“他使〔植物〕生长 … 使人从地里能得食物 … 得粮能养人心。’” - 诗 104：14-15
在2019新冠状病毒大流行开始时，某个星期五的黄昏，我学校有一位老师把一条她烘的面包送到我家。因为当时正在实施居家令，我们不能面对面见到很多我们所熟识的人，她所作的美事，成为那段未知的期间最令人怀念的一个时刻。那条面包很美味，然而，更加滋润我们心灵的乃是她对我们的友情。
诗篇104篇表达了对我们的神和慷慨的造物主的欢乐礼赞。广大和难以想像的事物，以及一般的事物，都包括在这首奇妙颂歌之中：一切美物都是出于神的美善，这些都指向神的荣耀。
诗篇的中段，描绘世人在充满活力和色彩缤纷的创造中兴旺发展和容光焕发。世人能兴旺发展，因为神使他们如此。他们容光焕发，因为神赐油给他们。他们的心得到能力，因为神赐他们粮食。
“得粮能养人心”这句话，主要不是指粮食增进体力，它乃是指我们因获得妥善的照顾而得到的内在力量。我们的肉体虽然无力和脆弱，然而我们里面的心灵仍然是经得起考验和强壮的。我们相信神是可靠的，因为衪所赐的粮食，乃是生命的粮。
祷告
美善和慷慨的创造主啊，求你藉着我们的主基督，加添我们心灵的力量。阿们。
诗篇 104:1-15
1我的心哪，你要称颂耶和华！耶和华我的神啊，你为至大！你以尊荣威严为衣服，
2披上亮光如披外袍；铺张穹苍如铺幔子，
3在水中立楼阁的栋梁；用云彩为车辇，藉着风的翅膀而行；
4以风为使者，以火焰为仆役。
5将地立在根基上，使地永不动摇。
6你用深水遮盖地面，犹如衣裳，诸水高过山岭。
7你的斥责一发，水便奔逃；你的雷声一发，水便奔流。
8诸山升上，诸谷沉下，归你为它所安定之地。
9你定了界限，使水不能过去，不再转回遮盖地面。
10耶和华使泉源涌在山谷，流在山间，
11使野地的走兽有水喝，野驴得解其渴。
12天上的飞鸟在水旁住宿，在树枝上啼叫。
13他从楼阁中浇灌山岭，因他作为的功效地就丰足。
14他使草生长给六畜吃，使菜蔬发长供给人用，使人从地里能得食物。
15又得酒能悦人心，得油能润人面，得粮能养人心。
Bread That Sustains
"He makes [plants] grow . . . bringing forth food from the earth: . . . bread that sustains [people's] hearts." - Psalm 104:15
Near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the teachers at my school made a loaf of bread and brought it to our home on a Friday evening. Because of the lockdown, we hadn't seen many familiar people face-to-face, and her gesture remains one of the most memorable moments of that uncertain time. The loaf of bread was delicious, but it was the act of friendship that sustained us.
Psalm 104 describes a joyful celebration of God, our generous Creator. Things that are vast and incomprehensible and even things that are ordinary are included in this song of wonder: everything good comes from God's goodness, and all of it points to God's glory.
Near the center of the psalm is a picture of humans flourishing and radiant in the midst of a lively, colorful creation. People flourish because God causes them to flourish. Their faces shine because God provides oil for them, and their hearts are strengthened because God provides them with bread.
The phrase "bread that sustains their hearts" points not mainly to physical strength but to the inner strength we experience when we are well cared for. Our bodies may be weak and vulnerable, but our spirits within us can be resilient and strong. The confidence here is that God's character is dependable because God gives bread—the bread of life.
Prayer
O good and generous Creator, strengthen us in our inner being through Christ our Lord. Amen.
