“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” —Psalm 147:3

Psalm 147 is a song of praise. It bursts with joy, gratitude, and awe at who God is and what He does. But tucked into its soaring celebration is something surprisingly gentle and tender: God sees the brokenhearted—and He binds up their wounds.

It’s easy to be swept up in the majesty of God when reading this psalm. He names the stars, commands the clouds, and feeds the earth. But when we read Psalm 147 through the eyes of a child, we notice something deeper: the same God who rules the universe also bandages skinned knees and listens to trembling prayers in the night.

A Heart That Notices the Hurting

Children are experts in noticing the small things. They stop to watch ants march in a line. They pick up feathers from the ground. They cry over scraped elbows and unfair words. And they believe that someone will notice their hurt—that someone will care.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (v. 3)

To a child, this verse means: God sees me when I’m hurting. He’s not too busy. He doesn’t rush past. That’s powerful. Because so much of life teaches us to toughen up or stay silent about our pain. But this psalm reminds us—like a child—that it’s okay to need healing, and it’s okay to cry.

God isn’t annoyed by our pain. He gently wraps it in His love.

The God of the Big and Small

Psalm 147 paints a stunning picture:
“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” (v. 4)

Children love stars. They’re fascinated by the night sky, by things that sparkle and shine far away. But what amazes them even more is the idea that God knows every single star’s name—and still knows theirs, too.

That’s the wonder of Psalm 147: The same God who created galaxies also cares if you’re scared, or sick, or lonely. The same God who covers the sky with clouds also covers you with mercy. To a child, this isn’t abstract—it’s beautiful and personal. It means they’re never lost in the crowd.

What Delights God?

“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” (v. 10–11)

This is one of the most childlike truths in all of Scripture: God isn’t impressed by how strong you are—He delights in your hope.

Children don’t have status or power. They can’t earn favor or prove themselves with accomplishments. But they can love deeply. They can trust completely. That’s what God delights in—not might, but faith. Not perfection, but hope in His love.

Psalm 147 tells us that we don’t need to impress God. We just need to come to Him, small and open, like a child who knows they’re loved.

Singing Our Thanks

The psalm begins and ends with praise:
“Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!” (v. 1)

Children sing freely. Loudly. Off-key. Unselfconsciously. They don’t wait for perfect circumstances or polished lyrics. They sing because they feel something, and they want someone to hear.

God hears.

As believers, we walk with people in hard places. But Psalm 147 reminds us that healing and praise belong together. That even while wounds are still fresh, we can lift our voices like children—because we are safe in the hands of a God who names the stars and still chooses to love us most of all.