Refrain: Great is our Lord and mighty in power.
1 Alleluia.
How good it is to make music for our God, ♦
how joyful to honour him with praise.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem ♦
and gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted ♦
and binds up all their wounds. [R]
4 He counts the number of the stars ♦
and calls them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; ♦
his wisdom is beyond all telling.
6 The Lord lifts up the poor, ♦
but casts down the wicked to the ground. [R]
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; ♦
make music to our God upon the lyre;
8 Who covers the heavens with clouds ♦
and prepares rain for the earth;
9 Who makes grass to grow upon the mountains ♦
and green plants to serve our needs. [R]
10 He gives the beasts their food ♦
and the young ravens when they cry.
11 He takes no pleasure in the power of a horse, ♦
no delight in human strength;
12 But the Lord delights in those who fear him, ♦
who put their trust in his steadfast love. [R]
13 Sing praise to the Lord, O Jerusalem; ♦
praise your God, O Zion;
14 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates ♦
and has blest your children within you.
15 He has established peace in your borders ♦
and satisfies you with the finest wheat. [R]
16 He sends forth his command to the earth ♦
and his word runs very swiftly.
17 He gives snow like wool ♦
and scatters the hoarfrost like ashes.
18 He casts down his hailstones like morsels of bread; ♦
who can endure his frost? [R]
19 He sends forth his word and melts them; ♦
he blows with his wind and the waters flow.
20 He declares his word to Jacob, ♦
his statutes and judgements to Israel.
21 He has not dealt so with any other nation; ♦
they do not know his laws.
Alleluia.Refrain: Great is our Lord and mighty in power.
Psalm 147
The Divine nature, providence, and grace.
Praise ye the Lord; ’tis good to raise
Our hearts and voices in his praise;
His nature and his works invite
To make this duty our delight.The Lord builds up Jerusalem,
And gathers nations to his name;
His mercy melts the stubborn soul,
And makes the broken spirit whole.He formed the stars, those heav’nly flames;
He counts their numbers, calls their names;
His wisdom’s vast, and knows no bound,
A deep where all our thoughts are drowned.Great is our Lord, and great his might;
And all his glories infinite:
He crowns the meek, rewards the just,
And treads the wicked to the dust.PAUSE.
Sing to the Lord, exalt him high,
Who spreads his clouds all round the sky;
There he prepares the fruitful rain,
Nor lets the drops descend in vain.He makes the grass the hills adorn,
And clothes the smiling fields with corn;
The beasts with food his hands supply,
And the young ravens when they cry.What is the creature’s skill or force,
The sprightly man, the warlike horse,
The nimble wit, the active limb?
All are too mean delights for him.But saints are lovely in his sight,
Psalm 147 part 1 by Isaac Watts
He views his children with delight;
He sees their hope, he knows their fear,
And looks, and loves his image there.
Psalm 147 can be split into particular sections. If we were to do that we would have:
Part 1: Praising God for His protection and preservation.
Part 2: Praising God for His work in nature.
and Part 3: Praising God for His wisdom, power, and word.
All of these parts have the same thing in common – we are praising God and we are to praise God.
There is no heaven in this world or the world to come for those who do not praise God. It is good to sing praises to our God. The goodness of praise comes from the truth that it is beautiful. True praise is beautiful to God. It is right, it is our duty and our joy to praise and thank our God. He does nothing but good to us so we should speak good of His name.
God cares for both communities and individuals, calling the outcasts and healing the broken – hearted. His majesty spans the length and breadth of the universe right down to each individual need.
God resists the proud whilst giving grace to the humble. He lifts up the meek but casts the wicked to the dust.
As we learn more of God’s nature, both earthly and heavenly, we naturally respond with praise. We see His power and loving nature as it comes together in His work in and continued care of creation. We see His sovereignty over and concern with all His creation, not only the magnificent stars, but also the lowly creatures on earth.
God takes pleasure in the reverence and trust of His people. Those who find their hope in His mercy (God’s great love and loving kindness) delight God, because they honour Him with their trust.
Our worship of God is not empty adoration; it is gratitude for specific goodness and the anticipation of future goodness. God gives security, a future, peace and provision.
The same God who orders and directs the natural world through His word has also brought the revelation of His heart and mind through His word to His people. God regards humanity as rational and capable of relationship; seeking a relationship, not simply programming a sequence of actions to be carried out. We should praise the Lord for manifesting himself to us.
Understanding the greatness of God, His care for humanity and all of nature, and the remarkable power and nature of His word, should move us to praise Him all the more. Hallelujah!
We pray:
Compassionate God,
as you know each star you have created,
so you know the secrets of every heart;
in your loving mercy bring to your table
all who are fearful and broken,
all who are wounded and needy,
that our hungers may be satisfied
in the city of your peace;
through Christ who is our peace. Amen.
