Psalms 104:23

23 (103-23) Man shall go forth to his work, and to his labour until the evening.

Psalms 104:23 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 104:23

Man goeth forth to his work
Having taken sleep in the night, being comfortably refreshed, and his strength recruited; he rises with the rising sun, and goes forth cheerfully and with intrepidity to his work in the field, or elsewhere, the beasts being fled and gone.

And to his labour until the evening;
to till the ground, and do other services and labour, either of the head or hand; for man is born and designed for labour, and not for sloth and idleness: in his innocent state he was set to dress the garden and keep it; and, after the fall, his doom was to get his bread by the sweat of his brow; and he is to work while the day lasts, till the evening and night come on, when he betakes himself to sleep and rest again. So the believer, though the work of redemption and salvation is wrought for him, and the work of grace is wrought in him, each by another hand; yet he has work enough to do, which he is created for, and under obligation to perform; and in which he is to continue steadfast and immovable, while the day of life lasts, till the night of death comes, and no man can work; and then he rests from his labours, and his works follow him.

Psalms 104:23 In-Context

21 (103-21) The young lions roaring after their prey, and seeking their meat from God.
22 (103-22) The sun ariseth, and they are gathered together: and they shall lie down in their dens.
23 (103-23) Man shall go forth to his work, and to his labour until the evening.
24 (103-24) How great are thy works, O Lord? thou hast made all things in wisdom: the earth is filled with thy riches.
25 (103-25) So is this great sea, which stretcheth wide its arms: there are creeping things without number: Creatures little and great.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.