'Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
'Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein; then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice.'--Psalm 96.
'Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together.'--Psalm 98.
'The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.'--Psalm 93.
'The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.'--Psalm 114.
'The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.'--Psalm 77.
All these lofty personifications of inanimate Nature only characterise her in her relation to another, and that not man but God. Nothing had significance by itself, Nature was but a book in which to read of Jehovah; and for this reason the Hebrew could not be wrapt in her, could not seek her for her own sake, she was only a revelation of the Deity.
'Lord, how great are thy works, in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy goodness.'
Yet there is a fiery glow of enthusiasm in the songs in praise of Jehovah's wonders in creation.
'0 Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.