"Hallelujah!
How good it is to chant hymns to our God; it is pleasant to sing glorious praise.
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; He gathers in the exiles of Israel.
He heals their broken hearts, and binds up their wounds.
He reckoned the number of the stars; to each He gave its name.
Great is our Lord and full in power; His wisdom is beyond reckoning.
The Lord gives courage to the lowly, and brings the wicked down to the dust.
Sing to the Lord a song of praise, chant a hymn with a lyre to our God,
who covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth,
makes mountains put forth grass; who gives beasts their food,
to the raven's brood what they cry for.
He does not prize the strength of horses, nor value the fleetness of men;
he has no pleasure in the strength of a man; but the Lord values those who revere Him, those who depend upon His faithful care.
O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord; praise your God, O Zion;
For he made the bars of your gates strong,
and blessed your children within you.
He endows your realm with well-being, and satisfies you with choice wheat.
He sends forth His word to the earth; His command runs swiftly.
He lays down snow like fleece, scatters frost like ashes.
He tosses down hail like crumbs – who can endure His icy cold?
He issues a command – it melts them; He breathes – the waters flow.
He issued His commands to Jacob, His statutes and rules to Israel.
He did not do so for any other nation; of such rules they know nothing.
Hallelujah!"
Psalm 147 - Jewish Study Bible
The poet Rainer Maria Rilke wrote, “Walk your walk of lament on a path of praise.” I find in this a beautifully succinct summary of the Psalms – which are songs of both lament and praise, some leaning more towards expressing sorrow and anguish, and some leaning more towards expressing admiration, but all with a firming foundation of giving thanks. The Psalms express the divine marriage of transcendence and immanence beautifully, and in Psalm 147 we hear the intimate experience of a loving, caring, personal God, and the experience of cosmic awe and wonder at the Creator of the Universe and His Creation.
The Psalm begins with an affirmation of how good it is to praise God. The first thing that the Psalmist praises God for is rebuilding Jerusalem, gathering in exiles, and healing broken hearts. These words led me to think of the current conflict in Israel and Gaza, all the broken hearts there, and the healing needed, for the wounds there which are both new and very old. I acknowledge my own feelings of broken-heartedness and give thanks for the healing I experience in the love of God through the compassion of other people. I give thanks for everyone working for peace and justice.
The Psalm then goes on to praise God as the Great Provider for the earth – bringer of fertilising rain and food for all creatures, who gives “the raven's brood what they cry for.” This led me to think with gratitude of all the nourishment I receive from the earth, to be grateful that I am able to afford sufficient food and shelter, and to give thanks for all those who are working to relieve hunger and poverty.
The next passage affirms that God values us not for our strength, but for our recognition of our dependence. I find this a great comfort, to feel that I am loved not because of my strengths but because of my vulnerability, my physical and emotional dependence on those around me and on the source of life itself.
The Psalm then says, “He endows your realm with well-being, and satisfies you with choice wheat.” This led me to think with gratitude of good food and good company, of the well-being found in sharing and caring community.
The next passage speaks of God's power in nature – snow, frost, hail and ice. I remember times I experienced awe at the power of nature. I give thanks for the beauty of all the seasons of the circling year.
The Psalm ends with God choosing Israel to receive his commandments and rules. I thought about whether I had lived this year according to my own rules and the commandments I consider sacred. I remember with gratitude times that I felt I had known wisdom through my conscience, by listening to the still, small voice within, and following its guidance. I give thanks for everything this year has taught me.
A Prayer for the Year End
As the year draws to a close, let us give thanks for all we have been given:
For times of peace, silence, and stillness
For the people and places that have sheltered us and kept us grounded
For all the ways in which the earth has nourished us
For everything we have learned
For all our insights and awakenings
For the ways in which our perception shifted
For creativity and innovation
For what has energised and motivated us
For the ways we have cultivated our passions
For the times we experienced joy and felt truly alive
For all the changes we have experienced and the ways in which we have grown with them
For the ebb and flow of energy
For our emotional highs and lows, our experiences of connection and companionship, of loss and loneliness
For love, compassion, and forgiveness
For everything we have drawn from the deep well waters of wisdom
May we give thanks for all the joys and challenges of our experience in this year.
In the words of John O'Donohue,
“We bless this year for all we learned,
For all we loved and lost,
And for the quiet way it brought us
Nearer to our invisible destination.”
Amen
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