Daniel 7, Additional Reading Psalm 104

Wednesday, January 07, 2026
 

Vision of the Four Beasts

7 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a dream and visions [a]in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he wrote the dream down and related the [b]following summary of [c]it. 2 Daniel [d]said, “I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another. 4 The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human [e]mind also was given to it. 5 And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much meat!’ 6 After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its [f]back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, [g]this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.

The Ancient of Days Reigns

9 “I kept looking
Until thrones were set up,
And the Ancient of Days took His seat;
His vesture was like white snow
And the hair of His head like pure wool.
His throne was [h]ablaze with flames,
Its wheels were a burning fire.
10 “A river of fire was flowing
And coming out from before Him;
Thousands upon thousands were attending Him,
And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him;
The court sat,
And the books were opened.

11 Then I kept looking because of the sound of the [i]boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning [j]fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time.

The Son of Man Presented

13 “I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
14 “And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and [k]a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every [l]language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.

The Vision Interpreted

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed [m]within me, and the visions [n]in my mind kept alarming me. 16 I approached one of those who were standing by and began asking him the [o]exact meaning of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. 18 But the [p]saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, [q]for all ages to come.’

19 “Then I desired to know the [r]exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all [s]the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20 and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts and [t]which was larger in appearance than its associates. 21 I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the [u]saints and overpowering them 22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was [v]passed in favor of the [w]saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the [x]saints took possession of the kingdom.

23 “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak [y]out against the Most High and wear down the [z]saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and [aa]they will be given into his hand for a [ab]time, [ac]times, and half a [ad]time. 26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, [ae]annihilated and destroyed [af]forever. 27 Then the [ag]sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the [ah]saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’

28 “[ai]At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my [aj]face grew pale, but I kept the matter [ak]to myself.”

Footnotes

  1. Daniel 7:1 Lit of his head
  2. Daniel 7:1 Or beginning
  3. Daniel 7:1 Lit words
  4. Daniel 7:2 Lit spoke and said
  5. Daniel 7:4 Lit heart
  6. Daniel 7:6 Or sides
  7. Daniel 7:8 Lit in this horn were eyes
  8. Daniel 7:9 Lit flames of fire
  9. Daniel 7:11 Lit great
  10. Daniel 7:11 Lit of the fire
  11. Daniel 7:14 Or sovereignty
  12. Daniel 7:14 Lit tongue
  13. Daniel 7:15 Lit in the midst of its sheath
  14. Daniel 7:15 Lit of my head
  15. Daniel 7:16 Lit truth concerning
  16. Daniel 7:18 Lit holy ones
  17. Daniel 7:18 Lit and unto the age of the ages
  18. Daniel 7:19 Lit truth concerning
  19. Daniel 7:19 Lit of them
  20. Daniel 7:20 Lit its appearance was larger
  21. Daniel 7:21 Lit holy ones
  22. Daniel 7:22 Lit given for
  23. Daniel 7:22 Lit holy ones
  24. Daniel 7:22 Lit holy ones
  25. Daniel 7:25 Lit words
  26. Daniel 7:25 Lit holy ones
  27. Daniel 7:25 I.e. the saints
  28. Daniel 7:25 I.e. year(s)
  29. Daniel 7:25 I.e. year(s)
  30. Daniel 7:25 I.e. year(s)
  31. Daniel 7:26 Lit to annihilate and to destroy
  32. Daniel 7:26 Lit to the end
  33. Daniel 7:27 Or kingdom
  34. Daniel 7:27 Lit holy ones
  35. Daniel 7:28 Lit To here the end of the word
  36. Daniel 7:28 Lit brightness was changing upon me
  37. Daniel 7:28 Lit in my heart
 
 

The Lord’s Care over All His Works.

104 Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2 Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak,
Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.
3 [a]He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters;
[b]He makes the clouds His chariot;
[c]He walks upon the wings of the wind;
4 [d]He makes [e]the winds His messengers,
[f]Flaming fire His ministers.

5 He established the earth upon its foundations,
So that it will not [g]totter forever and ever.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters were standing above the mountains.
7 At Your rebuke they fled,
At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.
8 The mountains rose; the valleys sank down
To the place which You established for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass over,
So that they will not return to cover the earth.

10 [h]He sends forth springs in the valleys;
They flow between the mountains;
11 They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 [i]Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
They [j]lift up their voices among the branches.
13 [k]He waters the mountains from His upper chambers;
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.

14 [l]He causes the grass to grow for the [m]cattle,
And vegetation for the [n]labor of man,
So that [o]he may bring forth [p]food from the earth,
15 And wine which makes man’s heart glad,
So that he may make his face glisten with oil,
And [q]food which sustains man’s heart.
16 The trees of the Lord [r]drink their fill,
The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
17 Where the birds build their nests,
And the stork, whose home is the [s]fir trees.

18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The cliffs are a refuge for the [t]shephanim.
19 He made the moon for the seasons;
The sun knows the place of its setting.
20 You appoint darkness and it becomes night,
In which all the beasts of the forest [u]prowl about.
21 The young lions roar after their prey
[v]And seek their food from God.
22 When the sun rises they withdraw
And lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes forth to his work
And to his labor until evening.

24 O Lord, how many are Your works!
[w]In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your [x]possessions.
25 [y]There is the sea, great and [z]broad,
In which are swarms without number,
Animals both small and great.
26 There the ships move along,
And [aa]Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it.

27 They all wait for You
To give them their food in [ab]due season.
28 You give to them, they gather it up;
You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.
29 You hide Your face, they are dismayed;
You take away their [ac]spirit, they expire
And return to their dust.
30 You send forth Your [ad]Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the ground.

31 Let the glory of the Lord endure forever;
Let the Lord be glad in His works;
32 [ae]He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33 [af]I will sing to the Lord [ag]as long as I live;
[ah]I will sing praise to my God [ai]while I have my being.
34 Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
[aj]Praise [ak]the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 104:3 Lit The one who
  2. Psalm 104:3 Lit The one who
  3. Psalm 104:3 Lit The one who
  4. Psalm 104:4 Lit Who
  5. Psalm 104:4 Or His angels, spirits
  6. Psalm 104:4 Or His ministers flames of fire
  7. Psalm 104:5 Or move out of place
  8. Psalm 104:10 Lit The one who sends
  9. Psalm 104:12 Or Over, Above
  10. Psalm 104:12 Lit give forth
  11. Psalm 104:13 Lit Who
  12. Psalm 104:14 Lit Who
  13. Psalm 104:14 Or beasts
  14. Psalm 104:14 Or cultivation by or service of
  15. Psalm 104:14 Or He
  16. Psalm 104:14 Lit bread
  17. Psalm 104:15 Lit bread
  18. Psalm 104:16 Lit are satisfied
  19. Psalm 104:17 Or cypress
  20. Psalm 104:18 Small, shy, furry animals (Hyrax syriacus) found in the peninsula of the Sinai, northern Israel, and the region round the Dead Sea; KJV coney, orig NASB rock badgers
  21. Psalm 104:20 Lit creep
  22. Psalm 104:21 Lit And to seek
  23. Psalm 104:24 Or With
  24. Psalm 104:24 Or creatures
  25. Psalm 104:25 Or This
  26. Psalm 104:25 Or broad of dimensions (lit hands)
  27. Psalm 104:26 Or a sea monster
  28. Psalm 104:27 Lit its appointed time
  29. Psalm 104:29 Or breath
  30. Psalm 104:30 Or breath
  31. Psalm 104:32 Lit The one who
  32. Psalm 104:33 Or Let me sing
  33. Psalm 104:33 Lit in my lifetime
  34. Psalm 104:33 Or Let me sing
  35. Psalm 104:33 Lit while I still am
  36. Psalm 104:35 Or Hallelujah!
  37. Psalm 104:35 Heb Yah

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