Lesson 3 · January 17, 1903

God's Care for His Creatures

> Yonder is the sea, great and wide, > Wherein are things creeping [moving] innumerable, > Both small and great beasts [living creatures]. > There go the ships; > There is leviathan, whom Thou hast formed to play therein. > These wait all for Thee, > That Thou mayest give them their food in due season. > Thou givest unto them, they gather; > Thou openest Thy hand, they are satisfied with good. > Thou hidest Thy face, they are troubled; > Thou takest away their breath, they die, > And return to their dust. > Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit, they are created; > And Thou renewest the face of the ground. > Let the glory of Jehovah endure forever; > Let Jehovah rejoice in His works; > Who looketh on the earth, and it trembleth; > He toucheth the mountains, and they smoke. > I will sing unto Jehovah as long as I live; > I will sing praise to my God while I have any being. > Let my meditation be sweet unto Him; > I will rejoice in Jehovah. > Let sinners be consumed out of the earth. > And let the wicked be no more. > Bless Jehovah, O my soul. > Praise ye Jehovah.

Questions

1.What description is given of the sea?
2.What are found in it?
3.In what way does the sea serve the purposes of commerce?
4.What sea-monster sports in the water?
5.What is the attitude of all these creatures toward their Creator?
6.What do they expect from Him?
7.What part does God act in the matter?
8.What part do these living creatures act?
9.How fully does God supply the needs of His creatures?
10.What brings His creatures into distress?
11.What causes their death? To what do they then return?
12.By what agency are they recreated?
13.What change is thus made in the condition of the earth?
14.What desire is expressed concerning the glory of Jehovah?
15.How much satisfaction is it desired that Jehovah shall take in His works?
16.How much power is there in a look of Jehovah?
17.How much power is there in His touch?
18.What vow does the psalmist make to Jehovah?
19.To what does he say that his whole life shall be devoted?
20.What desire does he express concerning his meditation?
21.What does he declare shall be the basis of his rejoicing?
22.What experience awaits the sinners?
23.What will become of the wicked?
24.What exhortation is now repeated?
25.What significant word closes the psalm?

Notes

Still the psalmist sings of the eternal mercies of God and His wonderful providence. Now he shows that divine care is over even the innumerable forms of life beneath the broad expanse of the ocean. All wait upon God, and not one is forgotten. . But that which is given, "they gather." Busy activity is the law of life for all creatures.

"The Lord shall rejoice in His works." See ; . The earth itself is represented as responding to a look from the Creator. This sensitiveness of all creation to the touch of God leads the psalmist to declare his purpose to meditate on God's care and glory continually. The advent idea pervades the psalms. Here is the divinely-inspired prayer for the blotting out of sin, which mars creation. It is the same prayer that closes the book of Revelation. .

Bible texts in this lesson

Psalms 104:25-35 · Luke 12:6 · Luke 12:7 · Luke 12:24 · Psalms 147:11 · Zephaniah 3:16 · Zephaniah 3:17 · Revelation 22:20

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