He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgments to Israel. He has not done this for every nation; they do not know his judgments. Hallelujah! (Psalms 147:19-20)
Psalm 147 is a psalm that speaks to God’s love for his people. It is a song of praise to God. The first verse sets the mood for the Psalm, “How good it is to sing to our God.” The psalmist goes on to state that “The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem”, heals the broken hearted, helps the oppressed, and brings the wicked to the ground. We might think, of course. That’s what God does. However, the psalmist knows that God rebuilding Jerusalem is a sign of God’s grace.
Jerusalem needs to be rebuilt because it has been destroyed as a result of Israel’s sin. Their sin lead to them being taken into Babylonian captivity and the city and its walls are eventually destroyed. There’s an entire book about that process called the book of Nehemiah that recounts all that it took to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The rebuilt walls meant that God did not give up on his people. He does not abandon them. Instead, it says in Psalm 147:11, “The Lord values those who fear him, those who put their hope in his faithful love.” Have you, like Israel, sinned? If so, do not think that God has abandoned you. If you put your hope in God you can trust that he will remain faithful to you as he as always been to his people.