She was discovering the blessedness of solitude, the something leveling in loveliness, the elevating power of the naked sheer walls with their inscrutable meaning.”
–Zane Grey (Lost Pueblo)
“For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.”
–1 Corinthians 4:20 (ESV)
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“The decisive things of life come not through our powers of intelligence but through God, the highest power.”
–Wilhelm Schmidt
Psalm 147, a wonderful psalm that speaks to the power of God. Nothing can compare to Him, and in His sight we are all the same “puny.” But because of who He is and His gracious love toward man we should sing His praises no matter our condition in life. This is a psalm that reminds us how good God is and how good it is to worship Him.
1 — Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
2 — The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 — He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
4 — He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.
5 — Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
6 — The LORD lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.
7 — Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praises on the harp to our God,
8 — Who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
9 — He gives to the beast its food, and to the young ravens that cry.
10 — He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 — The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy. (NKJV)
To fear God is to be properly responsive to Him in awe and wonder. Not only is He great and gracious, but He is loving and caring. Know this–He is good! Therefore we should sing praises to God for that is our appropriate response. Think for a moment: has the enemy ever broken into your life attempting and maybe succeeding to demolish what you held close and dear? The Lord will build you up again (i.e., the life of Job). Perhaps you have failed God–did He forsake you, or has He lovingly taken you back in His arms? He will now wash His hands of you, for you belong to Him, despite the failures and the mishaps of life. George Wood puts it this way, “Consider His great patience and grace. He’s not desirous of your remaining in ruins. He’s committed to helping you get back on your feet, wounds healed, and heart no longer broken.”
Man tries to compete with God and utterly fails. It is God who builds, while man tears down. Man attempts to figure out the immensity of space, but God tracks all the stars and knows them by their name. It is no harder for God to bring the sun into existence than for any of us to light up a match. (Wood) But then, with all His infinite power He still takes the time to care for each of us.
I read a little about Wilhelm Schmidt, who was known as “Hot Steam Schmidt.” During his life he received patents for twelve hundred inventions. He believed that every invention was a gift from God and he would write in his diary over his drawings and thoughts: “I thank you, O God, I thank you.” Because of his inventions and genius he often was visited by dignitaries and leaders. He would seat them in his house alongside the poor at his table. (William J. Petersen) He was never overawed by human abilities because of his knowledge of the Almighty. He understood the wonder of God. The NLT translates vs 10, “The strength of a horse does not impress him; how puny in his sight is the strength of a man.”
Verse 11 should be a Scripture that we can add to the building of our lives. Look at whom the Lord takes pleasure in–those that fear Him. From the NLT, “the LORD’s delight is in those who honor him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Honor–something that is truly missing, not only from our society, but also from our worship of Him. Someone said this of worry, “Worry is a cycle of ineffective thoughts and emotions whirling around a thick center of fear.” Just reading this portion of Psalm 147, what is there to worry about? “God’s greatest delight is when His people revere Him, serve Him, and hope in Him.” (Steven Lawson)
“I sing the mighty power of God
That made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad
And built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained
The sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at his command.”
–Isaac Watts