Psalms 147:1-6

1 ¹Praise the LORD! For ²it is good to sing praises to our God; for ³it is pleasant,^[a] and ⁴a song of praise is fitting.

2 The LORD ⁵builds up Jerusalem; he ⁶gathers the outcasts of Israel.

3 He heals ⁷the brokenhearted and ⁸binds up their wounds.

4 He ⁹determines the number of the stars; he ¹⁰gives to all of them their names.

5 ¹¹Great is our Lord, and ¹²abundant in power; ¹³his understanding is beyond measure.

6 The LORD ¹⁴lifts up the humble;^[b] he casts the wicked to the ground.

Psalms 147:1-6 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.

Cross References

• 1. See Psalms 135:1
• 2. Psalms 92:1
• 3. Psalms 135:3
• 4. Psalms 33:1
• 5. Psalms 51:18; Psalms 102:16
• 6. Deuteronomy 30:3; Isaiah 11:12; Isaiah 27:13; Isaiah 56:8; Ezekiel 39:28
• 7. Psalms 34:18
• 8. Ezekiel 34:16
• 9. [Genesis 15:5]
• 10. Isaiah 40:26
• 11. Psalms 48:1
• 12. Nahum 1:3
• 13. Isaiah 40:28; [Job 5:9]
• 14. [Psalms 146:8, 9]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or for he is beautiful
• [b]. Or afflicted