Psalm 147: Praying Through The Psalms

Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel (Ps. 147:1-2).

Heavenly Father, you are worthy to receive honor and praise from our lips. For it is fitting and right to praise you. For you have built up Jerusalem. You have gathered the exiles of Israel. You have protected your people from cruel foes who rise up against those who worship you.

There are many people today who do not know of your goodness. Reveal your holiness so that they might turn from their wicked ways and trust in you for salvation. For you are a good Father. Slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and mercy—to a thousand generations.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground (Ps. 147:3-6).

O Lord, when pain and emotional turmoil strike, your grace heals our wounded hearts. You bind up our wounds and heal us with your mighty hand. Not only are you intimately involved in our lives, but you even determine the number of the stars and call them each by name. If you have a personal name for the billions of stars in our universe, how much more do you have a name for humankind—created in your image?