For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage:  Psa 147:1-11

1 Praise the Lord.

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
    how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the broken-hearted
    and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars
    and calls them each by name.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
    his understanding has no limit.
6 The Lord sustains the humble
    but casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;
    make music to our God on the harp.

8 He covers the sky with clouds;
    he supplies the earth with rain
    and makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He provides food for the cattle
    and for the young ravens when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the Lord delights in those who fear him,
    who put their hope in his unfailing love.

A. Find Out

1. How does the psalmist describe praising the Lord? v.1
2. What does He do for the exiles and Jerusalem? v.2,3
3. What is the Lord’s knowledge like? v.4,5
4. How does the Lord differentiate between men? v.6
5. What does the psalmist call us to do? v.7
6. What also does the Lord do? v.8,9
7. In what isn’t His delight but what is it in? v.10,11

B. Think:

1. How is the Lord’s power spoken of here?
2. How is His knowledge and understanding spoken of?
3. How is His care and compassion spoken of?

C. Comment:

                This psalm is a mixture of calls to respond to God with praise and thanks and reasons why we should do that. The psalmist starts with the assertion that it is good, pleasant and fitting (i.e. right) to praise the Lord (v.1). Later he calls us to sing to the Lord with thanksgiving (v.7). These things, he implies, are right because God is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving. He gives us reasons.

                He starts from a personal level. The Lord gather the exiles (and brings them home) and rebuilds Jerusalem (v.2) and comforts and heals up (v.3) those who are broken hearted (over the state of the city). He reflects on the Lord’s power. Not only has He brought the exiles home, nothing escapes His notice, He even knows every star in the sky (v.4) and He is all-powerful and all-knowing (v.5).

                But the Lord isn’t just ‘out there’, He is a God He reaches down to the people of the earth, rewarding the humble and dealing with the wicked (v.6).  Yet His caring for the earth is not just for individuals, for He brings rain that makes the grass grow (v.8) and thus provides food for all creatures (v.10). God doesn’t take delight in strength (v.10) but in those who have a right attitude towards Him (showing their wisdom?), of respect and trust (v.11).

D. Application:

1. God is our provider. Praise Him.
2. Honour and respect His greatness. Trust in Him alone.

Passage: Psa 147:12-20

12 Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;
    praise your God, Zion.

13 He strengthens the bars of your gates
    and blesses your people within you.
14 He grants peace to your borders
    and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

15 He sends his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.
16 He spreads the snow like wool
    and scatters the frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down hail like pebbles.
    Who can withstand his icy blast?
18 He sends his word and melts them;
    he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word to Jacob,
    his laws and decrees to Israel.
20 He has done this for no other nation;
    they do not know his laws.

Praise the Lord.

A. Find Out

1. Who is exhorted to do what? v.12
2. Why? v.13,14
3. What more does the Lord do? v.15
4. With what effect? v.16-18
5. What has He done for Israel? v.19
6. And what about that? v.20

B. Think:

1. What do these verses say about Israel’s wellbeing?
2. What do they say about the Lord’s power?
3. What do they say about Israel’s uniqueness?

C. Comment:

                As with most large psalms, the second half echoes or adds to the first half. This part continues with a call to lift up and praise God (v.12) and the psalm finishes with that call (v.20c). In between are reasons why the Lord is worthy of our praise.

                First of all there is His provision of well-being for Jerusalem (v.13,14) as He provides security for the city, blesses the people, granting them peace, and providing all they need by way of food.

                But He is bigger than merely a provider of food, for He is the Lord of Creation and so when He sends His command for His will to be done, it is done quickly (v.15), and the weather is changed and snow and hail come and go (v.16,17) at His bidding (v.18a)  and as a result water is provided for the land (v.18b). This is at the heart of their food provision from the Lord. He oversees every aspect of it.

                His provision for Israel goes further than simply physical well-being, as great and wonderful as that it; He also has provided for Israel spiritual and moral well-being in society, for He has given to Israel His Law (v.19) and has made them a unique people in the earth for Hw has done this for no other nation in the world (v.20)

                Thus this psalm reveals the Lord as the One who cares for His people in every way in His provision for every aspect of their lives.

D. Application:

1. Give thanks for all your material provision and well-being.
2. Give thanks for your spiritual well-being as provided by the Lord.