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Psalm 147:16

Psalm 147:16 The Psalm now moves to consider the ways in which the Lord God is involved in our weather! There is much talk nowadays about “climate change.” I wonder if they talked about that in Noah’s day or if “climate change” will be blamed as the cause of the judgements that will come upon the earth in the last days? The nations will not be willing to humble themselves and attribute the problems to their own rebellion against the Creator. This is a difficult subject because there is little doubt that some of the phenomena that we see around the world even in recent months, can certainly be blamed on man’s mishandling of the planet and its resources. Perhaps this irregular behaviour is already written into creation as a warning and an indication of what may follow.  The other side of the argument is that we actually do not control the weather or have any influence over it. God alone is the initiator of every factor that causes abundant rains, or prolonged heat or, as this verse p...
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Psalm 147:15

Psalm 147:15 The God who responds Any ideas we may have that the Lord our God, is quietly sitting on His heavenly throne aloof and distanced from the earth and its occupants, is immediately dispelled by this verse. God is present in the “now”, He observes, watches and involves Himself with men. He must do so for it is His plan and purpose that is unfolding across the world, and it is His involvement in the spiritual battles that take place, that is our only hope of survival as a race. God does not spend days or hours deliberating, His actions are fast and yes, even furious at times! He does not react so much as act, for He foresees and foreknows the ways of men, and the international leaders who believe themselves to be in control are kidding themselves! God sends His commands to the earth. I love the way the psalmist puts this in Psalm 104:3-4,  “He makes the clouds His chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds His messengers, flames of fire His servants.”  W...
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Psalm 147:14

Psalm 147:14 Peace to our borders When Israel first entered the Promised Land, they encountered nothing but trouble. Canaan was occupied by hostile, pagan tribes and kingdoms, and the Lord’s command was to take the land, subdue their enemies and seek to live peaceably thereafter. It was a tall order, not least because even after the interior had been taken there was the constant threat of raids from their surrounding neighbours but, peace did eventually come, under the reign of King David. 2 Samuel 7:1 says, “ After the king was settled in his palace   and the   Lord   had given him rest from all his enemies   around him…..”   David had succeeded where others had failed and the land rested from its wars and conflicts. It is the Lord’s will that we fight our battles but that, maybe towards the end of our time on earth, we rest from our labours and enjoy peace on our borders. What’s the point of the spiritual battles if we do not learn from them and eventually sto...
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Psalm 147:13

Psalm 147:13 He strengthens the bars of your gates There are often times when we feel insecure and worry for our safety or the safety of our family and loved ones. Unlike the psalmist, this fear is not caused by military forces but simply by circumstances or the troubles that life brings. For those who believe in and follow Jesus Christ there is another source of trouble of course. Our enemy is not human or necessarily visible, but his campaign of hatred and persecution against the people of God is unrelenting. The Jews in Jerusalem felt the oppression of surrounding enemies constantly. They understood what it meant to live through times of great national fear and trepidation. In fact, little has changed over the centuries. For the followers of Christ, the battle is spiritual and our “Zions” are constantly under threat. The devil looks for entrances into our fortresses, gates that are unguarded where he may slyly enter or launch an attack. Most of us should have more than a fair idea w...
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Psalm 147:12

Psalm 147:12 Extol the Lord! This verse may read like a statement of fact or a righteous request, surely of all places in the world, Jerusalem or Zion is where the Lord’s name is extolled? “Extol” means to praise, exalt, worship or celebrate and, in truth, this has not happened very often from Jerusalem, in fact for over 1900 years until recently, it did not happen at all. Zion is a mountain of Jerusalem, but it is used as a poetic synonym for the entire city and for restored Israel as a whole. It also describes the Kingdom of Heaven. So, Zion was originally just a geographical location, but it came to symbolise the presence of God and the spiritual heart of Israel. In the Book of Hebrews, it is referred to as  “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem ,” it is the home of thousands of angels and the church of the firstborn.  Hebrews 12:22-24.  The verse that we are studying therefore becomes a command to Israel on earth, but it is also a spiritual order to...
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Psalm 147:11

Psalm 147:11 God's love never fails What are we afraid of? Who are we afraid of? We do not live in an age when a strapping great Suffolk Punch or a thoroughbred Arab racehorse fills us with awe and wonder, nor are we particularly impressed by the muscular appearance of the finest fighters or athletes. It’s usually wealth that impresses in this day and age, wealth or fame or achievements. The verse before us implores us not to have our heads turned by any worldly or natural phenomena, but by the Lord. We could worship and applaud Him for His creative powers, or His mathematical genius, or His scientific prowess or His omnipotence and awesome intellectual abilities but these are not the first things that come into the mind of the psalmist. No! He wants us to be overwhelmed and deeply impressed by one aspect of this utterly amazing God for He has one attribute that far surpasses all other gods, it is His unfailing love. Love that embraces all people, all creatures and all living thing...
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