Psalm 147

It is supposed that this psalm was written for the occasion of the finishing of the wall we witness built in Nehemiah’s day.  There was a great assembly called to worship God (Nehemiah 12:27–43).  It gives us a little context as to the specific things the psalmist is worshipping God for.  Yet, let us consider how this can apply to our lives today!  The psalm is written in 3 stanzas.  You might notice this in your bible, as there might be a space annotated after verses 6 and 11.

v.1-6

This stanza worships God for His goodness to His people.  We are incited to praise God for His healing, His redemption, and His mercy.  Now, this might be “common talk” amongst Christians, but how often do we give pause to consider all He has already done for us?  These words are often repeated in many worship songs, but I wonder if we pay attention to the profound reality of God’s goodness to us.  How many times have you had a common cold or virus that you have survived?  How many times have you felt like an outcast in society, whether simply excluded from a clique in high school or ostracized from your own family (even if temporarily)?  How many times have you been hurt, physically or emotionally, and He brought you through it and healed you?  It seems as though the psalmist shifts gears in verses 4-5, but I believe this is an understanding that God is so great, yet He cares for little old you and me!  

v. 7-11

God created everything!  Again, we hear it and it is obvious in Christian circles, but have you considered the grandness of it all?  He controls the seasons, even differently in different areas of the world (ironically, I am writing this on the summer solstice, the longest “day” of the year in the northern hemisphere).  He not only causes the grass to grow, but designed the length and width of every blade and even invented the color green that reflects off of its surface for us to see!  He shaped the planets, set them in orbit, yet provides food and shelter for the smallest of animals.  He invented each species’ lifecycle!  There are big things that He made, but also thought through the tiniest aspects of each of them.  Verse 10 seemed like a speed bump in my reading of this psalm, as it seems out of place.  As I meditate on it, I find the psalmist is saying that because He created all of these things, He isn’t impressed by strength or speed.  It makes sense, as He created strength and speed!  What impresses and pleases Him is our reverence of Him.  Taking notice and giving appreciation for what He has done is what is important.

I’m reminded of the first time I experienced Niagara Falls for the first time.  We were in the ferry that takes you up close and as we neared the powerful tower of water seemingly falling from the sky, my breath was literally taken away.  The sheer power of it was overwhelming, yet it was “only” a collection of tiny droplets of water doing their thing.  I couldn’t stop staring at it, pondering my loss of words in how to describe it.  Yet, God isn’t impressed by it because He simply spoke and it appeared.

v.12-20

The psalmist transitions into God’s direct care of us.  He protects us, He provides for us, and He directs us.  Just like He ordains the rest of creation and sets it in motion, He also ordains how we are to live our lives.  The earth doesn’t have any say in how it spins on its axis or when snow falls or melts.  Yet, He has chosen to give us agency, but not without guidelines.  As we read through Psalm 119, we learned the importance of God’s Word.  He guides His people, and we would be wise to take heed.  Sometimes, that agency seems more like a curse than a blessing, yet He has seen fit to allow us not to live in relationship with Him.  We can wonder why He chose to do that, just like we can question why grass is green.  The why isn’t as important as it is what we do with it.  Even this conundrum we cannot understand is cause to give praise to God because He deserves it!  He wouldn’t be God if we could understand every little thing about existence and the universe.  Let us learn and appreciate His sovereignty, love, and power!