Show Don't Tell: Psalm 147

Instead of saying "God restores Jerusalem and controls nature," count the stars. "Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!" Good, pleasant, fitting—aesthetics of praise. "The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Exiles gathered, hearts healed, wounds bandaged. "He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name." Stars counted and named—each one. "Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit." Contrast: "The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground." Humble sustained, wicked floored. Nature control: "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." Cloud maker, rain sender, grass grower, raven feeder. "His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a runner; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love." Not impressed by strength. Weather power: "He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow." Snow as wool, frost as ashes, hail as pebbles, ice melting at his word. "He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD."