Learning to Praise God from Psalm 147

The Book of Psalms closes with a crescendo of praise, the last five psalms all beginning and ending with ‘hallelujahs’. Psalm 147 lists reasons to engage in the good, pleasant and fitting activity of praising God (v1). Here are a dozen reasons to sing to God with grateful praise and make music to him (v7) including how he edifies and restores his people, how he heals the downcast, his greatness, the stars above and the weather.
It is good to use the psalm to praise God item by item, to praise him who heals the broken-hearted, who is great, who numbers and names the stars. Perhaps, however, we can do more. By considering the sorts of things for which the psalmist praises God, we can learn how to think in right ways. We can learn how to extol the LORD and praise our God not only using the specific items found here but by understanding the categories of his thinking and the sources of his thought, thus supplying ourselves with further items for praise.
The psalmist, it seems, lets his thoughts run on five obvious lines at least, as he identifies the things for which he wants to praise God. Here are five sources for praise.
God’s providential dealings with his people
Verse 2 is about how God ‘builds up Jerusalem’ and ‘gathers the exiles’. Later verses speak of how ‘he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat’ (vv13-14). These verses relate to historical events: the return from exile, the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, and Jerusalem’s subsequent strength, peace and prosperity. We ought to praise God for past revivals and for the peace many believers know today.
God’s compassion for broken-hearted, humble God-fearers
More generally, the psalm refers to the broken-hearted and how God heals them (v3) and sustains the humble (v6a). In verse 11 we are told that he ‘delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love’, further praise items. When we see God’s compassion for the needy and for God-fearers we should praise him. Our own weakness gives abundant matter for praise if we could only see it.
God’s judgements on the wicked
Verse 6 contrasts God’s treatment of the humble with how he throws down the wicked. This is a less obvious reason perhaps, but the judgement of the wicked should elicit praise. When a Hitler, a Mao or a Ceaușescu falls, it is reason for praise.
God’s general revelation of himself, creation and providence
In verse 4, the psalmist gives praise for the fact that God ‘determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.’ Everywhere we look, creation provides subjects for praise. ‘How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number – living things both large and small’ (Ps. 104:24-25). Praise God for animals, plants, mountains, unseen things like angels, electricity and x-rays, and for all that God has created.
As well as praising God for the stars, the psalmist praises God for clouds that produce rain to make grass grow providing food for the cattle and young ravens (vv8-9). The whole cycle merits praise. Similarly, verses 15-18 remind us how God ‘sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly’ so that ‘snow spreads like wool … frost like ashes, … hail falls like pebbles.’ Of course, God not only does all that but reverses it too. His Word ‘melts them; he stirs up his breezes and waters flow.’ There is abundant matter for praise simply in the changing seasons. What power! What beauty! What variety! Give praise for the sky, snow, wind and the ever-changing weather.
God’s special revelation of himself, his attributes and his Word
Verse 5 says ‘Great is our Lord’ adding that his power and wisdom are unmatched. These attributes are seen in creation and providence but it is the special revelation we find in Scripture that pinpoints and elucidates them. God has many wonderful attributes and all give fresh reasons to praise. God’s attributes can be listed in different ways. He deserves praise for them all; his omnipotence and omniscience noted here; his omnipresence, eternity, holiness, immutability, sovereignty, love and so on.
All over this planet, there are things that remind us of God: the sky, earthquakes, volcanoes and all of creation. However, beyond that, there is what we learn of God from his special revelation, which today is confined to the Bible. The psalm ends on this note about God having ‘revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel’ and the fact he did this for no other nation (vv19-20).
Perhaps most often we will glean matter for praise from God’s Word. You read John 3:16 and praise God like this, ‘Father, I give you praise, glory and honour for being a generous God who did not stop short of giving your one and only Son so that I would not perish, as I deserve, but know eternal life.’ Or you read Philippians 4:13, and you praise God that you can do whatever he calls you to do, if you rely on him. Or perhaps you read Jeremiah 29:11, and you praise God that he knows the plans he has for you as a believer, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.
The words of Psalm 100 become your own:
I shout for joy to the LORD.
I worship him with gladness;
I come before him with joyful songs.
For the LORD is God.
He made me, I’m his;
I belong to his people, I’m a sheep of his pasture.
I enter his gates with thanksgiving,
And his courts with praise;
I give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.
Here then are five sources for praise: God’s providential dealings with his people; his compassion for humble, broken-hearted God-fearers; his judgements on the wicked, and then, from general revelation, his creation and providence and from his special revelation, what we know of God’s character and what we read in the Bible.