Faith Daily Lectio Wednesday, October 21, 2026 Morning Psalm
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 · Wednesday in the week of the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24)
Morning Psalm
Oratio (prayer)
Lord, You heal the broken in heart and call the stars by name. Send Your Holy Spirit as I pray Psalm 147 this morning, that I may praise You and hope in Your mercy in Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Meditatio (meditation)
Psalm 147:1-11
1Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
2The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
3He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
4He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
5Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
6The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
7Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
8Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
9He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
10He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
11The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
Consider even rereading in another translation.
You could also consider listening to this chapter, narrated:
KJV (Max McLean) · ESV (Max McLean) · NIV (dramatized)
You might read the whole reading slowly, aloud, more than once.
Consider this verse, for example:
“The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” (Psalm 147:11)
What other lines speak to you?
The Law "He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man" (v. 10). We tend to admire strength and to trust in our own. But God "casteth the wicked down to the ground" (v. 6), and all the strength we bring is nothing before Him.
The Gospel "The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy" (v. 11). God does not wait for us to be strong. "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds" (v. 3). Jesus was wounded for you, and by His wounds you are healed. "The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel" (v. 2), and He gathers you into His Church.
Prayer Lord, I confess that I have trusted my own strength and admired the strength of others more than Your mercy. Forgive me for Jesus' sake. Heal my broken heart, bind up my wounds, and let me hope in You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tentatio (trial)
A broken heart can feel small and unseen. The Psalm sets two things side by side: "He telleth the number of the stars" (v. 4), and He heals the broken in heart. Under trial it may help to look up at the night sky and remember that the One who names every star knows your name and binds up your wounds.
Prayer Lord, You know my wounds better than I do. Bind them up, lift me up when I am low, and keep my hope in Your mercy. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
My church home: Peace Lutheran Church, McMurray, PA. Looking for a church? See About Daily Lectio.
