer that G-d will be pleased with His own handiwork of creation, but rather, a prayer that G-d would be pleased with the work of His messenger, the Massiah, that is tasked with sparking this great awakening, calling all to return towards G-d. 

הַמַּבִּ֣יט לָ֭אָרֶץ וַתִּרְעָ֑ד יִגַּ֖ע בֶּהָרִ֣ים וְֽיֶעֱשָֽׁנוּ׃

He who looks to the ground and makes it shake,

Who touches the mountains and makes them go up in flames.

אָשִׁ֣ירָה לַה’ בְּחַיָּ֑י אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה לֵאלֹקי בְּעוֹדִֽי׃

I will sing to G-d in my life, I will praise my Lord with all me might.

King David returns to refer to himself; he had witnessed this vision of the future messianic times and now he is committing himself to pray for this and praise this future as long as he is alive.

יֶעֱרַ֣ב עָלָ֣יו שִׂיחִ֑י אָ֝נֹכִ֗י אֶשְׂמַ֥ח בַּה’׃

He will find my meditations comforting,

I am happy in G-d.  

 Possibly, David is referring to seeing in his vision that the Messiah will find comfort in his Paslms, therefore he knows he is happy with the role G-d has given him. This is also the place where we see David referring to his own Psalms as meditations and not just Poems.

יִתַּ֤מּוּ חַטָּאִ֨ים ׀ מִן־הָאָ֡רֶץ וּרְשָׁעִ֤ים ׀ ע֤וֹד אֵינָ֗ם בָּרֲכִ֣י נַ֭פְשִׁי אֶת־ה’ הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃

Sins will no longer be present in the land,

And evil doers will no longer exist,

My soul, bless G-d, praise-the-Lord.