Psalm 147:5-15

5 ¹Great is our Lord, and ²abundant in power; ³his understanding is beyond measure.

6 The Lord ⁴lifts up the humble; ^[a] he casts the wicked to the ground.

7 ⁵Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on ⁶the lyre!

8 He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares ⁷rain for the earth; he makes ⁸grass grow on the hills.

9 He ⁹gives to the beasts their food, and to ¹⁰the young ravens that cry.

10 His delight is not in ¹¹the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,

11 but the Lord ¹²takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who ¹³hope in his steadfast love.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!

13 For he strengthens ¹⁴the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you.

14 He ¹⁵makes peace in your borders; he ¹⁶fills you with the ¹⁷finest of the wheat.

15 He ¹⁸sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.

Psalm 147:5-15 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. 147:5 Ps. 48:1
• 2. 147:5 Nah. 1:3
• 3. 147:5 Isa. 40:28; [Job 5:9]
• 4. 147:6 [Ps. 146:8, 9]
• 5. 147:7 Ex. 15:21; [Ps. 95:1, 2]
• 6. 147:7 See 1 Chr. 15:16
• 7. 147:8 See Job 5:10
• 8. 147:8 Ps. 104:14; Job 38:27
• 9. 147:9 Ps. 104:27, 28
• 10. 147:9 See Job 38:41
• 11. 147:10 Ps. 33:17
• 12. 147:11 Ps. 149:4
• 13. 147:11 Ps. 33:18
• 14. 147:13 Neh. 7:3
• 15. 147:14 Ex. 34:24; Prov. 16:7; Isa. 60:17, 18
• 16. 147:14 Ps. 132:15
• 17. 147:14 Ps. 81:16; Deut. 32:14
• 18. 147:15 [Ps. 148:8]

Footnotes

• [a] 147:6 Or 'afflicted'