His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. (Psalm 147:10-11)
As the weekend quickly closes out, maybe you are feeling the weight of this upcoming work week. Perhaps you are part of the mass of people going back to school as workers or students, and you are already dreading tomorrow. Maybe you have been feeling the daily pressures of taking care of your family and engaging in various relationships, and you feel like you’ve come to the end of yourself. There’s good news! God delights when His people turn away from their own sinful dependency on themselves and look to Him for strength.
In this psalm, the writer reminds us of our insufficiency to hold up our own lives and God’s total sufficiency to sustain all He has made. J I Packer describes it like this, “If we think of ourselves or others as achievers, creators, reformers, innovators, movers and shakers, healers, educators, benefactors of society in any way at all, we are at the deepest level kidding ourselves. We have nothing and have never had anything that we have not received, nor have we done anything good apart from God who did it through us.”
To combat this lie that we can sustain our own lives, the psalmist reminds us that it is God who heals the brokenhearted (v3), has authority over the environment (v8), and cares for the animals of the world (v9). He alone provides for our families and communities (v13-14). As you reflect deeply on God’s great care over everything He has made, ask the Spirit for strength to look to Him in the work and opportunities that you will have this upcoming week to love God with your entire being and to love your neighbor as yourself. Know that He delights when you hope in Him in all that you do!