Unknown
Psalm 147
Scripture (KJV)
1Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
2The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
3He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
4He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
5Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
6The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
7Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
8Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
9He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
10He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man;
11The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
12Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion:
13For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.
14He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.
15He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.
16He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes:
17He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?
18He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.
20He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.
Summary
Psalm 147 is a hymn of praise that moves with breathtaking ease between the cosmic and the intimate. It opens by declaring that praise is good, pleasant, and comely. The Lord builds Jerusalem, gathers outcasts, heals the brokenhearted, binds up their wounds, counts the stars, and calls them each by name. His understanding is infinite; He lifts up the meek and casts the wicked to the ground. The psalm celebrates God’s provision in nature: clouds, rain, grass on the mountains, food for beasts and young ravens. It then insists that God takes no pleasure in the strength of the horse or the legs of a man, but in those who fear Him and hope in His mercy. Jerusalem is summoned to praise because God has strengthened her gates, blessed her children, made peace in her borders, and filled her with the finest wheat.
The closing verses celebrate God’s rule over winter—snow like wool, frost like ashes, ice like morsels—and His word that melts them and makes the waters flow. Finally, He has shown His word and statutes to Jacob in a way He has not done for any other nation. The major themes are praise, God’s sovereignty over creation, His compassion, His word, and His covenant with Israel. Practically, the psalm teaches that the God who numbers the stars heals the brokenhearted, and that His pleasure is in those who fear Him, not in human strength. The great lesson is that praise is the proper response to a God who is both infinite and intimate.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 147
Praise the Lord, for it is good to sing praises to our God. You build up Jerusalem and gather the outcasts of Israel. You heal the broken in heart and bind up their wounds. You tell the number of the stars and call them all by name; great is our Lord and of great power, His understanding infinite. You cover the heavens with clouds, prepare rain for the earth, make grass grow on the mountains, and feed the beasts and young ravens that cry. You do not delight in the strength of the horse, but take pleasure in those who fear You and hope in Your mercy. Make peace in my borders and fill me with the finest of the wheat. Send Your word swiftly to melt every winter in my soul, and make the waters flow. Praise the Lord! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1How does the God who numbers the stars also heal the brokenhearted?
- 2Where am I tempted to trust "the strength of the horse" rather than the fear of the Lord?
- 3What "winter" in my soul needs God’s word to melt it and make waters flow?
- 4How does God’s special revelation to Israel shape my gratitude today?
Related Psalms
Psalm 146
“Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul.”
Psalm 146 opens the final Hallel of the Psalter (Psalms 146-150), each of which begins and ends with "Praise ye the Lord" (Hallelujah).
Read morePsalm 148
“Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights.”
Psalm 148 is a cosmic call to praise that summons every level of creation to worship the Lord.
Read morePsalm 33
“Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.”
A call to praise the Creator whose word and counsel stand forever.
Read morePsalm 103
“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
Psalm 103 is a soaring hymn of thanksgiving for God’s mercies.
Read morePsalm 145
“I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.”
Psalm 145 is an acrostic of praise, the only psalm titled "David’s Psalm of praise," and the gateway to the final doxology of the Psalter (Psalms 145-150).
Read moreRelated Articles
Support BookofPsalms.org
If you find BookofPsalms.org helpful and would like to support the website, you may make a voluntary contribution through PayPal. Your support helps pay for the operation, hosting, maintenance, development, content, security, and continued improvement of BookofPsalms.org.
Independent Website & Contribution Disclosure
BookofPsalms.org is an independently operated, privately owned website. BookofPsalms.org is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or operated by any church, denomination, ministry, religious organization, charity, or nonprofit organization.
All funds contributed through BookofPsalms.org are received by the privately owned company that operates the website. Funds may be used by the company to support website hosting, maintenance, development, content creation, administration, advertising, technology, and other business and operating expenses.
Contributions are voluntary and are NOT tax-deductible charitable donations. BookofPsalms.org does not represent contributions as charitable donations or contributions to a nonprofit, church, ministry, or tax-exempt religious organization.
Receive weekly Psalms and prayers
A gentle Psalm, an original prayer, and a short reflection—delivered once a week.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.