147 Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant,1 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.
6 The Lord lifts up the humble;2
he casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre!
8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
he prepares rain for the earth;
he makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the beasts their food,
and to the young ravens that cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders;
he fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;
who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules3 to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his rules.4
Praise the Lord!
Section Overview
Like Psalm 146, this hymn of praise begins and ends with “Praise the Lord!” Here the praise is focused on gratitude for some great work of “building up Jerusalem” (whether rebuilding it after the exile or the continued nourishing of it) and for the Creator, who sustains his creation, especially his chosen people as they depend on him. The psalm alternates between universality (God rules over and cares for all, for which the skies are the recurring image) and particularity (he has set his own people apart and cares for them).
Each new section begins with an imperative: “praise” (147:1), “sing” (v. 7), and “praise” (v. 12). The first two are plural in form, while the third is addressed to Jerusalem and therefore is corporate as well.
Section Outline
I. Praise the Lord Who Sustains the Humble (147:1–6)
II. Praise the Lord Who Provides for Those Who Fear Him (147:7–11)
III. Praise the Lord Who Favors Jerusalem (147:12–20)
Response
Psalm 147, a hymn of praise, should build up among the faithful a disposition of thankfulness as they reflect on God’s provision for his people—food, protection, and, above all, his Word. What we know of the history of Jerusalem after the exile shows that this gratitude would not have come easily; the city’s situation among the nations was often precarious, and the fulfillment of the promises to Israel, and ultimately to the world, would have seemed impossible. The reference to the skies, which Israel shared with all peoples, would stress the universality of God’s rule over all things—and the faithful would see that universality as serving the well-being of Israel!
The third section (vv. 12–20) leaves out the issue of conditionality, namely, the importance of the people’s faithful adherence to the covenant so that the Lord would prosper their land.802 However, the psalm focuses on God’s gracious dealings, including (apparently) the rebuilding of Jerusalem (v. 2) after the severe chastisement of the exile, and therefore invites the worshipers to approach the coming years with optimism and trust. The psalm need not speak explicitly about the conditions since it is not a theological treatise; not mentioning something is not the same as denying it. Indeed, the sensible members of the congregation can certainly draw the right conclusions from what the people have undergone!
Christians celebrate God’s continuing faithfulness to Israel, in that he preserved the family of David and brought Jesus as the fulfillment of his promises. Now the special grace shown to Israel (v. 20) is extended to both Jews and Gentiles as they put their trust in Jesus (Eph. 3:6).Psalm 147
Psalm 148