His Understanding Is Beyond Measure – Psalm 147

How are we instructed to understand God’s attributes, His characteristics?  The psalmist says God’s understanding is “beyond measure.”  That means we can think of His intelligence as limitless.  He knows all things, He knows them simultaneously, He knows all potential things that could occur should He choose them to, He can hear every prayer from billions of people, He knows our every thought, and so on.  We can do this for every attribute, His love, His presence, His power, and His justice.

Praise the LORD!

For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.  The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.  He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.  Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.  The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre!  He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills.  He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry.  His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!  Praise your God, O Zion!  For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you.  He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat.  He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.  He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes.  He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold?  He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.  He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel.  He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules.  Praise the LORD!  (Psalm 147 ESV)

After God judged His people and cast them out of the land for their idolatry, He restored them and enabled them to rebuild their capital city and the temple within.  The brokenhearted exiles’ wounds were healed and He restored the humbled ones by His abundant power and immeasurable intelligence, defeating their enemies to do so.  He provided the food and the security they needed, showing them that it is not ultimately their military might that protects them.  And He has a unique relationship with Israel made evident in the giving of His rules, His law, to guide them.  We too can testify to how God has healed and provided for us and established an intimate relationship with us in Jesus.