Psalm 147:1

He Heals the Brokenhearted

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.

Psalm 147:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 147:1

Praise ye the Lord
When he shall reign, as Kimchi connects this psalm with the preceding; the arguments used to engage men to this work are taken partly from the nature of it, as in the next clauses; and partly from what the Lord is and does, as in the following verses; for [it is] good to sing praises unto our God;
it being agreeably to his revealed will, what he enjoins, approves of, and accepts, and is profitable to his people, as well as makes his glory; see ( Psalms 92:1 ) . Some render it, "because [he is] good", as in ( Psalms 106:1 ) ( 107:1 ) ; but the accents, and what follows, will not admit of this sense; for it [is] pleasant;
to our God; with which the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions, join this clause; the sacrifice of praise is more pleasing to the Lord than any ceremonial sacrifice, especially when offered from a grateful heart in the name of Christ, and with a view to his glory; and it is pleasant to saints themselves, when grace is in exercise, and they make melody in their hearts to the Lord; [and] praise is comely:
is due to the Lord, and becomes his people to give it to him; it is but their reasonable service, and a beautiful and lovely sight it is to see the chosen, redeemed, and called of the Lamb, harping with their harps, and singing the song of redeeming love.

Psalm 147:1 In-Context

1 Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

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

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

Cross References

• 1. 147:1 See Ps. 135:1
• 2. 147:1 Ps. 92:1
• 3. 147:1 Ps. 135:3
• 4. 147:1 Ps. 33:1

Footnotes

• [a] 147:1 Or 'for he is beautiful'