Lent Day 15

Scripture: Psalm 147:1-11

1 Praise the Lord.[a]

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 brokenhearted    

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.

Today's Meditation: 

Have you discovered, as I have, that the book of Psalms is a daily prayer book? My own desperate prayers and heart-filled praise are always verbalized deeply and beautifully by the psalmists. I find comfort in knowing that humanity is linked by our common cries to God. My

spirit responds to inspired words that express my deepest unspoken aches and fears.

Psalm 147 is an example of my prayers for this broken world and the suffering of God’s people. At the same time, woven into the psalm is praise for the extraordinary creation and the provision of our powerful, sovereign God. It holds all of the gospel in these few verses. God has a plan. He builds us up and casts out evil. He gathers outcasts, heals the brokenhearted, and also, in loving grace, scatters stars and covers the heavens with clouds and rain! It reminds us that God isn’t impressed by our obsession to have power and control and material possessions; he desires us to fear him, accept his provision, and find hope in his steadfast love. What amazing words that illustrate the breadth of his power! In the crush of digital news and doomsday predictions it is words from God I long to hear. I will open my prayer book today.

Prayer:

Faithful God. I praise you today for the prayers and songs of long ago that reach into my own life and guide me to you. Thank you for displaying your creative power around us. May I put my faith and hope in your unfailing love today. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Jeanne Motley