Psalm 147:1-12, 21c
Laudate Dominum
1 Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing praises to our God! *
how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; *
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted *
and binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars *
and calls them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; *
there is no limit to his wisdom.
6 The Lord lifts up the lowly, *
but casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; *
make music to our God upon the harp.
8 He covers the heavens with clouds *
and prepares rain for the earth;
9 He makes grass to grow upon the mountains *
and green plants to serve mankind.
10 He provides food for flocks and herds *
and for the young ravens when they cry.
11 He is not impressed by the might of a horse; *
he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;
12 But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him, *
in those who await his gracious favor.
21 Hallelujah!
God does all these great things! He names the stars and yet he tends to the needs of sheep and birds. He waters the earth so the plants grow and yet hears our cries when we are troubled and heals our broken hearts. He provides justice for us when we ourselves are too weak to fight against the wicked. We stand in awe of all of God’s ways. But what gets God is those who get Him. Those who have learned that all of God’s goodness is beyond measure. The temptations of this world never lead to the happiness we seek. Those enslaved to the evil they invited into their lives, are not to be envied but to be seen as a warning for those who get it. None of us are above self-destruction. Our own egos will destroy us. The path to peace and love starts with humility.