First Mennonite Church
July 27, 2025
It Is Fitting to Praise the Lord
Text: Psalm 147
Psalm 147 is part of the closing theme of the book of Psalms. It is one of five praise songs called the Hallel Psalms. The word “Hallelu-yah,” literally means “Praise the Lord” in Hebrew. Praise is the closing theme of the book of Psalms, which follows the pattern of most of the sections/chapters in the book. Regardless of the nature of the individual psalm, whether it is a prayer for safety, thanksgiving, or lament, it usually ends with praise.
According to Psalm 147, praise is the joyful affirmation of God’s sovereignty and the celebration of his goodness and care for his entire creation. However, it is helpful to know that this Psalm was born out of Israel’s crisis after they returned to their homeland from the Babylonian exile. Upon returning from exile, their towns and cities, especially Jerusalem, still bore the scars of the destruction they suffered some 70 years before. The generation of those left behind was still struggling to survive. And those coming back from exile were lost, confused, heartbroken, and uncertain about the future in a place completely unknown to many of them. So, they needed encouragement, a renewed affirmation of God’s faithfulness, comfort, and protection, which are beautifully stated in this psalm.
Praise is the declaration that the entire cosmos, its people, creatures, and the natural beauty of creation belong to God. Praise is the declaration that we belong to this God. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture, as the psalmist exclaims.
The psalmist declares that praising God is not only good, but also pleasant and fitting for God’s people to do.
Life is not always easy and rosy; thus, sometimes we might feel down in our spirit. Yet, many in their low moments in life are given the advice to “stop feeling sorry for themselves,” to “chin up,” and to keep pushing forward. We know it is not easy to avoid self-pity entirely. And maybe that was how the Israelite returnees were feeling. Therefore, to them was given the command to “praise the Lord.”
In the case of Israel, she was reminded that singing praises to God was delightful and good. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
There is something special about singing, regardless we stay in key or not. Singing is the outer expression of a joyful and thankful heart. And singing to the Lord not only glorifies and honors God, but also benefits us when we sing.
Researchers have found that singing enhances our emotional health. Feeling grateful is good because it helps the body to produce the right balance of chemicals that are necessary for good physical and mental health. Thus, it becomes easier for us to have good relationship with others.
According to the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, gratitude increases our mental health and helps to heal traumatic experiences.[1] Thus, it is not wonder why God, in his grace, recommended his fearful and confused people to resort to singing praises and to remind them of his faithfulness and provisions.
How good it is to sing praises to our God! Says the psalmist.
Praise is also pleasant. Nobody has to tell us that when we sing we do not sound like the West Coast Mennonite Men’s Chorus or The Tabernacle Choir, yet we still feel the joy of praising God. By praising God together in song, we experience the joy and pleasure of spiritual unity and harmony before God. God does not expect congregational singing to be four-part harmony, not that such a way of singing is not acceptable to the Lord. The Lord loves when we sing with our heart and mind focused on what we are singing, but most importantly, when we extol his holy name in singing.
Psalm 150, verse six reads: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Every morning, the songs of birds come in through our open windows. They are praising the Lord for a new day. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Imagine the sounds of a toad croaking its praises to God!
Praise is also fitting for God’s people, says the psalmist. Who else will praise God if we do not praise him? Jesus said it quite clearly. If his people were to stop praising God, the rocks would lift up their voices in praise. God does not expect the unbeliever to praise him, but He does expect it from us. Praising God is the most appropriate response from us in light of God’s sovereignty, love, and care.
There are two kinds of praise songs. One that describes who God is or what he has done, like the first and third choruses we sang this morning. The song “His Name is Wonderful” tells about the character of God, and the second song, “He Has Made Me Glad,” tells what God has done for us. Therefore, one way we praise God is by declaring what God has done for us or by describing the character of God, his love, faithfulness, or power.
The other kind of praise is that in which we give direct exaltation to God. The second song we sang does that. In the song “I Love You Lord and I Lift My Voice . . . .” we address God directly. Through this kind of praise, we tell God of his beauty, love, and character, as we have experienced them. We tell God how much we love him and of our desire to be faithful to him. Another example of direct address to God is the song “You Are My Hiding Place.” Through this kind of praise, we address God in song, like we do in a prayer, and we tell God what he means to us.
The author of this psalm reminded the exile returnees that the God who is Creator of the universe is also involved in their daily lives. Yahweh is the God who rebuilds Jerusalem and who brings back his people from distant places. Yahweh God is portrayed as a nurse who is tenderly dressing the wounds of a hurting child. God is the one who wipes away the tears of those weeping. God is the one who comforts the brokenhearted, like a therapist or counselor in an intimate setting. Yet, the next description about God is that besides attending to the emotional needs of his people, he is also busy keeping the course of the sun, the moon, and the stars. What Abraham could not do, which is to count the stars in the sky, God not only knows and determines their number, but in the poet’s imagination, God also gives each star a unique name.
Verses 8, 9, 15-18, tell of God’s activities in and for creation. He dresses the sky with clouds; he appoints the time for the rain, the snow, and the wind. He causes vegetation to flourish, thus providing food for the beasts of the field. He is concerned for the baby ravens when they are hungry. And as Jesus says, not even a sparrow falls to the ground without God knowing of it (Matthew 10:29).
God is also present among his people. He not only heals the brokenhearted, but he is also like a protective wall around his people. God is in its midst. He makes his people dwell in peace and security. God delights in being with his people and in giving them security and sustenance. Therefore, the psalmist gives this warning:
10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the Lord delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
12 Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion.
Horses in the biblical language are always compared to machines of war. God does not find pleasure in those who put their trust in power or violence; rather, he delights in those who rely on him for their protection. The Lord has pleasure in those who revere and love him. The Lord delights in those who place their hope in his unfailing love.
Therefore, when we praise and worship the Lord, we are not only declaring his goodness and power as if these were abstract ideas, but we are affirming our dependence and trust in his unfailing love, power, and sovereignty. When we praise the Lord, either in song or prayer, we tell God we are his completely.
I want to encourage you to pay close attention to the words of the songs we sing. Sing with your heart. Make of each song a prayer of thanksgiving, a profession of faith, or a moment of solemn adoration to God. Yield before him in worship. Because just as the Lord brought Israel back to their homeland, we have been brought to Christ—God’s saving place. Just as God promised the returnees that he would provide them with their daily sustenance, He also promises to be our provider. Just as Yahweh promised to be Israel’s security, he is our protector. Sing praises to the Lord. If we only take the time and care to see the beauty in creation, we would find plenty of reasons to praise God. Praise the Lord for the butterflies, bees, and even grasshoppers you find in your garden. Praise the Lord for the cool breeze that blows in the evening after a hot day. Praise the Lord when your family gathers around the table at the end of the day. Give praises to the Lord for the joy, peace, and promises he gives through his word. For . . .
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting [it is] to praise him! Amen!
Pastor Romero
[1] Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2003 (quoted in 7 Benefits of Gratitude. www.psychologytoday.com)