Frameworks:
Psalm 147: Praise for all God's provisions
[Preliminary
Comments: Another unidentified psalm but again one of
praise to God [v.1]. The bulk of it is taken up with giving reasons
for that praise: because of what He has done for the exiles and
Jerusalem [v.2,3], and for His works as Creator [v.4,5, 8,9, 15-18].
Yes, He is both a God who interacts with His people as well as
with His created world. Although He is all powerful, He comes
to the humble and lowly on His earth [v.6] and deals with the
wicked, so He is worthy of our songs of praise [v.7]. He has made
it clear He delights in mankind who trust Him [v.10,11], and those
in Jerusalem should be particularly aware of this [v.12-14], especially
in the light of what He has done with Israel [v.19,20]. The praise
of this psalm spans not only God's greatness in Creation but also
what He has done with His chosen people.]
v.1
The psalmist calls us to praise the Lord, for that is fitting
v.1
Praise
the Lord.
How
good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
v.2
Why? See how He returned the exiles to rebuild Jerusalem
v.2
The
Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
v.3
See how He heals up those [returning exiles] broken hearted
v.3
He
heals the broken-hearted
and binds up their wounds.
v.4,5
See His mighty works in the skies
v.4
He
determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.
v.5 Great
is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.
v.6
See how He cares to the humble on one hand and brings down the
wicked on the other
v.6
The
Lord sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.
v.7
So sing praise to him
v.7
Sing
to the Lord with grateful praise;
make music to our God on the harp.
v.8,9
Yes, remember how He provides rain and thus grass as food for
our cattle
v.8
He
covers the sky with clouds;
he supplies the earth with rain
and makes grass grow on the hills.
v.9 He
provides food for the cattle
and for the young ravens when they call.
v.10,11
But it's not in animals that He delights, but in us who trust
Him
v.10
His
pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
v.11
the
Lord delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
v.12-14
So Jerusalem praise Him as He blesses you with peace and provision….
v.12
Extol
the Lord, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion.
v.13
He
strengthens the bars of your gates
and blesses your people within you.
v.14
He
grants peace to your borders
and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.
v.15-18
…. as He commands the weather
v.15
He
sends his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
v.16
He
spreads the snow like wool
and scatters the frost like ashes.
v.17
He
hurls down hail like pebbles.
Who can withstand his icy blast?
v.18
He
sends his word and melts them;
he stirs up his breezes, and the waters
flow.
v.19,20
And remember how He has made us a unique people
v.19
He
has revealed his word to Jacob,
his laws and decrees to Israel.
v.20
He
has done this for no other nation;
they do not know his laws.
Praise
the Lord.
[Additional
Comments: What an amazing mix of praise for God as Creator
and praise for God who is Redeemer. Go back over the psalm and
identify both.]
Continue
to Psa 148