Before looking at my reflection on Psalm 147, I want to make a few suggestions. I have a daily guide called Give Us this Day. Each day begins with morning prayer including a psalm. Once I know the Psalm for the day, I go to the Cambridge Commentary The Psalms by Walter Brueggemann for a detailed commentary on the psalm. I then read slowly the psalm in Richard Gwny’s The Psalms in Haiku which was recommended by a friend and which provides a complete “translation” of the psalm in haiku format. Finally, I attempt to do a haiku reflection on the psalm (not a line by line thing). This technique seems to keep my monkey-mind from racing all over the place—at least for now. Happy psalming!

Psalm 147

How good to praise God
Ever sing hallelujah
Praise God forever.

Praise God in your heart
Where God’s love-image rules all
Living love serving.

Praise God’s creation
Star filled heavens all aglow
Cosmic dust flaring forth.

Praise God’s surging seas
Leviathan and fish abound
Breaking waves crashing.

Our God’s steadfast love
Suffices to sustain all life
War horses will not.

God gifts us with peace
Slalom well-being blessing
Our every life breath.

Follow the Gospel law
God brings us into new life
Unlike the wicked.

Praise God in temple
In your hearts and all creation
Sing hallelujah.