Psalm 147 — Healing Broken Hearts — Aneel Aranha

Praise the LORD.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.
The LORD sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.
Sing to the LORD with grateful praise;
make music to our God on the harp.
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.
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Extol the LORD, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion.
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.
He sends his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
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.
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.

What a beautiful psalm. It's a psalm that celebrates the vastness of God's power and his intimate care for creation. But there's one particular aspect of this psalm that always captures my attention: the healing power of God. The psalmist writes, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” In the midst of our pain, God is there, acting as the ultimate healer.

Let's pause for a moment and think about the brokenhearted. Who hasn't felt the sting of a broken heart? Whether it's the loss of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or the disappointment of unfulfilled dreams, we've all been there. And in those moments, the pain can feel unbearable. But the psalmist reminds us that God is not distant or indifferent to our pain. He's right there with us, ready to heal and restore.

Think about Jesus. Remember his words in the Gospel of Matthew. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,”  he said (Matthew 11:28). Jesus invites us into his rest, offering healing for our weary and burdened souls.

However, Jesus didn't just speak about healing; he demonstrated it. Throughout the Gospels, we read account after account of Jesus healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and even raising the dead. But his healing wasn't limited to physical ailments. He also healed the heart, offering forgiveness to the sinner and hope to the downtrodden.

So, what does this mean for us today? Well, it's a reminder that no matter how deep our wounds, God's healing power is deeper still. When we feel broken, when the weight of the world seems too much to bear, we can turn to the One who mends the brokenhearted. And as we experience his healing touch, we can join the psalmist in singing, "Sing to the LORD with grateful praise.”

God bless you.