The God Who Loves All Creatures: A Vegan Reflection on Psalm 104. Dr. Chapman Chen
- Chapman Chen
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Executive Summary: Psalm 104 is a magnificent celebration of God’s creation, portraying a world filled with life, beauty, and divine care for all creatures. From a vegan theological perspective, this psalm invites us to view animals not as commodities or resources, but as beloved beings created, sustained, and delighted in by God.
The psalm opens by praising God’s greatness and wisdom in creating the earth and all that is in it. Animals are not afterthoughts or accessories to human life—they are central to the ecosystem God lovingly forms. The psalmist declares, “How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures” (v. 24). This includes wild donkeys, birds, goats, lions, sea creatures—even Leviathan, who frolics in the sea for God’s delight.
Importantly, Psalm 104 describes God as the one who provides for all animals. “These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time” (v. 27). God does not command humans to dominate, harm, or consume animals, but rather ensures that all beings are fed and sustained. This vision reveals a Creator who honours and nurtures life rather than exploiting it. For those committed to a vegan way of life, this reinforces the belief that we should not harm animals for food or profit when we can live compassionately and healthfully without doing so.
The psalm also portrays animals as beings who praise God simply by existing. Their joy, movement, and breath are acts of worship. God rejoices in Leviathan’s playfulness (v. 26), suggesting that animals have intrinsic value and are meant to live freely, not in cages, factory farms, or laboratories. They glorify God in their own way, just as we do.
In verse 30, we read that all creatures are animated by God’s Spirit—ruach, the same word for wind, breath, and Spirit. This divine breath flows through both humans and animals. Recognising this shared spiritual origin calls us to respect animal life, not take it for granted or extinguish it unnecessarily.
Finally, the psalm ends in praise: “I will sing to the Lord all my life” (v. 33). A life of true praise is one that aligns with God’s will for creation: one of mercy, justice, and peace. If we are to reflect God’s love, our actions—including how we treat animals—must mirror divine compassion.
In sum, Psalm 104 offers a powerful foundation for vegan theology. It shows us a God who delights in all life, who feeds and sustains every creature, and who breathes the same Spirit into all beings. To honour this divine vision is to go vegan, choose a way of living that nurtures rather than destroys—to let animals live, breathe, and praise the Creator as they were made to do.
Amen.
Introduction:
Beloved friends in Christ,Today we turn to one of the most awe-inspiring psalms in Scripture—Psalm 104. This is a majestic song of praise for God’s creation, a hymn that celebrates the rich diversity of life on Earth. From the soaring skies to the ocean depths, from wild donkeys to young lions, Psalm 104 is a divine love letter to all that God has made.
But what if we read this psalm not just as a poem of admiration, but as a theological foundation for compassion toward animals? What if Psalm 104 calls us to a vegan way of life, where we honour God's creatures not as commodities but as beloved fellow beings?
1. Creation Is God's Work, Not Ours to Exploit
The psalm begins with a sweeping declaration:
"O Lord my God, you are very great. You are clothed with splendour and majesty" (v. 1)
It then describes God's creative acts—the stretching out of the heavens, the setting of boundaries for the sea, the provision of water for the beasts of the field. In verse 24, the psalmist proclaims:
"How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures."
Here, animals are not an afterthought. They are not resources for human use. They are God’s creatures, made in divine wisdom, endowed with intrinsic value. They do not belong to us; they belong to God.
A vegan theology takes this seriously. We renounce the idea that animals exist merely to serve human needs. Instead, we affirm that every animal is a child of the same Creator, deserving of respect and mercy.
2. God Provides for All Animals Equally
Psalm 104 presents God as a universal provider:
“The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.” (v. 21)“These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time.” (v. 27)
Notice the radical inclusivity. God provides for them all—not just humans. The lion, the stork, the goat, the whale—they all live because God wills it. In fact, God is described as feeding the animals, not commanding humans to kill them for food.
This vision challenges us. If God provides for animals without exploiting them, how can we justify killing animals when we don’t need to? If the Creator is the sustainer of all life, we, as image-bearers of that Creator, must reflect that same sustaining love.
3. Animals Praise God Simply by Being
Psalm 104 doesn’t depict animals as needing to speak or reason in order to glorify God. Their mere existence is an act of praise.
“There is the sea, vast and spacious… and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.” (v. 25–26)
God delights in the play of a sea monster! This is not utility—it is joy, celebration, freedom. What right have we to cage, confine, or kill creatures God created to frolic?
Animals glorify God through their being. Vegan theology calls us to let them be, to let them live and move and have their being in God without harm from us.
4. A Theology of Breath and Spirit
In verse 30, the psalm says:
“When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”
The same Hebrew word for spirit—ruach—means breath, wind, and Spirit. All creatures are animated by this Spirit. The breath in your lungs and in a cow’s lungs comes from the same divine source.
A vegan reading reminds us: if animals are inspired by God's own breath, then to take their life is to silence a breath God gave. This is not reverence. This is not dominion as God intended.
5. Our Role: Praise, Not Predation
Psalm 104 ends where it began—with praise:
“I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” (v. 33)
Let our lives be hymns of compassion. Let our diets, our consumer choices, and our ethics reflect the peaceable kingdom that Isaiah foretold, where “the lion shall lie down with the lamb,” and none shall hurt or destroy.
If we truly believe that "the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it" (Psalm 24:1), then we are merely guests in God’s house. Let us not slaughter our fellow guests.
Conclusion:
Psalm 104 is not just about awe. It is about accountability. It is a call to see animals as fellow recipients of God’s love, not tools for our appetite.
To be vegan is not to be extreme—it is to honour God’s creation with integrity, to extend mercy to the meek, and to live in alignment with the spirit of Psalm 104: a world brimming with life, beauty, and breath.
May we all—human and nonhuman—live together in God’s peace, and may we, by our choices, help restore Eden anew.
Amen.
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