“Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant and praise is becoming.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers the outcasts of Israel.” -{Psalm 147:1-2}
“Hallelujah!” The Psalmist starts off with “Praising the LORD” which is what “Hallelujah” means.”The word “Praise” as uses here is the Hebrew word “Halal” which means, “To be boastful, to praise,” The LORD, {Yahwah}, “the self Existing One,” the “I Am that I Am,” -{Exodus 3:14}. The word “God” is “Elohim,” which speaks of the “Mighty One,” Powerful, Sovereign God. He is the focus of the Psalmist Praise and call to praise for others.”Praise the LORD… sing praises to our God!” Note the personal relationship he and the people had when he says “our,” for it is “good, pleasant, fitting,” for God’s people to praise GOD! And the Psalmist gives them “fuel” for their boasting in praise, with lips, and song, by REMINDING them of what God has done for them…How often we can have battles in our minds of past sin, failures, disappointments, hurts, and we can sink low in despair, discouragement, depression. And it is because we have been thinking over and over and recalling, remembering and bringing up again and again the pain. Not that it is not real, nor to be dismissed, these people had also suffered whom the Psalmist is writing to and he is going to ask them to remember, to call to mind and use as a springboard for celebration, boasting, praise, as He places in front of them truth, as a way of reminder to them, of who the LORD GOD is, and what He has done… He is reminding them of how The LORD has dealt with the nation, and as a result reasons to Praise Him continually …
In verse 2 He gives two reasons;
1.-“The Lord BUILDS up Jerusalem.” The people had been taken away in captivity, and God delivered them and it is Him whom the Psalmist points to, for it is “He who builds up Jerusalem.” He is the One who initiates, enables, empowers others. He has undertaken to build up the city of Jerusalem and He is to be praised, Hallelujah! Here is a “good,” reason to Praise Him, to”sing His praises,” who is “our God!” It is “good, pleasant to do so and is fitting, becoming,” or as the Hebrew word also means is “beautiful!” Let your praises rip! “Praise the LORD!” Keep on praising Him!
2.- “He GATHERS the OUTCASTS of Israel.” He knows where they are, He knows whose they are, and “He GATHERS” them up and returns them to their land. He heals their “broken hearts.” He “Binds up their wounds.” God has not forgotten, abandoned them. God loves them and “Hallelujah,” He is to be praised. Here is another “good,” reason to Praise Him, to”sing His praises,” who is “our God!” It is pleasant to do so and is fitting, becoming or as the Hebrew word also means, “beautiful!” Let your praises rise up with thanksgiving, from your heart, through your lips, in word, in song, accompanied by music! Join in a crescendo of praising Him. He is worthy of Praise! “Praise the LORD!”
He is able to restore, and build up again, be it physical cities, individuals who have been broken down, He is able to gather the outcasts of society and restore them and give Hope. So whether you are presently an “outcast,” treated that way by others, know God loves you and as He has “gathered” up a people in another time and place, so He is the same today, He will not abandon you, for He is committed to you, to love you, restore you where needed but always accepting of you “In Christ.” You may be treated as an “outcast” by your family, school, work place, care-home but you are NOT an “outcast” with God, but one of His, Created by Him, for Him and heading each day closer to be with Him. You are His child, loved, redeemed, forgiven, accepted. God has no “outcasts” in His family! Oh it is good, pleasant, fitting, beautiful for us to choose to continually Praise the LORD our God, for who He is and what He has done for us, His past mercies towards us!
The Psalmist praises the LORD God, and says it is good, pleasant, fitting and beautiful to do so, because of Who He is and also for what HE HAS DONE. He remembers and reminds the people of what God has done and recalls His BLESSINGS to them. He recalls it is Him who “built up Jerusalem.” It is the LORD God, who “gathers the outcasts of Israel” and brings them back to the land.
What can we learn from these verses?
The LORD God, is worthy of Your continual Praise.
What God determines to do, He cannot be thwarted. He accomplishes all His will.
Choose what you will meditate upon. You cannot stop thoughts flying to your mind but you can choose with his help on what you will and continually meditate upon. How? When those destructive thoughts come to tie you down and control you, Recognize it and Replace it with truthful thoughts of God’s goodness, mercies to you, of who He is and what He has done for you! – {Read Phil 2:13, Phil 4:8, 9; Romans 12:2}
Recall past History of His acts to strengthen your faith for present troubles.
Recall past History of His acts as present “fuel” for your faith in Him and praise of Him!
Remind others of why they too should Praise Him and Remind them of His Blessings!
Count your many Blessings, name them one by one and turn them into PRAISE – “HALLELUJAH!”
NAME 4 BLESSINGS AND PRAISE HIM FOR. ASK HIM to Strengthen you and Help you recall and choose what you will think on as a springboard to learning more and more as a new habit to continually PRAISE HIM!
“Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant and praise is becoming.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
He gathers the outcasts of Israel.” -{Psalm 147:1-2}