He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes.He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; Who can stand before his cold?
From where in the Word of God do these words come?
Maybe from Job as he scrapes his boils with a potsherd?
Or perhaps from Lamentations as the author mourns the judgment of God?
Wasn’t there something in Hosea about the judgment being so severe that the people would say to the mountains, “Cover us,” and to the hills, “Fall on us”? Maybe these words about the snow, frost, and cold was somewhere around there.
Some of us associate the winter with everything wrong with creation. I struggle with this myself. For that reason, it’s helpful to be reminded what the Word says about these things.
The above verses come from Psalm 147…a psalm of praise:
Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. (Psa. 147:1) The entire psalm follows this opening verse, calling for a song of praise by recounting why a song of praise is fitting. All of the reasons listed could be summarized by verse 5: Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
Here is just a smattering of the examples of his greatness, power, and understanding:
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (v3)
The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground. (v6)
The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. (v11)
For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you. (v13)
He fills you with the finest of the wheat. (v14b)
He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel. (v19)
And yes, the psalmist also notes that it is the powerful word of God that sends the snow/frost/cold. It is His Word that causes it all to melt, bringing Spring. All these things are demonstrations of His abundant power and understanding, for which He is worthy of praise.
Perhaps then, while we scrape the ice, shovel the snow, and feel the cold, these signs of winter should serve as reminders that the great power and understanding of God is also currently at work…
…binding up our broken hearts…
…bringing justice upon the earth…
…taking pleasure in His people…
…blessing our children…
…meeting our every need…
…and making Himself known to us through His Word.
And let us heed the words of the psalm: Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
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