God Goes to Extremes
Psalm 147 seesaws from one extreme to another in worship and praise of God.
Psalm 147:1–6 (ESV) Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. 2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. 5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. 6 The Lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.
Notice the extremes that God brings together:
The Lord builds up the most important religious city... with outcasts (verse 2).
He heals the brokenhearted (verse 3) while numbering and naming the stars (verse 4).
His power and knowledge KNOWS NO LIMIT (verse 5)... but he bends down to lift up the humble (verse 6).
God goes to extremes.
It's what the Gospel is - the God of extremes. Paul said it like this:
2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
Psalm 147:8–9 (ESV) He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. 9 He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry.
Psalm 147:14 (ESV) He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
Psalm 147:16 (ESV) He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes.
He is constantly faithful to us... in the things we take for granted. In the mundane and normal God is there providing and caring for what we often forget.
You know what Psalm 147 tells me? God is the God of extremes who fills in the gaps. We get impressed with extremes. God has them all covered. But He is even a part of the daily grind of life that looks so unimpressive.
Your life matters. Your daily life matters. Because God is involved right there.
That's a beautiful picture of who He is for us.
Without Him we can be and do nothing.
Psalm 147:1–6 (ESV) Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. 2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. 3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. 5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. 6 The Lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.
Notice the extremes that God brings together:
The Lord builds up the most important religious city... with outcasts (verse 2).
He heals the brokenhearted (verse 3) while numbering and naming the stars (verse 4).
His power and knowledge KNOWS NO LIMIT (verse 5)... but he bends down to lift up the humble (verse 6).
God goes to extremes.
It's what the Gospel is - the God of extremes. Paul said it like this:
2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV) For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
The ultimate Rich man became the ultimate poor man so that we who are poor may become rich.
The Gospel tells us God goes to extremes - from heaven to Earth - to save you from Hell and bring you to Himself. This is why we praise Him.
The rest of the Psalm radically shifts gears. It goes to the seemingly mundane realities of life... all of which God is intimately involved with.
Notice:
Notice:
Psalm 147:8–9 (ESV) He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. 9 He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry.
Psalm 147:14 (ESV) He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
Psalm 147:16 (ESV) He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes.
He is constantly faithful to us... in the things we take for granted. In the mundane and normal God is there providing and caring for what we often forget.
You know what Psalm 147 tells me? God is the God of extremes who fills in the gaps. We get impressed with extremes. God has them all covered. But He is even a part of the daily grind of life that looks so unimpressive.
Your life matters. Your daily life matters. Because God is involved right there.
That's a beautiful picture of who He is for us.
Without Him we can be and do nothing.
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