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. 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.
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion, for 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. He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD
The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. In this world, we’re taught to be self reliant, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who put their hope in Him. All around that thought the psalmist speaks of the power of the Lord. But in this one sentence he put the essence of his message. The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. He loves to have us depend on Him. We talk about becoming mature in our faith, but He wants us to stay like kids. “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”, He said (Matt. 18:3) . Little children are trusting, naive, and most of all dependent.
We want the same from our children as the Lord wants from us. We love to have them come to us. “Daddy, can you help me?” is music to my ears and I’m never happier than when I’m earning their gratitude. As a father I’ve never outgrown that, and it saddens me to watch as my children do. Makes me feel like I’m not needed. Do you think God ever feels that way? Is that why He delights in those who put their hope in Him?
I’m convinced this psalm is telling us that our Father in Heaven is a lot like us where His children are concerned. He has enormous power and likes to use it on our behalf. As He told Paul, “My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:8) So stop trying to be so self sufficient. Let Him fortify your house and bless all who dwell within. Let His peace surround you and His bounty sustain you. Praise the Lord.