Thoughts from Psalm 147-148

How to begin?  Psalm 147 is crazy-good.  I love the first word — “Praise”.  Praising God is pretty natural if we think about Him. God says our praise is good, pleasant and comely.  Pretty amazing.  In verse 4 begins reasons we should be praising.  He heals the broken and binds up their wounds.  That’s really personal; hands on; intimate.  Then we see Him talking to the stars and calling them by name.  I can’t wait to find out what those names are and what his voice might sound like! We just zoomed out from the personal human involvement to galaxy-mysteries all in one verse.  He covers the earth with clouds, prepares rain, makes grass to grow on the mountains.  He gives animals food and to ravens that cry!  HE does this-He cares!  He does NOT delight in the strength of horses or men, but IS PLEASED with those who FEAR HIM  and those that HOPE IN HIS MERCY!  I want to be in that group! I want to hope in the God who cares about ravens that cry.  He gives divine protection, makes peace, gives food, sends and scatters snow, casts forth ice.  Who can stand before his cold? Pretty humbling to think on this.  He sends out his word and melts them. WOW. He causes wind to blow, waters to flow.  He revealed his word and statutes to Israel, but has not revealed his judgements.  Praise Ye the Lord! He calls us to praise EVERYWHERE!  He calls angels, all his hosts, sun, moon, stars, heavens, waters above the heavens.  He calls them to praise because he commanded and they were created. He established them forever.  He made a decree which shall not pass.  He is the never-changing God. He calls praise from the earth: dragons, and all deeps, fire, hail, snow, vapour, stormy wind fulfilling his word, mountains, hills, fruitful trees, cedars, beasts, cattle, creeping things (I wonder how they praise :)), flying fowl, kings, all people, princes, and all judges of the earth, young men and women, old men and children.  Let them praise, He says, LET US PRAISE, because his name is excellent, his glory is above the heaven and earth.  He exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, even the children of Israel, a people near unto Him. PRAISE YE THE LORD!

It makes sense now, doesn’t it, that if you are listening and looking, you will see Him and hear Him everywhere.  The elements is this earth are speaking and praising.  When I hear those birds singing to Him, when I feel the wind caress my face and speak of Him as the leaves rustle, when the beauty of the snow glistens and reveals how He can make all things clean, when the cedar tree towers over me and screams His strength, when my heart is warmed as I feel the sunshine, when I see the mystery of a shooting star or feel His majesty at the oceans edge…let me join these in Praise, let me do what I was created to do!