Psalm 104
“O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both great and small. … May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works—who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke.”
Psalm 104 praises God as the Creator, Sustainer and Provider for all living things in God’s Creation. It reminds us of our place in the world as creatures in God’s magnificent Creation, inviting us to praise and thank God for the gift of another day in a beautiful world.
Holmes Rolston III worked to reconcile the natural world and theology through what he saw as the religious imperative to respect nature. As a philosopher, environmentalist, Presbyterian minister and University Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Rolston dedicated his career to environmental ethics. He served as the first president of the International Society for Environmental Ethics and published his article titled “Is There an Ecological Ethic?” to de-center human life from the study of nature. Through applying his religious teachings and ethics to environmental conservation, Rolston became the father of the new field of environmental ethics and created an entire new branch of philosophical inquiry that learned to appreciate the natural values in nature.
Today, we face many challenges and questions about how to best care for our planet and God’s Creation. It is easy to live our own lives without regard to nature and its importance. But, as creatures in God’s Creation, it is our gift to enjoy every day in this beautiful world and our responsibility to care for God’s Creation with gratitude. May Rolston’s environmental ethics, along with Psalm 104, remind us to be grateful for God’s beautiful Creation, encourage us to preserve the Creator’s world, and comfort us with the reminder of the Holy Spirit as the Earth’s ultimate provider and sustainer.
Prayer:
Creator God, help us to care for the planet and all of your Creation in it. May the wonder of the mountains, the oceans, the rivers and the valleys spur us on to love all of your Creation. Amen.
Davis Meux is a sophomore at Davidson College, where he is active in UKirk and pickleball club. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Davis is a member of Riverside Presbyterian Church and spent the past summer at Montreat on summer staff.
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