Day 32: Psalm 147

One of the curious pieces of the Psalms is that God has a keen interest in human beings engaging in and enjoying His world.

In Psalm 147, the Psalmist is clearly aware that God can do as He pleases:

He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. Psalm 147:8-9

This is His world. We are dependent on Him. At the same time, He enjoys seeing us engage and enjoy. A few verses later…

He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat. Psalm 147:13-14

God has set the conditions for flourishing. He provides the rain, the grass, and the cattle. This is a given. But how do we “strengthen the bars of our gates” and have “peace to our borders?” The context here is ancient Jerusalem, but the concept is applicable to us. We gain “strength” and “peace” through being good citizens, good neighbors, practicing honor and integrity in our relationships, raising our children with integrity, doing meaningful labor and so on.

Here’s the idea: there is much that God has given for us to enjoy, but there is much that we have to work for to enjoy. If we refuse to engage in the world with character, we won’t flourish. It’s strange, God could have given us food without us plowing and hunting, but instead, the way in which He feeds us is by us working the land with meaningful labor. He could easily mandate peace, but He wants us striving to be good neighbors. He’s banking on our participation. He’s like a good parent, He won’t do our schoolwork for us. He’s forcing us to be diligent.

Today, when you wake up for work, you are fulfilling a great calling that makes peace within the borders and it strengthens the bars of our gates. In a time when so many are out of work, let’s pray for them to find meaningful vocation again. It is God’s will that all of our brothers and sisters participate in the cultivating of the Earth. At a time when life seems “weaker” and less “peaceful,” let us remember that all social engagement matters. Every can of food bought, every homework assignment you help a child complete, every temperature you check as a nurse, every brief you file as a lawyer, it’s all bringing peace and strength.

In the same way we marvel at God’s work, He is marveling at yours.

Jared