Psalm 147:1-11, 20c (NRSV)
Read Psalm 147:1-11, 20c on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
Verse 2The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
Verse 3He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
Verse 4He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.
Verse 5Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
Verse 6The Lord lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground.
Verse 7Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre.
Verse 8He covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow on the hills.
Verse 9He gives to the animals their food, and to the young ravens when they cry.
Verse 10His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
Verse 11but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Verse 20He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the Lord!
Devotion
The world is full of woe and disaster. The news media tell us all about it with painful regularity. Yet, in spite of all that, the psalmist calls us to praise the Lord. And then he compounds this invitation with reasons to do so: the Lord heals the brokenhearted ... the Lord lifts up the downtrodden ... the Lord makes grass to grow on the hills. This is a gracious God; and we are called to sing to the Lord with thanksgiving ... to make melody with voice and instruments.
In the light of all that we know about how bad things are, this makes little sense. Yet, with the eyes of faith it makes all the sense in the world. People of faith are not called to ignore the wrong which seems oft so strong; but we are to affirm that God is the ruler yet. We live because of God's grace and in spite of life's difficulties.
Prayer
O God, we sing praise to you, the author of creation. You are the God of love and have understood our need for your salvation. To you all praise and glory. Amen.