Salmi 147

1 LODATE il Signore; Perciocchè egli è cosa buona e dilettevole di salmeggiar l’Iddio nostro; La lode è decevole.

2 Il Signore è quel ch’edifica Gerusalemme; Egli raccoglierà i dispersi d’Israele.

3 Egli è quel che guarisce quelli che hanno il cuor rotto, E fascia le lor doglie;

4 Che conta il numero delle stelle; Che le chiama tutte per li nomi loro.

5 Il nostro Signore è grande, e di gran forza; La sua intelligenza è infinita.

6 Il Signore solleva i mansueti; Ed abbatte gli empi fino a terra.

7 Cantate al Signore con lode; Salmeggiate colla cetera all’Iddio nostro;

8 Il qual copre il cielo di nuvole, Ed apparecchia la pioggia alla terra, E fa che i monti producono l’erba.

9 Che dà la sua pastura al bestiame. A’ figli de’ corvi, che gridano.

10 Egli non si compiace nella forza del cavallo; Egli non gradisce le gambe dell’uomo.

11 Il Signore gradisce quelli che lo temono, Quelli che sperano nella sua benignità.

12 Gerusalemme, celebra il Signore; Sion, loda il tuo Dio.

13 Perciocchè egli rinforza le sbarre delle tue porte; Egli benedice i tuoi figliuoli in mezzo di te.

14 Egli è quel che mantiene il tuo paese in pace; Che ti sazia di grascia di frumento;

15 Che manda il suo dire in terra; E la sua parola corre velocissimamente;

16 Che manda la neve a guisa di lana; Che sparge la brina a guisa di cenere;

17 Che getta il suo ghiaccio come per pezzi; E chi potrà durar davanti al suo freddo?

18 Egli manda la sua parola, e fa struggere quelle cose; Egli fa soffiare il suo vento, è le acque corrono.

19 Egli annunzia le sue parole a Giacobbe; I suoi statuti e le sue leggi ad Israele.

20 Egli non ha fatto così a tutte le genti; Ed esse non conoscono le sue leggi. Alleluia.

Salmi 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.

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.