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Psalms 147

1
Praise the LORD, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.
2
The LORD builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3
He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.
4
He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.
5
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.
6
The LORD upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.
7
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8
who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.
9
He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.
10
He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11
The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
12
Praise the LORD, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!
13
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.
14
He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15
He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.
16
He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.
17
He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?
18
He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19
He shows his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
20
He has not done this for just any nation. They don’t know his ordinances. Praise the LORD!
Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter celebrates the sovereign goodness and faithful care of God in both creation and redemption, weaving together themes of divine power, tender compassion, and unique revelation. It calls Jerusalem and its people to praise the Lord for His acts in restoring the city, healing the afflicted, ordering the cosmos, and granting Israel the unparalleled privilege of His revealed word. The psalm blends doxology with theology, grounding worship in God’s works in nature and history.

Flow.

  • Begins with a call to praise, rooted in the goodness and delightfulness of worship (v. 1).
  • Moves to God’s redemptive acts: gathering the outcasts, healing the brokenhearted, and restoring Jerusalem (vv. 2–3), then expands to His sovereign power in the heavens—numbering and naming the stars (vv. 4–5).
  • Highlights God’s moral government: upholding the humble, casting down the wicked (v. 6), and calls for thanksgiving through music (v. 7).
  • Turns to His providence in nature—sending rain, growing grass, feeding animals (vv. 8–9)—and declares that human strength does not win His favor, but reverence and hope in His steadfast love do (vv. 10–11).
  • Calls Zion to praise for her security, prosperity, and peace (vv. 12–14), then marvels at the speed and power of God’s word in nature (vv. 15–18).
  • Concludes by affirming God’s unique disclosure of His law to Jacob and Israel, a grace not given to other nations, culminating in a final doxological call to praise (vv. 19–20).

Connections.
Following Psalm 146, which celebrates the Lord who executes justice for the oppressed and provides for the hungry, Psalm 147 extends that theme of divine provision into both physical and national restoration, while deepening the emphasis on God's word and creative power. The focus on Jerusalem’s rebuilding and God’s special revelation anticipates Psalm 148, which calls all creation—including celestial bodies and all nations—to praise the Lord, thus universalizing the praise that here is centered on Zion and Israel.

What it teaches.
God is sovereign in both creation and covenant, demonstrating infinite understanding (WCF 2.1), sustaining all things by His power (WCF 5.1), and delighting not in human might but in those who fear Him and trust His mercy (HC LD 9). His care extends to all creatures (; cf. WCF 5.4), yet He has uniquely revealed His statutes to Israel (; cf. WCF 7.5), marking them as recipients of His special grace. The psalm affirms divine omnipotence, omniscience, and particular favor toward the humble, aligning with the pattern of God’s works revealed in Scripture.

Apply.
Worship the Lord with joy, remembering that His word both governs the cosmos and draws near to bind up the broken.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.