The Lord Heals the Brokenhearted

February 13, 2021

“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.” - Psalm 147:2-5

Psalm 147 began with the psalmist calling us to praise the Lord, to sing to him, and to recognize how good the Lord is to his people. The Lord is worthy of our praise and adoration for who he is and for all that he has done. Following this call to praise the Lord, the psalmist goes on to remind his readers of all that the Lord has done for them. He has gathered the outcasts of Israel from their exile, and he is building back their city of Jerusalem. While the Lord has disciplined his people, he has continued to know them, love them, and care for them.

In this care for his people, the Lord not only brings them home but then cares for them as a loving father would care for his children. He sees their broken hearts and every single wound. Not only does he see, but he works to bring about their healing. The God of Israel is a personal God who tenderly cares for his people.

The psalmist shifts from this nurturing image of God to the Creator God, the all-powerful God, and the God who is sovereign over all things. As the Creator, God looks down upon his creation. He sees all of it and knows all of it, including every star in the sky. He knows them so intimately that each star is given a name. Israel’s God is abundant in every way – abundant in power, abundant in knowledge, and abundant in love for his people. Though God’s people will never be able to fully understand him and his ways, they are called to marvel and to enjoy the privilege of being his beloved children. If the Lord knows every star by name, how much more does he know and care for his children?

Psalm 147 is just as true for us today as it was for the original readers of this psalm. The Lord is worthy of all our praise, adoration, and worship. Even in the midst of what feels like chaos, the Lord sits secure on his throne. He still knows every star in the sky just as he knows every detail of the coronavirus and everything else affecting us today. The Lord still has all power over the universe and all that happens within his creation, even when we don’t like what is happening. Here is the wonderful news for us: not only does he know everything and have control of everything, but he also still cares intimately for his people.

We are his people; we are the work of his hands. He sees our broken hearts and every single wound, and he longs to minister to those hearts and to care for those wounds. God is still abundant in power and still at work today. Come, let us adore him. Then, sit and wait and see what healing the Lord has for you today. He sees you; he knows you; and he longs to heal all the broken pieces of your life.

Reflection:
Do you believe that God is still a God of healing? Jesus worked miracles of healing all throughout his ministry to demonstrate the heart of the Father. Will you entrust him with your broken heart and with the unhealed wounds in your life today?