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PSALM

CHAPTER 146

1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. 2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

There are 5 more songs in the book of Psalms. Each of them is a song of praise.

This song teaches a personal commitment to praise the Lord. It is both a call for YOU to praise the Lord, and a commitment for ME to praise Him.

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. 4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

This physical life is brief and uncertain. But our "being" (verse 2) doesn't cease to exist at the moment of physical death. Man is created "a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). He will exist for eternity.

Therefore, it is important that we do not place our hopes in those things of physical life; but rather that we place our hopes in things of eternity. God is eternal. Jesus is forever.

5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: 6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: 7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners: 8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous: 9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. 10 The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.

Our physical life and our eternal being is "happy" when we trust in "the God of Jacob." The Bible teaches us that "the God of Jacob" is Jesus Christ, our Lord (see Isaiah 43:11, and John 8:58).

It is He Who created all things (verse 6), and He Who is the SAVIOR of all men (verse 7).

We are "blind" to real truth because of sin (verse 8); but Jesus opens our spiritual "eyes."

God will save ANY who call upon Him in repentance and surrender (verse 9); and He will give the "wicked" eternal death instead of eternal life. ((The "wicked" being those who will NOT call upon Him in repentance and surrender.))

God is forever (verse 8), and is sovereign over all things today.

PRAISE HIM!

PSALM 147

1 Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

Praising God is GOOD! It is "comely," or befitting of the created to praise the Creator. It is proper, and it is PLEASANT to give praise to our God.

2 The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. 3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. 4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. 5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. 6 The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. KJV

As I have stated before, Jerusalem was considered the place of worship in the Old Testament. It was there David chose to build the kingdom of Israel. It was there David was led by the Lord to prepare for building a permanent temple for the presence of God. It was there God Himself chose to manifest His presence among His people.

As such, Jerusalem then, is a symbol of the HEART today. It is GOD Who builds the "heart" of man for His presence.

God "heals" (verse 3) the heart which is broken with sin. This same God is the One Who created all things (verse 4). He is INFINITE in power and glory (verse 5).
The term "LORD" is used to translate the Hebrew YHWH, which is also translated Yahweh, and Jehovah. This was the name God chose to use when He revealed Himself to Moses (Exodus 3:14). He is the great God "I AM." He is the omnipotent (all powerful) and sovereign God. And, let me point out again, that Jesus Christ is HE (see Isaiah 43:11 and John 8:58).

The "LORD" is the Savior of men and the judge of men. He will save the "meek," or those who will come to Him for forgiveness and eternal life. He will also 'cast down' those who rebel against surrendering to Him.

God "takes pleasure" in those who will "fear," or reverence Him (see verse 11). God delights in them, and will save them from the condemnation of sin and eternal death.

7 Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: 8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. 9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. 10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. 11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

God is omnipotent and has created all things. He takes no particular delight in the things of strength which He has created. But God delights in the person who will SURRENDER to Him.

12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. 13 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. 14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat. 15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly. 16 He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. 17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? 18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow. 19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. 20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.

Praise God for Who He is and what He does for you. Praise Him from "ZION" - your heart of hearts.

Praise Him because He is God (verse 12).
Praise Him because He alone can strengthen you (verse 13), and bring the blessing of life to your children.
Praise Him because He alone can place peace in your heart (verse 14) and satisfy all your hunger.
Praise Him because He teaches us the way we should live by His WORD(verse 15).
Praise Him because He shows us the COLDNESS of being without Him, and then calls us to come and be WITH Him in the warmth of love (verses 16-19).

God did all these things for Israel, because He elected to use them out of all the "nations" of the earth. He revealed Himself to them, and desired them to carry the WORD OF SALVATION to all the world.

God has done the same with the CHURCH today! He chooses ANY who will come in repentance and surrender, and will use them to carry the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST to the world.

PRAISE GOD!! He is OMNIPOTENT (all powerful), but He is also MERCIFUL!

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