Reflections on Psalms 147

 Psalms 147 (Contemporary English Version)

1. Shout praises to the LORD! Our God is kind, and it is right and good to sing praises to him.
2. The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem and brings the people of Israel back home again.
3. He renews our hopes and heals our bodies.
4. He decided how many stars there would be in the sky and gave each one a name.
5. Our LORD is great and powerful! He understands everything.
6. The LORD helps the poor, but he smears the wicked in the dirt.
7. Celebrate and sing! Play your harps for the LORD our God.
8. He fills the sky with clouds and sends rain to the earth, so that the hills will be green with grass.
9. He provides food for cattle and for the young ravens, when they cry out.
10. The LORD doesn't care about the strength of horses or powerful armies.
11. The LORD is pleased only with those who worship him and trust his love.
12. Everyone in Jerusalem, come and praise the LORD your God!
13. He makes your city gates strong and blesses your people by giving them children.
14. God lets you live in peace, and he gives you the very best wheat.
15. As soon as God speaks, the earth obeys.
16. He covers the ground with snow like a blanket of wool, and he scatters frost like ashes on the ground.
17. God sends down hailstones like chips of rocks. Who can stand the cold?
18. At his command the ice melts, the wind blows, and streams begin to flow.
19. God gave his laws and teachings to the descendants of Jacob, the nation of Israel.
20. But he has not given his laws to any other nation. Shout praises to the LORD!

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Psalm 147 might be summed up in one sentence: "How great is our God who values those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His faithful love." A good portion of the psalm supports the first part of this statement: "How great is our God."

• Psa 147:4 He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.
• Psa 147:5 Our Lord is great, vast in power; His understanding is infinite.
• Psa 147:8 who covers the sky with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, and causes grass to grow on the hills.
• Psa 147:15 He sends His command throughout the earth; His word runs swiftly.
• Psa 147:16 He spreads snow like wool; He scatters frost like ashes;
• Psa 147:17 He throws His hailstones like crumbs. Who can withstand His cold?
• Psa 147:18 He sends His word and melts them; He unleashes His winds, and the waters flow.

The remainder of the psalm supports the second part of the statement, "who values those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His faithful love."

• Psa 147:2 The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem; He gathers Israel's exiled people.
• Psa 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
• Psa 147:6 The LORD helps the afflicted but brings the wicked to the ground.
• Psa 147:13 For He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your children within you.
• Psa 147:14 He endows your territory with prosperity; He satisfies you with the finest wheat.
• Psa 147:19 He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel.

And so we conclude with the psalmist: "How great is our God who values those who fear Him, those who put their hope in His faithful love."