Our psalm for this week, the last one for this year, is a call to praise God, especially as He made and controls all of nature. I picture this anonymous psalmist as wanting to sing a song of praise to God, and then proceeds to make a list of everything he can think of to thank and praise Him for. He doesn’t just thank God for the usual, for his health, food, and protection. He looks around him and sees different things, and knows that God can be praised for them, as well. As we come to the end of another year we should pause for a moment, and make our own list of anything and everything that we can think of to praise God for.
Perhaps on the day that our author wrote this psalm he was feeling a bit down. Knowing that making a list of things to be thankful for can help lift one’s spirit, he begins by praising God for the fact that He is there for those who are brokenhearted (vs. 3). Perhaps he had recently experienced the death of a loved one, or perhaps a spouse walked out and left him for another. This verse is echoed in the words of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1), and Jesus also quoted it, speaking about Himself (Luke 4:18). Whatever the reason, whatever the emotional blow, God is there for the brokenhearted, and He will heal those wounds. God is there for the humble, for those who know that they are not the greatest thing that ever walked the streets (vs. 6). He is there for those who know that they need a Savior, but He has no place for the proud.
Next, our psalmist looks around at nature, and sees numerous things that he can praise God about. Perhaps recently he had been outside at night, observing the innumerable stars that could be seen. Astronomers estimate that there are well over 200 billion trillion stars in the universe. That’s a 1 followed by 42 zeros. Yet, as our Scripture says in verse 4, God knows the exact number, as He created them, and He has named each one of them. If God cares enough about the stars to give them each a name, don’t you think that He cares about you, who were made in His image, and that He will take care of all of your needs? We can surely praise God for that!
As the author continues on, looking throughout nature for more things to praise God for, he sees the clouds which are scattered across the sky (vs. 8). As I write this, it is a very foggy morning in Chicago where I live. The clouds coming right down to the earth. It makes a very eerie, but beautiful sight, something to praise God for! He knows that the clouds bring the rain, growing the crops and plants, which brings food, both for man and animal (vs. 8-9). The animals know they are dependent upon God, and cry out to Him for their needs, but people often think that they are strong and smart enough that they don’t need Him. However, they soon find out that we are all dependent upon God for His mercy in providing for our needs (vs. 10-11).
The psalmist continues on with his list of things to be thankful for, and remains on a weather-related theme with the different seasons. In verses 16 and 17 he lists snow, frost and the cold. To be perfectly honest with you, those are some things that I am not often too thankful for, as I do not like winter or the cold! Yet, I will admit that if I don’t have to go out into it, a snowy scene can be beautiful. Sunlight sparkling on the snow crystals can look like diamonds scattered across the landscape. The patterns of frost on windows are beautiful, as well. And though the winter always seems long, we can trust God’s promise that it will not last forever, and that He will send His word to melt the snow and ice (vs. 18). There is nothing more refreshing after a cold and hard winter than the warmer breeze of the coming spring!
What are you thankful to God for this past year? What are some things that you can praise Him for? Though we certainly shouldn’t wait for just the end of the year to thank and praise Him, this is always a good time to especially look back and think of the many blessings the Lord has given to us. Like the psalmist of Psalm 147, let’s stop for a moment and think of some of the many things we can thank and praise the Lord Jesus for.
No comments:
Post a Comment