Text -- Psalms 147:1-18 (NET)

Psalm 147

147:1 Praise the Lord, for it is good to sing praises to our God! Yes, praise is pleasant and appropriate! 147:2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, and gathers the exiles of Israel. 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted, and bandages their wounds. 147:4 He counts the number of the stars; he names all of them. 147:5 Our Lord is great and has awesome power; there is no limit to his wisdom. 147:6 The Lord lifts up the oppressed, but knocks the wicked to the ground. 147:7 Offer to the Lord a song of thanks! Sing praises to our God to the accompaniment of a harp! 147:8 He covers the sky with clouds, provides the earth with rain, and causes grass to grow on the hillsides. 147:9 He gives food to the animals, and to the young ravens when they chirp. 147:10 He is not enamored with the strength of a horse, nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs. 147:11 The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love. 147:12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! 147:13 For he makes the bars of your gates strong. He blesses your children within you. 147:14 He brings peace to your territory. He abundantly provides for you the best grain. 147:15 He sends his command through the earth; swiftly his order reaches its destination. 147:16 He sends the snow that is white like wool; he spreads the frost that is white like ashes. 147:17 He throws his hailstones like crumbs. Who can withstand the cold wind he sends? 147:18 He then orders it all to melt; he breathes on it, and the water flows.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Psa 147:1

¹ sn Psalm 147. The psalmist praises the Lord for he is the sovereign ruler of the world who cares for the needs of his covenant people.

² tn Or “for.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:2

¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

NET Notes: Psa 147:3

¹ tn Heb “the one who heals.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:5

¹ tn Heb “and great of strength.”

² tn Heb “to his wisdom there is no counting.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:6

¹ tn Heb “brings down.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:7

¹ tn Heb “sing to the Lord with thanksgiving.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:8

¹ tn Heb “the one who covers.”

² tn Heb “hills.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:9

¹ tn Heb “which cry out.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:10

¹ tn Heb “he does not desire the strength of the horse, he does not take delight in the legs of the man.” Here “the horse” refers to the war horse used by ancient Near Eastern chariot forces, and “the man” refers to the warrior whose muscular legs epitomize his strength.

NET Notes: Psa 147:11

¹ tn Heb “those who fear him.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:13

¹ tn Heb “your sons.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:14

¹ tn Heb “the one who.”

² tn Heb “he makes your boundary peace.”

³ tn Heb “satisfies you with.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:15

¹ tn Heb “the one who.”

² tn Heb “the one who sends his word, the earth.” The Hebrew term אֶרֶץ (’erets, “earth”) is an adverbial accusative; one must supply a preposition before it (such as “through” or “to”) in the English translation.

³ tn Heb “swiftly his word runs.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:16

¹ tn Heb “the one who gives snow like wool, frost like ashes he scatters.”

NET Notes: Psa 147:17

¹ tn Heb “his ice.”

² tn Heb “Before his cold, who can stand?”

NET Notes: Psa 147:18

¹ tn Heb “he sends his word and melts them.”

² tn Heb “he blows his breath.”