Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
THANK GOD!
Psalms 147
Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises
to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! (Psalms 147:1
unfailing mercy and steadfast love towards us.
No community can survive with out its memories. Psalms 147 is a postexilic psalm that
expounds the religious experience of the people of God. This psalm begins and
ends with praise. Each of its three main units (1-6, 7-11, 12-20) opens with
an imperative Praise! Sing! Praise! The psalmist describes the reasons for
praising God.
Thank God
for His creative power: The
psalmist paints a vibrant portrait of our God as one whose power and
graciousness embraces everyone and everything – from the downtrodden to the
baby raven to the fiery stars high above. “Great is our Lord, and abundant in
power; his understanding is beyond measure” (verse 5). Thus the psalmist
declares the sovereignty of God as the one who build and rebuild a scattered
and shattered people. It is a profound thought that the Lord builds up
Jerusalem, he gathers the outcasts of Israel, he heals the broken hearted and
binds up their wounds. These words
remind us of the comforting words of second Isaiah (Isaiah 40 – 66) to the
people in exilic and postexilic experience. The psalmist describes God’s
restoration of God’s people as comprehensive and ongoing.
Thank God
for his mighty acts in history: The people
of God have many things to remember – the mighty acts of God in their
history. They should always remember
with thanks that the Lord has lifted them up in their lowliness (v. 6). It is
God’s marvelous and wonderful acts of redemption from bondage (the exodus
event), and the varied experiences of the wilderness journey that molded them
as a people. All through their history it is God who guided them and nurtured
them as his choicest treasure. It is that realization which helps the Psalmist
to conclude at the end – “ He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they
do not know his ordinances. Praise the Lord!” (V 20)
Thank God
for his providence in life: Verses 13
and 14 reveal that God provides protection, peace and satisfaction in our life
– “strengthens the bars of your gate, grants peace, fills you with finest
wheat” The Israelite people experienced God’s provision in every moments of
their life. The Psalmist underscores this truth again and again and testifies
that His provision is universal, timely and responsive: “He feeds the young
ravens when they cry.” (Verse 9) God is concerned about the most insignificant
and fragile creatures. This prompts the Psalmist’s conclusion that God neither
delights in human strength nor speed, qualities idolized in our culture today,
but reverence (vv .10-11). Those “who fear the Lord” acknowledge God’s
sovereignty and strive to live humbly and fully mindful of their capacities
and limitations as creatures of God.
Prayer: Almighty
Father, help us to be thankful to you always, remembering your creative power,
mighty acts and care and concern for every creatures upon this earth. Amen.
Rev. Joseph
Johnny, New York