USB ~ Psalms 147

God’s Word Restores Jerusalem

1 Hallelujah! How good to sing praise to our God; how pleasant to give fitting praise. a

2 The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem, and gathers the dispersed of Israel, b

3 Healing the brokenhearted, and binding up their wounds. c

4 He numbers the stars, and gives to all of them their names. d

5 Great is our Lord, vast in power, with wisdom beyond measure. e

6 The LORD gives aid to the poor, but casts the wicked to the ground. f

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; with the lyre make music to our God, g

8 † Who covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, makes grass sprout on the mountains, h

9 Who gives animals their food and young ravens what they cry for. i

10 † He takes no delight in the strength of horses, no pleasure in the runner’s stride. j

11 Rather the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his mercy.

III

12 Glorify the LORD, Jerusalem; Zion, offer praise to your God,

13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates, blessed your children within you. k

14 He brings peace to your borders, and satisfies you with finest wheat. l

15 † He sends his command to earth; his word runs swiftly! m

16 Thus he makes the snow like wool, and spreads the frost like ash; n

17 He disperses hail like crumbs. Who can withstand his cold?

18 Yet when again he issues his command, it melts them; he raises his winds and the waters flow.

19 He proclaims his word to Jacob, his statutes and laws to Israel. o

20 He has not done this for any other nation; of such laws they know nothing. Hallelujah! * Psalm 147 The hymn is divided into three sections by the calls to praise in Ps 147:1, 7, 12. The first section praises the powerful creator who restores exiled Judah (Ps 147:1-6); the second section, the creator who provides food to animals and human beings; the third and climactic section exhorts the holy city to recognize it has been re-created and made the place of disclosure for God’s word, a word as life-giving as water.

Footnotes

†. 147:8-9 God clothes the fields and feeds the birds, cf. Mt 6:26, 30 .

†. 147:10-11 Acknowledging one’s dependence upon God rather than claiming self-sufficiency pleases God, cf. Ps 20:8; 33:16-19 .

†. 147:15-19 God speaks through the thunder of nature and the word of revealed law, cf. Is 55:10-11. The weather phenomena are well known in Jerusalem: a blizzard of snow and hail followed by a thunderstorm that melts the ice.

147:1 Ps 33:1; 92:2.
147:2 Is 11:12; 56:8; Jer 31:10.
147:3 Jb 5:18; Is 30:26; 61:1; Jer 33:6.
147:4 Is 40:26.
147:5 Jdt 16:13; Jer 51:15.
147:6 Ps 146:9; 1 Sm 2:7-8.
147:7 Ps 71:22.
147:8 Ps 104:13f; Jb 5:10; Jer 14:22; Jl 2:23.
147:9 Jb 38:41; Mt 6:26.
147:10 Ps 20:8; 33:16-18.
147:13 Ps 48:14.
147:14 Ps 81:17.
147:15 Ps 33:9.
147:16 Jb 6:16; 37:10; 38:22.
147:19 Ps 78:5; Bar 3:37; Dt 4:7-8.