1 Praise ye Jah! For `it is' good to praise our God, For pleasant -- comely `is' praise.
2 Building Jerusalem `is' Jehovah, The driven away of Israel He gathereth.
3 Who is giving healing to the broken of heart, And is binding up their griefs.
4 Appointing the number of the stars, To all them He giveth names.
5 Great `is' our Lord, and abundant in power, Of His understanding there is no narration.
6 Jehovah is causing the meek to stand, Making low the wicked unto the earth.
7 Answer ye to Jehovah with thanksgiving, Sing ye to our God with a harp.
8 Who is covering the heavens with clouds, Who is preparing for the earth rain, Who is causing grass to spring up `on' mountains,
9 Giving to the beast its food, To the young of the ravens that call.
10 Not in the might of the horse doth He delight, Not in the legs of a man is He pleased.
11 Jehovah is pleased with those fearing Him, With those waiting for His kindness.
12 Glorify, O Jerusalem, Jehovah, Praise thy God, O Zion.
13 For He did strengthen the bars of thy gates, He hath blessed thy sons in thy midst.
14 Who is making thy border peace, `With' the fat of wheat He satisfieth Thee.
15 Who is sending forth His saying `on' earth, Very speedily doth His word run.
16 Who is giving snow like wool, Hoar-frost as ashes He scattereth.
17 Casting forth His ice like morsels, Before His cold who doth stand?
18 He sendeth forth His word and melteth them, He causeth His wind to blow -- the waters flow.
19 Declaring His words to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 He hath not done so to any nation, As to judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye Jah!
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 147
Commentary on Psalms 147 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 147
This is another psalm of praise. Some think it was penned after the return of the Jews from their captivity; but it is so much of a piece with Ps. 145 that I rather think it was penned by David, and what is said (v. 2, 13) may well enough be applied to the first building and fortifying of Jerusalem in his time, and the gathering in of those that had been out-casts in Saul's time. The Septuagint divides it into two; and we may divide it into the first and second part, but both of the same import.
It is easy, in singing this psalm, to apply it to ourselves, both as to personal and national mercies, were it but as easy to do so with suitable affections.
Psa 147:1-11
Here,
Psa 147:12-20
Jerusalem, and Zion, the holy city, the holy hill, are here called upon to praise God, v. 12. For where should praise be offered up to God but where his altar is? Where may we expect that glory should be given to him but in the beauty of holiness? Let the inhabitants of Jerusalem praise the Lord in their own houses; let the priests and Levites, who attend in Zion, the city of their solemnities, in a special manner praise the Lord. They have more cause to do it than others, and they lie under greater obligations to do it than others; for it is their business, it is their profession. "Praise thy God, O Zion! he is thine, and therefore thou art bound to praise him; his being thine includes all happiness, so that thou canst never want matter for praise.' Jerusalem and Zion must praise God,