“Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; {Grateful praise}
Sing praises to our God on the lyre,
8 Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who provides rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
9 He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens which cry.”- { Psalm 147:7-9}
The second part of the chapter again begins with Praises. “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises to our God on the lyre,” and the Psalmist gives reasons to sing His praises as Creator and Provider. The Greatness and Graciousness of the Lord on display is all around us, above us.
Pray for eyes to see His Greatness and acknowledge His Graciousness. May He open our eyes to see things and life from His perspective, lest we walk around with as it were our eyes closed and miss the beauty of Creation and The Creator who displays His Greatness and the Graciousness He lavishes on His creation in compassionately providing .
Look up and look around for motivation and evidences of Him in action!
1.”Who covers the heavens with clouds,”-{v8}
“…And clouds are the dust beneath His feet.”-{Nahum 1:3}, “Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:…Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water? Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’? Who gives the ibis wisdom or gives the rooster understanding? Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens.”-{Job 38:1, 34-37}.
“How Do Clouds Form?
The sky can be full of water. But most of the time you can’t see the water. The drops of water are too small to see. They have turned into a gas called water vapor. As the water vapor goes higher in the sky, the air gets cooler. The cooler air causes the water droplets to start to stick to things like bits of dust, ice or sea salt. “-{Nasa}
“A cloud is made up of liquid water droplets. A cloud forms when air is heated by the sun. As it rises, it slowly cools it reaches the saturation point and water condenses, forming a cloud. As long as the cloud and the air that its made of is warmer than the outside air around it, it floats!”
“Water vapor turns into clouds when it cools and condenses—that is, turns back into liquid water or ice. … In the cloud, with more water condensing onto other water droplets, the droplets grow. When they get too heavy to stay suspended in the cloud, even with updrafts within the cloud, they fall to Earth as rain…Clouds are the key element of the water cycle, since they are the transporters that move water from one place on Earth to another. They are also important in determining how much of the Sun’s energy is absorbed and trapped in the atmosphere. They are thus very important in altering the temperature of the air and Earth’s surface. The warmer the air, the more water it can hold. The warmer the oceans, the faster water evaporates from them. Surface winds also increase evaporation. (Notice that after a rainstorm, the road dries faster if it is windy.) And the more water in the air, the more the sun’s energy is trapped, making things still warmer.”-{Skijinks}
When you look up to the heavens and see “clouds,” they testify to Him! They are “the dust beneath His feet…who has the wisdom to count the clouds.” Sing His Praises! He creates the clouds and uses the clouds to provide, rain, ice, snow! ” The Heavens declare the Glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” The heavens declare His glory, they shout Glory, glory glory to Him.-{Psalm 19:1}. “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises to our God…”
2. “Who provides rain for the earth,”- {v8}
He provides rain for the earth. We need water to live, the animals need water, the land needs water. Water testifies to Him, the Provider, how kind of Him. it shows His Greatness and graciousness, His generosity to ALL people. “…your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” -{Matt 5:45}. Rain is His gift to all people such is His graciousness, generosity, kindness, love, compassion. When it rains, God is providing for the inhabitants of the earth. When it rains, God is in action. When you see a stream, a river, lake, the ocean, God testifies, the rain the comes down from the clouds, God testifies and provides. “Yet He has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” -{Acts 14:17}.
“…What Causes Rain? Most of the water in clouds is in very small droplets. The droplets are so light they float in the air. Sometimes those droplets join with other droplets. Then they turn into larger drops. When that happens, gravity causes them to fall to Earth. We call the falling water drops “rain.” When the air is colder, the water may form snowflakes instead. Freezing rain, sleet or even hail can fall from clouds.”-{NASA}
God is Sovereign over the rain. He chooses where it should fall and withholds it at His own discretion.
“Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.”- {Genesis 7:4}.
“Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the LORD; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land.“-{Exodus 9:33}.
“I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one town, but withheld it from another. One field had rain; another had none and dried up.” -{Amos 4:7}.
“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against You, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to Your name and turn from their sin because You have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land You gave Your people for an inheritance.”-{ 1 Kings 8:35-36}
” Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. “-{Jeremiah 3:3}.
“They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’”-{Jeremiah 5:24}.
” Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is You, LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in You, for You are the one who does all this.” -{Jeremiah 14;22}.
“Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains because He is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.“-{Joel 2:23}.
The LORD is in control of the Rain, the LORD sends down showers… let us “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises to our God…”
God Purposes Provision From His Rain.
” As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”-{Isaiah 55:10-11}.
“I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit.”-{Leviticus 26:4}
“Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.” -{Zechariah 10:1}
“Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.“-{James 5:17-18}
We see testimony to the Creator of His creation, compassion and Provider… Even the rain should cause us to ask Who has made this, we can use it to testify when sharing of Him. So often we complain about the rain, when we should be bowing before Him in reverence who sends the rains! “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises to our God…”
3. “Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.”- {v8}
The Mountains, He has made, of all sizes, shapes, majestic, snow capped some, others not so, but even here He provides grass.
” And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, [and] the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed [is] in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. “-{Genesis 1:11}
“I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.”-{Deut 11:15}
“He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth:“-{Psalm 104:14-15}
“Grass plants develop fruit called grain which feed much of the world and yet have green leaves and stems not digestible for humans that are the main food source for animals. Grasses can also be used for building materials, medicines, and biomass fuels.”
“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!” -{Matthew 6:30}.
God uses grass not only to teach us of His goodness, compassion, in providing but also teaches us regarding the futility of worry. He has the disciples consider how God clothes the grass of the field which is temporal,,, how much more will He provide for us, anxiety is a result of “little faith!”
The Lord God sends the rain on the earth, waters the fields, causing the crops to grow and mature. God has purpose in His rain, His kindness, generosity, graciousness lavished upon us testifying to Himself! It should motivate us and give reasons to… “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises to our God…”
4. “He gives to the beast its food,”- {v9}
He who created the “beast” also provides its food. Again we see the Creator and Provider. His compassion for those whom He has created. He who numbers, names the stars, having placed them in His heavens, has concern for the lowliest animal and it’s needs. His greatness does not make Him arrogant, or aloof but compassionate, concerned and stoops to provide so great is His love for the animals.His greatness is highlighted in His Goodness, generosity, consideration for the animals!
“Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises to our God…”
5. “And to the young ravens which cry. -{v9}
Ravens are known as scavengers. “While ravens were considered an unclean bird (Lev 11:15; Deut 14:14), they make an appearance in the Bible not only as examples of God’s provision but also as messengers with God’s provision. … Here the raven that symbolized God’s care for the animal world was the tool God used to care for Elijah in his hour of need.” – {Read 1 Kings 17:4-6}.
To the young ravens: “…which he mentions, partly, because they were most contemptible, especially to the Jews, to whom they were unclean and forbidden for food; partly, because they are greedy and voracious; and partly, because they are not only neglected by men, but also forsaken by their [mothers] as soon as ever they can fly, and so are wholly left to the care and keeping of Divine Providence.” (Poole)
“The Lord is sovereign over and concerned with all his creation, not only the magnificent stars, but also the lowly creatures on earth. How different is the God of Israel from Baal, whose [supposed] powers of rain and fertility were nothing in comparison!” (VanGemeren).
The LORD spoke to Job, – “Who prepares for the raven its nourishment When its young cry to God And wander about without food?”- {Job 38:41 }. He does!
Even the raven, the young ravens He has mercy upon and compassionately provides for them. I read that the young ravens are vulnerable because ravens do not take care of their young! Though they don’t, God Does! Compassion in action! His Tenderness on display! He heeds the cry of the young raven! And I am reminded me of these verses,” And He said to His disciples, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!”-{Luke 12:22-24}. “Consider the ravens,” contemplate, meditate upon them, they neither sow, nor reap, they have no storehouses, not barn to store for “a rainy day,” and “yet GOD FEEDS THEM…” He provides for them,such is His heart of compassion, provision for them and the point “How much More Valuable you are than birds.” If God takes care of ravens, How much more will He take care of you, Stop worrying!” “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises to our God…” He Provides. He cares…
Looking around at Manifestations of His Creation, Compassion, Provision should cause us with appreciation, worship to look to Him and ” Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving, Sing Praises to our God…” for His Creation, Provision! His Greatness and Graciousness!
Note, what some people give no thought to, including believers, or what some put down to “Mother nature,” the Psalmist attributes to The LORD GOD! He is involved in the making of the clouds, sending or withholding of rain, the grass that grows and the mountains they grow on. He is involved compassionately feeding the animals and even the baby ravens are recipients of His Graciousness, generosity! He Covers, Provides, Makes, Gives… continually… His generosity is on display! Praise Him!
Sometimes we need to stop, and look up, look around and see God in action, His Greatness and Graciousness, Generosity of provision! Acknowledge Him and His provision…Sing His Praises! Sing your gratitude to Him, for His GREATNESS and GOODNESS- His PROVISION!
“Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;{Grateful Praise}
Sing praises to our God on the lyre,
8 Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who provides rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
9 He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens which cry.”- { Psalm 147:7-9}