Psalms

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PSALM 147^*

God’s Word Restores Jerusalem

1Hallelujah!

I

How good to sing praise to our God;

how pleasant to give fitting praise.^a

2The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem,

and gathers the dispersed of Israel,^b

3Healing the brokenhearted,

and binding up their wounds.^c

4He numbers the stars,

and gives to all of them their names.^d

5Great is our Lord, vast in power,

with wisdom beyond measure.^e

6The LORD gives aid to the poor,

but casts the wicked to the ground.^f

II

7Sing 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

9Who 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

11Rather the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,

those who put their hope in his mercy.

III

12Glorify the LORD, Jerusalem;

Zion, offer praise to your God,

13For he has strengthened the bars of your gates,

blessed your children within you.^k

14He brings peace to your borders,

and satisfies you with finest wheat.^l

15^*He sends his command to earth;

his word runs swiftly!^m

16Thus he makes the snow like wool,

and spreads the frost like ash;ⁿ

17He disperses hail like crumbs.

Who can withstand his cold?

18Yet when again he issues his command, it melts them;

he raises his winds and the waters flow.

19He proclaims his word to Jacob,

his statutes and laws to Israel.^o

20He 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.

* [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.

a. [147:1] Ps 33:1; 92:2.

b. [147:2] Is 11:12; 56:8; Jer 31:10.

c. [147:3] Jb 5:18; Is 30:26; 61:1; Jer 33:6.

d. [147:4] Is 40:26.

e. [147:5] Jdt 16:13; Jer 51:15.

f. [147:6] Ps 146:9; 1 Sm 2:7–8.

g. [147:7] Ps 71:22.

h. [147:8] Ps 104:13f; Jb 5:10; Jer 14:22; Jl 2:23.

i. [147:9] Jb 38:41; Mt 6:26.

j. [147:10] Ps 20:8; 33:16–18.

k. [147:13] Ps 48:14.

l. [147:14] Ps 81:17.