I delight in nature; what does God delight in?

One of the things that make me happy in life is sitting still somewhere in the untamed wildness of nature, and being awed by the amazing creation that God has made.

Whether I'm by the ever-changing, roaring, peaceful, beautiful, threatening ocean; at the top of a rocky mountain looking down on the green world below, or staring up at the amazing endless night sky with its infinite stars, I am always overwhelmed at how insignificant I am and how powerful, creative, huge, and worthy of adoration God is!

So imagine how stoked I was to discover this Psalm:

Psalm 147

1 Praise the LORD.
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the exiles of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.

5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.

6 The LORD sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make music to our God on the harp.

8 He covers the sky with clouds;
he supplies the earth with rain
and makes grass grow on the hills.

9 He provides food for the cattle
and for the young ravens when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of a man;

11 the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.

12 Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion,

13 for he strengthens the bars of your gates
and blesses your people within you.

14 He grants peace to your borders
and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

15 He sends his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.

16 He spreads the snow like wool
and scatters the frost like ashes.

17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles.
Who can withstand his icy blast?

18 He sends his word and melts them;
he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word to Jacob,
his laws and decrees to Israel.

20 He has done this for no other nation;
they do not know his laws.
Praise the LORD.

What are we, that the God of our HUMONGOUS planet, on which there are 6 BILLION people, might have chosen us as His children? Nothing. We are nothing. And that, dear friends, is what's so amazing about grace.