In the collection of verses we recite right before the ashrei of pesukei d’zimra, we read the following:

“For [G-d] spoke, and it came into being. G-d issued a command and the world took form. The Lord has chosen Zion, G-d desired it for His dwelling place. The Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, the people Israel as His treasure.”

Placing the creation of the world next to the transcendant act of choosing Zion; and placing Zion next to the immanence of G-d’s presence among the people of Israel is intentionally jarring, perhaps even abrasive—but effective far beyond the words themselves. 

It may be hard to grasp intellectually that the Master of the Universe, whose “place” could encompass whole galaxies, would choose to make a rather small hill in the middle of nowhere his preferred dwelling place. Similarly, it may be hard to grasp intellectually that out of billions of people in the world, G-d inexplicably chose us—stiff-necked, ungrateful, and klutzy as we may be. The use of the literary device of juxtaposition forces us to confront the fundamental strangeness—indeed, just plain weirdness—of these divine choices as realties.

We see similar examples in Ps. 147 (also part of Pesukei d’zimra):

It is good to sing psalms to our G-d, it is pleasant to praise Him. The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, gathers Israel’s dispersed. G-d heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. He numbers all the stars and gives each one a name.

Here, the juxtaposition is between the rehabilitation of our national center of Jerusalem (the focus of our collective mourning); the immensely personal consolation of our individual mourning; and His creation of and dominion over the sun the moon and the stars. This underscores both the vast scope of G-d’s engagement and also describes a set of priorities: national redemption, personal solace, sublime nature.

And a final example: in the first blessing before the Shema, the focus is almost entirely on the great lights of the heavens that G-d created, and the celestial praises G-d receives from the heavenly angels. But then, at the very end of the prayer, we read:

“Praise the Creator of great lights, for His love endures forever.” Cause a new light to illumine Zion. May we all soon share a portion of its radiance.”

Once again, the celestial realm of the sun, moon and stars is balanced against a laser focus on Jerusalem, which someday will be illumined by a divine light of renewal.

May it happen soon.