1Nothing can compare

with the glorious sight

of the clear, blue sky.

2And you can almost hear

the rising sun say,

"I am a wonderful creation

of the Most High God."

3By noon its fiery heat

has dried out the soil.

It forces people into the shade,

4and scorches mountain slopes.

The sun's blinding light

is three times hotter

than any fire we can build.

5Our great Lord created the sun,

and when he commands,

it hurries to obey.

6The moon also has its turn

in the sky

serving as a sign

of the changing months,

7and setting the times

for sacred festivals.

When its light has become dark,

a new month begins--

8the word "month"

even comes from "moon"--

then we watch in amazement,

as the moon gradually grows

until it is full,

giving light to God's armies

in the heavens above.

9Heaven, the Lord's home,

is decorated at night

with beautiful, twinkling stars.

10They never rest but stand guard

where he has placed them.

11Look at the rainbow,

bright and beautiful,

and praise its Creator,

12who bent it with his hands

and placed it around the sky.

13At the Lord's command,

snow begins to fall,

and lightning quickly obeys.

14And like birds, the clouds fly

from his storehouse.

15He gives them his great power,

and he crushes hailstones.

* 16His voice thunders at the earth,

and at the sight of him,

mountains tremble.

17The whirlwind obeys him,

as do winds from the south

and storms from the north.

God sends the snow,

and it settles on the ground

like a flock of birds

or a swarm of locusts.

18We watch amazed

as it floats down,

white and lovely.

19He sprinkles frost

as though it were salt,

and icicles form.

20A freezing north wind

makes the surface of every pond

hard as armor.

21God sends the fiery heat,

and deserted mountain pastures

are scorched and withered.

22But soon the early morning mist

and the refreshing dew

will heal the damage.

23The Lord calmed the oceans

and placed the islands,

all according to his plan.

24And when sailors tell stories

of danger at sea,

we are amazed.

25The oceans are home

to strange creatures

and huge monsters.

26God tells each of these things

what to do,

and because of his power,

they never fail.

All creation is held together

by his command.

27We could never finish telling

what God has done,

so we should say,

"The Lord can be seen

in all his creation."

28But he is far greater

than what he created,

so where can we look

for strength to praise him?

29The Lord is fearsome

and powerful,

30so always praise him

with all your strength.

Don't let yourself grow tired--

he deserves more praise

than you can give.

31Since no one has seen the Lord

and described him to us,

we really don't know

how to praise him.

32We have seen so little

of God's creation,

and we do not understand

so many things.

33Still, the Lord created it all,

and he has given wisdom

to those who worship him.