Psalms 147:15-20

15 [He] sends out his command to [the] earth; his word runs swiftly.
16 [He] gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes;
17 [he] throws his hail like crumbs. Who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word and melts them; he blows his breath, the water flows.
19 [He] declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not done so for any nation, and they do not know [his] ordinances. Praise Yah.

Psalms 147:15-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 147

This psalm is thought to be written by David, and according to Theodoret predicts the return of the Jews from Babylon, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem by Zerubbabel, which seems to be grounded on Ps 147:2; though the words there agree well enough with the times of David; hence the title in the Septuagint, Ethiopic, Arabic, and Syriac versions, and Apollinarius, is as the preceding; the Syriac adds,

``concerning Zerubbabel and Joshua the priest, and Ezra, who were solicitous and diligent in building Jerusalem.''

Aben Ezra and other Jewish writers think it foretells the future rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the restoration of the Jews from their present captivity, and refer it to the times of the Messiah; and so far it may be right, that it respects Christ and the praise of him, on account of his nature and works; and may take in the conversion of the Jews. It seems to be written by the same person, and on the same account, as the preceding psalm.

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Or "utterance"
  • [b]. With slight alteration of the Hebrew, the line might read "before his cold water stands"
  • [c]. Hebrew hallelujah
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.