Psalms147
New King James Version
1 Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.
5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8 Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
9 He gives to the beast its food, And to the young ravens that cry.
10 He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders, And fills you with the finest wheat.
15 He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes;
17 He casts out His hail like morsels; Who can stand before His cold?
18 He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19 He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them. Praise the Lord!
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Psalms 147Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Psalms 147. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: 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).
vv1-11
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.
vv12-20
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, Joh 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.
Key Words
הָלַל: to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make ashow, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
טוֹב: good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
זָמַר: play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
נָעִים: delightful (objective or subjective, literal or figurative)
תְּהִלָּה: laudation; specifically (concretely) a hymn
נָאוֶה: suitable, or beautiful
בָּנָה: to build (literally and figuratively)
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
Cross References
Psalms 147Moses notes Israel's unique status in receiving God's laws, matching the psalm's final declaration.
Supported by JFB
Parallels God calling stars by name as proof of His sovereign power to save.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts God's ability to count and name the stars with Abraham's inability to number them.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Confirms that God rejects physical strength (horses and armies) and favors those who fear Him.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Prophetic parallel of the Lord gathering the outcasts of Israel and dispersed of Judah.
Supported by JFB
Almost identical imagery of God providing food for the young ravens when they cry.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates how God sends His swift word to heal, deliver, and command nature.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Paul confirms that Israel's chief privilege was being entrusted with the oracles of God.
Supported by John Calvin
Identical language declaring that singing praises to God's name is pleasant.
Supported by JFB
Christ declares His Messianic mission to heal the brokenhearted, fulfilling this divine office.
Supported by Matthew Henry
God dwells with the contrite and humble, matching His healing of the brokenhearted.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Repeats the theme of the Lord raising up those who are bowed down.
Supported by JFB
Jesus uses the ravens as a lesson in trust, echoing God's care here.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Shows meteorological elements like snow and wind executing God's commanding word.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Internal textual link where God's commanding word directly controls the natural elements.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole