Psalms 147

It Is Good to Sing Praises

1 Hallelujah! ^[a] How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and lovely to praise Him!

2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the exiles of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars; He calls them each by name.

5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit.

6 The LORD sustains the humble, but casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music on the harp to our God,

8 who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the hills.

9 He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call.

10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

11 The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.

12 Exalt the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion!

13 For He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses the children within you.

14 He makes peace at your borders; He fills you with the finest wheat.

15 He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs swiftly.

16 He spreads the snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes;

17 He casts forth His hail like pebbles. ^[b] Who can withstand His icy blast?

18 He sends forth His word and melts them; He unleashes His winds, and the waters flow.

19 He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel.

20 He has done this for no other nation; they do not know His judgments. ^[c] Hallelujah!

Psalms 147 Commentary

Chapter 147

The people of God are exhorted to praise him for his mercies and care. (1-11) For the salvation and prosperity of the church. (12-20)

Verses 1-11 Praising God is work that is its own wages. It is comely; it becomes us as reasonable creatures, much more as people in covenant with God. He gathers outcast sinners by his grace, and will bring them into his holy habitation. To those whom God heals with the consolations of his Spirit, he speaks peace, assures them their sins are pardoned. And for this, let others praise him also. Man's knowledge is soon ended; but God's knowledge is a dept that can never be fathomed. And while he telleth the number of the stars, he condescends to hear the broken-hearted sinner. While he feeds the young ravens, he will not leave his praying people destitute. Clouds look dull and melancholy, yet without them we could have no rain, therefore no fruit. Thus afflictions look black and unpleasant; but from clouds of affliction come showers that make the soul to yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness. The psalmist delights not in things wherein sinners trust and glory; but a serious and suitable regard to God is, in his sight, of very great price. We are not to be in doubt between hope and fear, but to act under the gracious influences of hope and fear united.

Verses 12-20 The church, like Jerusalem of old, built up and preserved by the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, is exhorted to praise him for all the benefits and blessings vouchsafed to her; and these are represented by his favours in the course of nature. The thawing word may represent the gospel of Christ, and the thawing wind the Spirit of Christ; for the Spirit is compared to the wind, ( John 3:8 ) . Converting grace softens the heart that was hard frozen, and melts it into tears of repentance, and makes good reflections to flow, which before were chilled and stopped up. The change which the thaw makes is very evident, yet how it is done no one can say. Such is the change wrought in the conversion of a soul, when God's word and Spirit are sent to melt it and restore it to itself.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or Hallelu YAH, meaning Praise the LORD; also in verse 20
• [b]. Or like crumbs or like morsels
• [c]. MT; DSS and LXX He has not made known to them His judgments

Chapter Summary

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.