Ps.147:5 – Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.
This is one of those verses that is easy to pass over quickly and not catch the full meaning and power in these words. What does David mean when he said that the Lord’s understanding is infinite? David was speaking by the spirit of prophesy of course and he could not have grasped the full impact of these words himself. The understanding of God is also called the personification of His wisdom. Are you getting this? The personification of the wisdom of God is the Word of God who became a man and lived among us. Of course His understanding is infinite because His understanding is actually Jesus, the Son of God. In Christ we are able to glimpse the greatness and goodness of our God. He displayed His power through His miracles and His conquest of death at the resurrection. Here is how Thomas Larkham, describes this verse.
“His understanding is infinite. Hebrew: “Of his understanding there is no number.” God is incomprehensible. In place; in time; in understanding; in love. First, in place; because no place, no space, can be imagined so great, but God exceeds it, and may be found beyond it. Secondly, in time; because he exceeds all time: for be was before all time that can be conceived, and shall be after all lime. Time is a created thing, to attend upon the creation and continuance of all things created and continued by God. Thirdly, in understanding; because no created understanding can comprehend him so that nothing of God may be hid from it. Fourthly, in love because God doth exceed all love: no creature can love God according to his worth. All these ways of incomprehensibleness follow upon his infiniteness.”
Love, love, love this. God exists outside of the universe because He created it, this displays His greatness. He is greater than time because He created that as well, always existing as the great I am. His greatness on display in His wisdom seen clearly in the complexity and harmony of His universe. His greatness is also on full display through His love for us; He displayed His love for sinners at the cross and pours His love upon us in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power;
His understanding is infinite.”