I’m preaching on Psalm 147:1-20 this coming Sunday (Feb 4, 2007). Its the daily Bible Reading scheduled for January 30. I would be interested in hearing from you as to what jumps out at you in this passage. What questions does it raise? What do you hear God saying to you in this passage. I suggest keeping your comments brief and clear, and I will try to return the favour on Sunday. Click on 
Comments to leave your thoughts.
Pastor Norm
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Brother, I want to thank you for this message. As I asked the Lord to give me a message to share this morning at a nursing home, The Lord spoke to my heart about how He works in all circumsyances, and how we are to have a testimony for Him. I began at 1 Peter 3:15 and was led to Psalm 147, as I was studing, I thought, let me check the web to see what others have to say and pulled up your message. May the Lord continue to bless you in allyour work and life.
Bro. Buddy Halmman ….March 2, 2010
I give thanks and praise to God for this morning’s message/teaching on worship based on PSALM 147. Thank you Pastor Norm for allowing God to take you in this direction. As a worship leader, I pray that this will be the beginning of a ‘worship transformation’ for HOPE- collectively and individually. May our lives be a testimony of worship and praise just as PSALM 147. May His will be done! LORD, be glorified!
Psalm 147
Observation: When I read this psalm, it starts by describing a number of “active” attributes of God ….. He builds, He gathers together, He heals, He binds up, He counts, He calls by name, He understands infinitely, He lifts up, and that’s only in the first 6 verses. Then verses 8-9 describe some of the physical “nice” things that God does as well….He covers the heavens, He prepares rain, he makes the grass grow, he gives food. Verse 13-14 are some of the “sentimentals” that God does as well ….He gives protection, He blesses our children, He gives a safe place to live, He provides the best foods for us. Verse 16-18 describe more of the sometimes “not so nice” things that God does too …..snow, frost, hail, extreme cold, wind, and floods. And yet over all this in verse 19 & 20 the psalmist notes how this great God has treated us as special….showing us his word, telling us his ways, and not dealing with us as our sins deserve.
Application: No wonder the psalmist’s opening and closing phrase is “Praise the Lord”. When I see God in this context as the psalmist does …..I can do nothing but praise him also. (And I do have times where this happens to me …when God just everwhelms me with everything that he is …..I just want those times to be more often.)
Prayer: Lord, may those times be more often ….open my eyes to see you more clearly so that I may be overwhelmed by you again and again.
This is one, of a beautiful collection of praise psalms found at the end of the chapter of Psalms. I found it interesting that the psalm began and finished with “Praise the Lord”. This reminds me that we need to start and finish our day with praising the Lord.
The first verse also mentions “how good it is to sing praises.” Singing must be one of the highest levels of praise as it takes more focus and effort from the heart. It is indeed “pleasant” (vs 1) to sing to our Lord as it “lifts the spirit of heaviness” (Garment of Praise Song). Both the Old and New Testaments mention that God has “ordained praise”. So not only does He require us to praise Him but, “how fitting” (vs1) to praise Him. I can’t begin to fathom the depth,breadth and height of our Father’s love, “power and understanding”(vs 5). In verse 4 “he determines the number of stars and calls them by name”. A devotional I once read mentioned that in the known universe their are 70 sextillion (7 followed by 22 zeros) stars.! This is more than the grains of sand found in every beach and desert on earth! Our awesome God is truly worthy of our praise!
When I consider the wonder of His infinite and detailed creation, I am awestuck by the simple fact that he cares about us on such a personal basis. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” In first aid when you bind up a wound with a dressing and a bandage you decrease pain and prevent infection and promote healing.
In verse 6 and 11 we see that God takes pleasure in the “humble” and “those who fear Him.”
In verses 12 to 20 I get the impression that God desires to bless those who praise Him, with peace(vs 14), adequate water (vs 18), food (vs 14) and knowledge (vs 19).
Heavenly Father, help me to always humbly come before you with great adoration and praise. I need to not only start and end my day with praising you but to offer up ceaseless praise. It is hard to praise you in the challenges that come my way throughout the day but I know you must have a purpose for allowing these as well.
Help me to sing to you with a heart filled with thanksgiving always. Amen.
This Psalm speaks of praise to the Lord for His involvement with His people.
I see the first part of this Psalm praising God for His restorative power. Sin has estranged creation from the Creator but God is still faithful, he upholds His creation and restores his people.
The second part reminds God’s people of two things. First, he is provider and sustainer for the people. Secondly, he reminds his people not to put trust in earthly kings or depend on other “nations” for protection. His delight is in those who fear and trust Him. How hard that is, I know. I often depend on my own strength but when my strength is spent it only adds to my shame. It is an elementary truth to trust everything to God but one of the hardest ones to carry out.
The final part of the Psalm praises the Lord for God for he is Lord over all, the ordinary and extrodinary. He is faithful to His people and to the covenant he has established with them. The covenant requires a response from His people; to obey leads to blessing and to disobey leads to disaster.
Those were but a few more random ramblings….
Psalm 147:1-20
The psalmist speaks of the majesty of Creator God who knows the stars by name, who controls the weather…hail and snow, whose powerful word makes the water flow and the breezes blow. He forms the clouds and gives rain to the grass as food for cattle and the raven. This providential Creator God is not remote and impersonal but also brings healing and restoration to the brokenhearted who fear Him and put their trust in His unfailing love. The psalmist also gives God the “fitting praise” for the restoration of Jerusalem and Israel, his chosen people to whom He revealed His law or word.
Can I see this majestic but also providential God working in my life, my family and my church, indeed in my country? Can I even begin to understand and appreciate a Supernatural Being so powerful, so beautiful, so majestic, so great who made all things but also provides for the animals and birds and wants a relationship with those who fear Him? Do I recognize His UNFAILING love and care or do I put too much confidence my own strong “legs” especially when times are tough and I feel like God does not care. Or do I arrogantly think I am the author of my success and my good health? Do I appreciate that God chose to reveal his word to Jacob or Israel and through Jesus to me and to his church so I could have a relationship with Him?
“God sustains the humble.”
Lord keep me humble and open my eyes so that I can recognize your provisions through your word and in all of life’s circumstances and live a life of worship. Help me to be thankful for your unfailing love and to praise you for your commitment to care for every part of your creation. To think that you know the name of every star but yet take a very personal interest in me is too great for me to comprehend. Great is Your faithfulness! Amazing is Your love! You are my God!