Psalms 147:1-11

1 Hallelujah! It's a good thing to sing praise to our God; praise is beautiful, praise is fitting.

2 God's the one who rebuilds Jerusalem, who regathers Israel's scattered exiles.

3 He heals the heartbroken and bandages their wounds.

4 He counts the stars and assigns each a name.

5 Our Lord is great, with limitless strength; we'll never comprehend what he knows and does

6 God puts the fallen on their feet again and pushes the wicked into the ditch.

7 Sing to God a thanksgiving hymn, play music on your instruments to God,

8 Who fills the sky with clouds, preparing rain for the earth, Then turning the mountains green with grass,

9 feeding both cattle and crows.

10 He's not impressed with horsepower; the size of our muscles means little to him.

11 Those who fear God get God's attention; they can depend on his strength.

Psalms 147:1-11 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.