#899 Building Up

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.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;

make melody to our God on the lyre!

8 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.

10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,

nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,

11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,

in those who hope in his steadfast love.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!

Praise your God, O Zion!

13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;

he blesses your children within you.

14 He makes peace in your borders;

he fills you with the finest of the wheat.

15 He sends out his command to the earth;

his word runs swiftly.

16 He gives snow like wool;

he scatters frost like ashes.

17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;

who can stand before his cold?

18 He sends out his word, and melts them;

he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.

19 He declares his word to Jacob,

his statutes and rules to Israel.

20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;

they do not know his rules.

Praise the Lord! Psalm 147 ESV

A Psalm of praise.

For it is pleasant and a song of praise is fitting - It is good, wholesome, right, just; He is worthy. Who has done such marvelous things? Is there anyone like God? Men crave praise, even unmerited, they will fight for it, accept what did not belong to them, that which was the work of another. What should the mouth do in reference to the One that made it, sing, and the heart that is no longer stone, sing a new song.

8 I am not making a demand, but I am testing the sincerity of your love in comparison to the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. 10 And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire.… 2 Corinthians 8: 8-10

The Lord builds up Jerusalem - Providence finds a more honest telling. It was a city that seemed lost to the pages of history, the conquest of invaders. The people were scattered, but the Ruler of the Universe, the Maker of the covenant, He keeps His promise, His words are actions, bringing all things to fruition. It is His city.

And the word of the Lord of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain. 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the Lord of hosts? 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.” Zechariah 8: 1-8

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds - Imagine the lament of those dragged from their lives, their homes, people, the city that was the great center of their government and worship. Imagine the whole human race, fallen from it's maker, unable to set aright, to approach that which is Holy, when you and I are not. He welcomes the broken, does not laugh at those who desire to be remade. 

2 and He began to teach them, saying: 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.… Matthew 5: 2-4

He gives to all of them their names - Men cannot even see every star much less remember every name. He has made everything in such precise and perfect detail.

His understanding is beyond measure - Outside of this space of minutes, of yards, miles and light years, there is God, the Maker of it all. This is One worthy of praise, that life exists, that we study it and look further into creation, yet realize He is above all, and it is therefore to His glory. The surface scratching intellect must concede to the intellect that made it, or else it's foundation is error. It is not science or intelligence that makes it difficult to believe in God, no, it is merely pride paving the way for ignorance. God has made Himself known, and science, as it peels back the layers, as it magnifies with the microscope, so it magnifies the design of Creation, it induces the awe. We know so very little in respect to the universe, and we would never reach God, Who is without measure, but He humbled Himself to make Himself known.

…2 and that you may tell your children and grandchildren how severely I dealt with the Egyptians when I performed miraculous signs among them, so that all of you may know that I am the LORD.” 3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they may worship Me. 4 But if you refuse to let My people go, I will bring locusts into your territory tomorrow.… Exodus 10: 2-4

He prepares rain for the earth - What a system He has created, the oceans, tides, currents, the water cycle, His rain that falls on the just and the unjust. He feeds even the things that we see as unclean, and we forget to number ourselves among such. 

Nor His pleasure in the legs of man - He made them, and has no need for them in fulfilling His purpose. God does not need the strength of men, nor does He require our wisdom, but He loves the humble heart, the joyfully obedient spirit. Are you fast? He made those legs, so run to Him, beg Him to be used to His glory.

…5“Do you not know what they are?” replied the angel. “No, my lord,” I answered. 6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts. 7 What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”… Zechariah 4: 5-7

…15 For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”… Romans 9: 15-17

…10 Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. 11 I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all. 12 For surely no man knows his time: Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds trapped in a snare, so men are ensnared in an evil time that suddenly falls upon them.… Ecclesiastes 9: 10-12

For He strengthens the bars of your gates - He does not only bring them back to the promised land, but gives them the means and desire to secure Jerusalem. 

Her fortifications were finished, even to the fastenings of the gates, and God had made all sound and strong, even to her bolts and bars: thus her security against invading foes was guaranteed. This is no small mercy. Oh, that our churches were thus preserved from all false doctrine and unholy living! This must be the Lord's doing; and where he has wrought it his name is greatly to be praised. Modern libertines would tear down all gates and abolish all bars; but so do not we, because of the fear of the Lord. - C. H. Spurgeon

Who can stand before His cold -

- None can resist the utmost rigours of cold any more than they can bear the vehemence of heat. God's withdrawals of light are a darkness that may be felt, and his withdrawals of heat are a cold which is absolutely omnipotent. If the Lord, instead of revealing himself as a fire, should adopt the opposite manifestation of cold, he would, in either case, consume us should he put forth all his power. It is ours to submit to deprivations with patience, seeing the cold is his cold. That which God sends, whether it be heat or cold, no man can defy with impunity, but he is happy who bows before it with childlike submission. When we cannot stand before God we will gladly lie at his feet, or nestle under his wings. - C. H. Spurgeon

They do not know His rules - To Israel He has given the Oracles of God, the history of Creation, the law which reveals men's nature and opposition to God. He has declared His holiness, His just wrath, and revealed the story of redemption through Messiah. The same God, Who has put His word above His name, has revealed His unequaled integrity through the carrying out of justice even against His nation Israel and their kings. 

Israel had clear and exclusive knowledge of God, while others were left in ignorance. Election is the loudest call for grateful adoration. And as for his judgments, they have not known them; or, and judgments they had not known them, as if not knowing the laws of God, they might be looked upon as having no laws at all worth mentioning. The nations were covered with darkness, and only Israel sat in the light. This was sovereign grace in its fullest noontide of power. Praise ye the Lord. When we have mentioned electing, distinguishing love, our praise can rise no higher, and therefore we close with one more hallelujah. C. H. Spurgeon

…10As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another. 11 If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. 12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you.… 1 Peter 4: 10-12

…21“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.… John 4: 21-23

…7For what nation is so great as to have a god as near to them as the LORD our God is to us whenever we call on Him? 8And what nation is so great as to have righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today? 9Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.… Deuteronomy 4: 7-9

1What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God. 3What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?… Romans 3: 1-3

1I ask then, did God reject His people? Absolutely not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Romans 11: 1-2