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Psalm chapter 147

English Standard Version

1 Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. 2The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. 3He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 4He 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. 6The Lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground. 7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! 8He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. 9He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry. 10His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, 11but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. 12Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! 13For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you. 14He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat. 15He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. 16He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. 17He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? 18He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow. 19He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel. 20He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules. Praise the Lord!

What does Psalm chapter 147 mean?

Like the prior psalm (Psalm 146:1, 10), this song begins and ends with the phrase "praise the Lord!" This is translated from the Hebrew expression halelu-yāh. The last five psalms in this book all begin and end with this word (Psalms 146, 148—150). The psalm may have been written to celebrate the successful rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple (Nehemiah 6:15; 12:27, 44–45). This happened after the people returned from seventy years of exile in Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:17–21).

The psalmist calls for praise of God and notes that wor-ship is a pleasure for God's people. The song celebrates the Lord's work in restoring Israel from exile, creating the universe, and for caring for the weak and disadvantaged (Psalm 147:1–6).

Next the song encourages worship because of the Lord's obvious power. He controls the weather and provides food for all animals. Despite these creations, the Lord is most interested in the reverence and respect of His people (Proverbs 1:7; 1 Samuel 15:22). Be-cause God shows loyal, dedicated love, He is glorified when we trust in Him completely (Psalm 147:7–11).

Finally, the psalmist calls on the people of Israel to worship. This summons refers to Zion, anoth-er name for Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1). God has shown care for the Israelites (Psalm 78:1–4; 136:10–16). He proves His power with His control of nature and the weather. The Lord also demonstrates His great-ness by choosing an unworthy people (Deuteronomy 7:6–8; 9:6)—Israel—to receive His Word and His laws (Exodus 19:5–6).
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Book Summary
The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.
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Chapter Context
In Hebrew, only the psalms use the phrase halelu-yāh, which literally means "praise the Lord!" Psalm 147 begins and ends with this phrase. This song uses many images and themes seen across the other psalms. Zion is Jerusalem, the capital of Israel (2 Samul 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1). God gave Jacob the new name Israel, and Jacob's sons became the tribes of that nation. Only these people—God's cho-sen people (Deuteronomy 7:6)—were privileged to receive His statements in the Old Testament era (Exodus 19:5–6). References to the restoration of Jerusalem (Ezra 1:3–4) and the gathering of exiles (Ezra 2:1) refer to the return from Babylonian captivity (2 Chronicles 36:17–21).
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