Psa 104:19-23 “I will be glad in the LORD”, Part 5

Psa 104:19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
Psa 104:20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
Psa 104:21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
Psa 104:22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.
Psa 104:23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

In this study of verses 19 to 23 in Psalm 104, we will look at how God has appointed^H6213 all the affairs of mankind and see how the symbolic language within these scriptures declares that we serve a Sovereign creator who is working “all things after the counsel of his own will” in order to “bring forth salvation” to all of mankind.

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Isa 45:8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

We have our appointed time not only of being in the light of God’s word which cleanses us of that of which we are coming out, described in scripture as a former conversation that was appointed us of God, so that in due season we could be brought to see our need to lose our old carnal life, our human reasoning, or wisdom of man’s mind, which can easily enslave us in our lust of the flesh, or the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life (1Jn 2:16). God’s elect are blessed to find new life and spirit in Christ, the power of God that is His love being shed abroad in our hearts (Rom 5:5). Christ is the power of the resurrection who enables us to be raised (Php 3:10, Joh 11:25, Eph 2:6) with a new soundness of mind and liberty through Christ which makes it possible for us to escape these lusts through God’s “exceeding great and precious [spiritual (Joh 6:63)] promises” which quicken us (2Pe 1:4).

1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world [in their appointed time].

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

2Co 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

2Co 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

It is that new life in Christ which will bring us joy in the morning after we wrestle through the symbolic night as Jacob did (all our life), having our strength taken away from us so Christ’s strength can be made perfect through our weakness. That is what must happen if we are to say, “I will be glad in the LORD.” That joy will grow in us as we grow in our ability through the holy spirit to put off the flesh as we look to the author and finisher of our faith to do that.

Gen 32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
Gen 32:25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
Gen 32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
Gen 32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
Gen 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Psa 104:19 He appointed^{H6213 [H8804]} the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

If we look at the Strong’s number for the word ‘appointed’^H6213 here in this verse, in the 2286 instances that the KJV uses it, it becomes very clear that God is showing us that He is Sovereign and in complete control of the micro and the macro parts of His physical creation, just as He is within every life or book that He has written from beginning to end. That control that God has of the physical represents for us his control of the spiritual.

H6213 – “appointed”
BDB Definition:
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal) – H8804 (the tense, voice and mood of this verb “appointed”)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
1a2c) to prepare
1a2d) to make (an offering)
1a2e) to attend to, put in order
1a2f) to observe, celebrate
1a2g) to acquire (property)
1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute
1a2i) to bring about
1a2j) to use
1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be done
1b2) to be made
1b3) to be produced
1b4) to be offered
1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used
1c) (Pual) to be made

2) (Piel) to press, squeeze

Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them.

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Our lack of perception or discernment, the ‘no stay of bread and water’ of Isaiah 3:1, is spoken of as “the moon for seasons” here in this verse, and it represents that season when we are under the law, the schoolmaster which God uses to convict us of our sinful nature so that we can be dragged to Christ who, in contrast. “knoweth his going down”.

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 

Isa 3:1 For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

Jer 31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:

1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

“The sun knoweth his going down” and the physical creation reveals to us this obvious reality of the physical sun which is easily discernible because of the physical light showing when it is rising and setting. The moon has cycles and moon-rises and moon-sets, but it is less discernible in the Day, and is a shadow for us of the light that is in Babylon which we considered in our appointed time to be the light of Christ when in fact it was the lesser light spoken of in these verses.

2Co 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
2Co 3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
2Co 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
2Co 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
2Co 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

H3996 “his going down”
BDB Definition:

1) entrance, a coming in, entering [this is when “the vail shall be taken away” of 2Co_3:16 above]
2) sunset [“appointed the moon for seasons”]

2a) sunset
2b) sunset, west

Total KJV Occurrences: 27

entry, 6
2Ki_16:18, 1Ch_9:19, Jer_38:14, Eze_27:3, Eze_42:9, Eze_46:19

going, 5
Jos_1:4, Psa_50:1, Psa_104:19, Psa_113:3, Mal_1:11

entering, 3
2Ch_23:13, 2Ch_23:15, Eze_44:5 [compare the ordinances of the moon” in Jer_31:35 above to the ordinances of the house of the LORD when they are written on our hearts Jer_31:33] 

entrance, 3
Jdg_1:24-25 (2), 1Ch_4:39

youngest, 3
Jdg_9:5, 1Sa_16:11, 1Sa_17:14

down, 2
Deu_11:30, Jos_1:4

came, 1
2Ki_11:16

coming, 1
Pro_8:3

goeth, 1
Deu_11:30

west, 1
Zec_8:7

westward, 1
Jos_23:4

Psa 104:20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

God creates the conditions needed for the beast within us to thrive, and it is “all the beasts of the forest” reminding us that all that is in the world is in us, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, and the Lord is at work in our heavens destroying those beasts by little and little (1Jn 2:16 ).

2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Deu 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

We are shown that “thou makest darkness, and it is night” is the same as saying that God creates light and darkness, but this verse shows us that it is with that light and darkness God uses that we learn that we are “the beasts of the forest” that “do creep”.

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Ecc 3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

Rev 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Psa 104:21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God^H410.

Psa 104:21 The sheltered lions roaring for prey And seeking their food from El. (CLV)

In this appointed season in the darkness when all the beasts of the forest do creep, we hear the young lions roar, the “sheltered lions” in the concordant literal version, reminding us of the churches of Babylon with their idols wrapped around their hearts, seeking meat that has been tainted through our former conversation within us, which dictates how we discern His word. It is not God’s word which is without that is tainted, but rather what comes out of our heart after we receive His word in a world of sin (Isa 4:1, Mat 15:11) and so we are admonished (Jas 3:10-11).

Isa 57:4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
Isa 57:5 Enflaming yourselves with idols^H410 under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

Dan 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god^H410, and shall speak marvellous things against the God^H410 of gods^H410, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

Jer 2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.>
Jer 2:12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
Jer 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Jer 2:14 Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?
Jer 2:15 The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
Jer 2:16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.
Jer 2:17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?
Jer 2:18 And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
Jer 2:19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

Gen 14:11 And they [King Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him] took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals^H400 [the “meat” the young lions were seeking], and went their way.
Gen 14:12 And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

Eze 16:17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,
Eze 16:18 And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them.
Eze 16:19 My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.

Psa 104:22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

This verse can be seen in a positive light as a type and shadow of God’s children resting in the Lord (Psa 4:8, Psa 3:5), while we ruminate or digest those things that God gives us spoken of as “their prey” or “their meat” from God in the previous verse. Even in the night the Lord is working in our heavens and giving us victory over those things which we wrestle with, showing us that nothing is to hard for Him and that the night and day are the same unto Him (2Pe 3:10-11, Jer 32:27).

Job 17:13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.
Job 17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.
Job 17:15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?
Job 17:16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. [This verse in Psalm 23 is a shadow of how God will “lay them down in their dens“]

Psa 139:12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. [Again God will “lay them down in their dens” or my mother’s womb, the church, Jerusalem above the mother of us all].

Psa 104:23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

Man must be about his business. “Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening” just as Christ and His body must be about His/our Father’s business.

Luk 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

Our initial business is to have an experience of evil which will humble us and bring us to see that we are beasts in need of judgment (in that day Isa 5:30, Isa 22:12) and the new mind of Christ which can only be formed through much suffering. That experience is a life-long experience that, if God wills, will be accompanied by His grace and faith for those who were predestinated unto that purpose (Ecc 1:13, Act 14:22, 2Ti 3:12, Psa 34:19, Rom 8:29).

So our labor in the Lord is very specific and for a very great purpose of preparing us (2Th 1:10) to be able to wipe away all the tears of mankind (Rev 21:4). We must suffer or fill up what is behind of his afflictions if we are going to be able to be used of God to wipe away those tears of others (Col 1:24, 2Ti 2:12).

Christ hung on the cross “until the evening”

Mat 27:57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:
Mar 15:42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,

We must remain on that cross with Christ and bow our heads and give up the ghost or resist unto the shedding of blood, the first man Adam, as He did. The world mourns for Christ at their appointed time just as we did and these “Daughters of Jerusalem” spoken of in Luke chapter 23 who are told “weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children” in other words “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church”.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Luk 23:27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
Luk 23:28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
Luk 23:29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Luk 23:30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
Luk 23:31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Christ’s bride is highly favoured to be blessed to be pierced in our hearts in this age so that we can identify with Christ’s suffering and be comforted by the God of all comfort who will use the church to bring healing to the world through his stripes which we are blessed to be partakers of. Those stripes are what will make it possible “that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed”. Christ is being formed in us today for that very purpose of judging all the world one day with the same spirit of love and merciful discernment that He is applying to our lives today.

Luk 1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Luk 2:35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

2Co 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

1Co 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial [confirming the souls of the disciples Act 14:22] which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the next series of verses in this Psalm study that point to reason why we must say “I will be glad in the LORD” who works are manifold, in wisdom has he made them all, and the earth is full of his riches. 

Psa 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
Psa 104:25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
Psa 104:26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
Psa 104:27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
Psa 104:28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.
Psa 104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.