147:1
Praise Yah!
For it is good to make music to our God.
For it is delightful; a [song of] praise [is] appropriate.
147:2
Yahweh [is] building Jerusalem;
he gathers together [the] cast-aways of Israel.
147:3
[He is] healing the ones crushed of heart
and bandaging their wounds.
147:4
[He is] counting [the] number of the stars;
He calls all of them [by their] names [or 'he gives all of them names'].
147:5
Great is our Lord and abounding in strength;
regarding his understanding, there is no limit.
Psalm 147:6
Yahweh [is] restoring the afflicted,
casting down the wicked forever to the earth.
Psalm 147:7
Respond to Yahweh with thanksgiving;
make music to our God with [the] kīnnōr.
147:8
[He is] the [one] covering [the] heavens with clouds,
the one preparing rain for the earth,
the one causing grass to grow [on the] mountains,
147:9
the one giving to [the] beast its food,
to the sons of [the] raven when they call out.
147:10
He does not delight in the strength of the horse.
He does not take pleasure in the legs of man.
147:11
Yahweh [is] taking pleasure in [the one who] fears him,
the ones hoping in his covenant faithfulness.
147:12
Commend Yahweh, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
147:13
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates.
He blessed your sons within your midst.
147:14
[He is] the one establishing peace [within] your borders,
He will satisfy you with the choicest of wheat.
147:15
[He is] the one sending his utterance [into the] earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
147:16
[He is] the one giving snow like wool,
he scatters frost like ash,
147:17
casting out his hail like morsels.
Who will stand before his cold?
147:18
He sends out his word and he melts them;
his wind blows, waters flow.
147:19
[He is] announcing his word to Jacob,
his statutes and judgements to Israel.
147:20
He has not done this for all nations;
and [as for his] judgements, they do not know them.
Praise Yah!
PRAISE YAHWEH FOR REBUILDING & PROVIDING FOR JERUSALEM
[PSALM 147] [20 verses]
PART ONE: CALL TO PRAISE & WHY (vv. 1-6)
Psalm 147:1a WLC Impv הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ
Psalm 147:1a MOMT Praise Yah!
Psalm 147:1b WLC Ki-SNC+Infin ׀ כִּי־טֹ֖וב זַמְּרָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ
Psalm 147:1b MOMT for it is good to make music to our God
Psalm 147:1c WLC Ki-SNC כִּֽי־נָ֝עִים נָאוָ֥ה תְהִלָּֽה׃
Psalm 147:1c MOMT for it is delightful; a [song of] praise [is] appropriate.
[This call to praise is similar to Pss 92:1; 135:1-3]
WHY PRAISE: YAHWEH’S GOODNESS TO EXILED ISRAEL (vv. 2-3)
Psalm 147:2a WLC SNC (ptcp+Renom) בֹּונֵ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה
Psalm 147:2a MOMT Yahweh [is] building Jerusalem;
[Does the participle indicate present action at the time of the Psalm’s composition? Probably. Contrast Psalm 102:16 Qatal+Yiqtol כִּֽי־בָנָ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה צִיֹּ֑ון נִ֝רְאָ֗ה בִּכְבֹודֹֽו׃ || For Yahweh built Zion and he will appear in his glory. Only the Douay-Rheims Bible reflects this translation of the tenses: “For the Lord hath built up Sion: and he shall be seen in his glory.” The LXX Psalm 101:17 ὅτι οἰκοδομήσει κύριος τὴν Σιων; καὶ ὀφθήσεται ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ || For the Lord shall build up Sion [either Future or hortatory subjunctive, let the Lord build Zion], and shall appear in his glory. But it’s most likely that LXX takes both verbs as future. In any case, the participles can still indicate present action.]
Psalm 147:2b WLC X-Yiqtol נִדְחֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל יְכַנֵּֽס׃
Psalm 147:2b MOMT [The] cast-aways of Israel he gathers together.
Psalm 147:3a WLC dependent participial clause הָ֭רֹפֵא לִשְׁב֣וּרֵי לֵ֑ב
Psalm 147:3a MOMT [He is] healing the ones crushed of heart
[Cf. Ps 34:18: קָרֹ֣וב יְ֭הוָה לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי־לֵ֑ב וְֽאֶת־דַּכְּאֵי־ר֥וּחַ יֹושִֽׁיעַ׃
Yahweh [is] near to the ones crushed of heart; and he saves the ones contrite of spirit.]
Psalm 147:3b WLC dependent participial clause וּ֝מְחַבֵּ֗שׁ לְעַצְּבֹותָֽם׃
Psalm 147:3b MOMT and binding up/bandaging their wounds.
[Moses forecast both the disobedience and the gathering of the exiles (Deut 30:3), as did the pre-exilic prophet Isaiah (c. 740-686 BC; Isa 11:12; 27:13; 56:8) and exilic prophet Ezekiel (c. 620-570 BC; Ezek 39:28).]
WHY PRAISE: THE ‘STARS’ COUNTED & CALLED BY NAME (vv. 4-5)
Psalm 147:4a WLC dependent participial clause מֹונֶ֣ה מִ֭סְפָּר לַכֹּוכָבִ֑ים
Psalm 147:4a MOMT counting [the] number of the stars
Psalm 147:4b WLC X-Yiqtol לְ֝כֻלָּ֗ם שֵׁמֹ֥ות יִקְרָֽא׃
Psalm 147:4b MOMT to all/each of them he gives names/calls [by their] names
[Are the stars here a metaphor for the descendants of Abraham who have returned to Jerusalem? In other words, Yahweh has been faithful to his promise to Abraham. It seems to be present, occurring contemporaneously with the writing of the Psalm. Genesis 15:5:
And he brought him [Abram] outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them [וּסְפֹר֙ הַכֹּ֣וכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר].” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Does the verb קָרָא denote the act of naming (ESV, NASB, CSB, NETBible), or the act of calling by name (NIV, AV)? It could be either, but the call by name might be more likely, as against the ESV, etc. Either way it is an intimate expression of God’s love, care for, and commitment to his people].
Psalm 147:5a WLC SNC גָּדֹ֣ול אֲדֹונֵ֣ינוּ וְרַב־כֹּ֑חַ
Psalm 147:5a MOMT Great is our Lord and abounding in strength;
Psalm 147:5b WLC SNC לִ֝תְבוּנָתֹ֗ו אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃
Psalm 147:5b MOMT regarding his intelligence/understanding, there is no limit/count/number.
[Isa 40:26-28 uses similar imagery: Yahweh counting his host (v. 26); and the language of his understanding being beyond humans: אֵ֥ין חֵ֖קֶר לִתְבוּנָתֹֽו׃ || there is no searching out his understanding (v. 28). Verse 5 again emphasizes Yahweh’s surprising and immeasurable wisdom, which Israel’s has learned through the painful experience of exile and return.]
WHY PRAISE: YAHWEH JUDGES JUSTLY FOR THE AFFLICTED
Psalm 147:6a WLC participial clause מְעֹודֵ֣ד עֲנָוִ֣ים יְהוָ֑ה
Psalm 147:6a MOMT Yahweh [is] restoring the afflicted,
Psalm 147:6b WLC participial clause מַשְׁפִּ֖יל רְשָׁעִ֣ים עֲדֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
Psalm 147:6b MOMT [but] abasing/casting down the wicked forever to the earth.
[Re Yahweh’s care for the ‘afflicted one’ and the ‘affliction’ of his people, see 129:1-2; 132:1; 140:12; 147:6; 149:4]
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PART TWO: CALL TO PRAISE & WHY (v. 7-11)
Psalm 147:7a WLC Impv עֱנ֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה בְּתֹודָ֑ה
Psalm 147:7a MOMT Answer/respond to Yahweh with thanksgiving;
Psalm 147:7b WLC Impv זַמְּר֖וּ לֵאלֹהֵ֣ינוּ בְכִנֹּֽור׃
Psalm 147:7b MOMT Make music to our God with [the] lute/lyre (כִּנּוֹר kīnnōr).
[For ṯōḏāh, frequently rendered ‘thanksgiving’, or ‘praise’, sometimes ‘confession’, see also Pss 26:7; 42:4; 50:14, 23; 56:12; 69:30; 95:2; 100:1, 4; 107:22; 116:17; 147:7.]
WHY PRAISE: PROVISION FOR HIS CREATURES (vv. 8-9)
Psalm 147:8a WLC adjectival participial clause הַֽמְכַסֶּ֬ה שָׁמַ֨יִם ׀ בְּעָבִ֗ים
Psalm 147:8a MOMT [He is] the [one] covering [the] heavens with clouds,
Psalm 147:8b WLC adjectival participial clause הַמֵּכִ֣ין לָאָ֣רֶץ מָטָ֑ר
Psalm 147:8b MOMT the one preparing rain for the earth,
[cf. Job 5:10: “the one giving rain upon the face of the earth and sending waters upon the face of the outside streets” || הַנֹּתֵ֣ן מָ֭טָר עַל־פְּנֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְשֹׁ֥לֵֽחַ מַ֝יִם עַל־פְּנֵ֥י חוּצֹֽות׃]
Psalm 147:8c WLC adjectival participial clause הַמַּצְמִ֖יחַ הָרִ֣ים חָצִֽיר׃
Psalm 147:8c MOMT the one causing grass to grow [on the] mountains,
Psalm 147:9a WLC adjectival participial clause נֹותֵ֣ן לִבְהֵמָ֣ה לַחְמָ֑הּ
Psalm 147:9a MOMT the one giving to [the] beast its food,
[Psalm 104:14: “causing to grow the grass for the beast and vegetation for the service of man, causing to bring forth bread from the earth” (cf. 104:27-28) ||
מַצְמִ֤יחַ חָצִ֨יר ׀ לַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וְ֭עֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הָאָדָ֑ם לְהֹ֥וצִיא לֶ֝֗חֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃]
Psalm 147:9b WLC X-yiqtol לִבְנֵ֥י עֹ֝רֵ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִקְרָֽאוּ׃
Psalm 147:9b MOMT to the sons of [the] raven when they call out.
WHAT PLEASES YAHWEH (vv. 10-11)
Psalm 147:10a WLC lo-X-Yiqtol לֹ֤א בִגְבוּרַ֣ת הַסּ֣וּס יֶחְפָּ֑ץ
Psalm 147:10a MOMT He does not delight in the strength of the horse.
Psalm 147:10b WLC lo-X-Yiqtol לֹֽא־בְשֹׁוקֵ֖י הָאִ֣ישׁ יִרְצֶֽה׃
Psalm 147:10b MOMT He does not take pleasure in the legs of man.
Psalm 147:11a WLC Renom-adverbial participial clause רֹוצֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אֶת־יְרֵאָ֑יו
Psalm 147:11a MOMT Yahweh [is] taking pleasure in [the one who] fears him,
Psalm 147:11b WLC participial clause אֶת־הַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדֹּֽו׃
Psalm 147:11b MOMT the ones hoping in/waiting for his covenant faithfulness.
[Verse 10 reminds us about Yahweh’s commands regarding military and waging war. The restoration of Israel has not happened via force of arms or power, but by Yahweh’s wisdom. Psalm 33:17-18 provides a parallel passage with the same themes, shunning the war horse, but fearing Yahweh and waiting upon Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness:
Psalm 33:17 WLC שֶׁ֣קֶר הַ֭סּוּס לִתְשׁוּעָ֑ה וּבְרֹ֥ב חֵ֝ילֹ֗ו לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט׃
Vanity is the horse for salvation and with its great strength it does not deliver.
Psalm 33:17 WLC הִנֵּ֤ה עֵ֣ין יְ֭הוָה אֶל־יְרֵאָ֑יו לַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדֹּֽו׃
Behold, the eye of Yahweh is to the one fearing him, to the one waiting for his covenant faithfulness.]
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PART THREE: CALL TO PRAISE: JERUSALEM, & WHY (vv. 12-20)
Psalm 147:12a WLC Impv שַׁבְּחִ֣י יְ֭רוּשָׁלִַם אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה
Psalm 147:12a MOMT Commend (fs) Yahweh, O Jerusalem!
Psalm 147:12b WLC Impv הַֽלְלִ֖י אֱלֹהַ֣יִךְ צִיֹּֽון׃
Psalm 147:12b MOMT Praise your God, O Zion!
WHY PRAISE: PROVISION, PROTECTION, CHILDREN, FOOD, WATER (vv. 13-18)
Psalm 147:13a WLC Ki-Qatal כִּֽי־חִ֭זַּק בְּרִיחֵ֣י שְׁעָרָ֑יִךְ
Psalm 147:13a MOMT For he has strengthened the bars of your gates.
[Nehemiah 7:1-3 describes the completion of the gates of the restored Jerusalem.]
Psalm 147:13b WLC Qatal בֵּרַ֖ךְ בָּנַ֣יִךְ בְּקִרְבֵּֽךְ׃
Psalm 147:13b MOMT He blessed your sons within your midst.
[Verse 13 answers the desire of Psalm 87:5-7, of children born in Jerusalem.]
Psalm 147:14a WLC adjectival participial clause הַשָּׂם־גְּבוּלֵ֥ךְ שָׁלֹ֑ום
Psalm 147:14a MOMT [He is] the one establishing peace [at/within] your borders,
Psalm 147:14b WLC X-Yiqtol חֵ֥לֶב חִ֝טִּ֗ים יַשְׂבִּיעֵֽךְ׃
Psalm 147:14b MOMT He will satisfy you with the choicest of wheat.
[Israel in the land received the covenant blessing of food (Deut 32:14) and this is promised to the returning exiles (cf. Ps 132:15; 147:14)]
Psalm 147:15a WLC adjectival participial clause הַשֹּׁלֵ֣חַ אִמְרָתֹ֣ו אָ֑רֶץ
Psalm 147:15a MOMT the one sending his utterance [into the] earth;
Psalm 147:15b WLC X-Yiqtol עַד־מְ֝הֵרָ֗ה יָר֥וּץ דְּבָרֹֽו׃
Psalm 147:15b MOMT His word runs very swiftly.
Psalm 147:16a WLC adjectival participial clause הַנֹּתֵ֣ן שֶׁ֣לֶג כַּצָּ֑מֶר
Psalm 147:16a MOMT the one giving snow like wool,
Psalm 147:16b WLC X-Yiqtol כְּ֝פֹ֗ור כָּאֵ֥פֶר יְפַזֵּֽר׃
Psalm 147:16b MOMT he scatters frost like ash,
Psalm 147:17a WLC adverbial participial clause מַשְׁלִ֣יךְ קַֽרְחֹ֣ו כְפִתִּ֑ים
Psalm 147:17a MOMT casting out his hail like morsels.
Psalm 147:17b WLC X-interrog-Yiqtol לִפְנֵ֥י קָ֝רָתֹ֗ו מִ֣י יַעֲמֹֽד׃
Psalm 147:17b MOMT Who will stand before his cold
Psalm 147:18a WLC Yiqtol We-Yiqtol יִשְׁלַ֣ח דְּבָרֹ֣ו וְיַמְסֵ֑ם
Psalm 147:18a MOMT He sends out his word and he melts them;
[Job 37:12; Ps 33:9; 107:20]
Psalm 147:18b WLC Yiqtol+Yiqtol יַשֵּׁ֥ב ר֝וּחֹ֗ו יִזְּלוּ־מָֽיִם׃
Psalm 147:18b MOMT his wind blows, waters flow.
[The snow on Mount Hermon to the north and its consequent run-off waters Jerusalem.]
WHY PRAISE: LAW (vv. 19-20)
Psalm 147:19a WLC adjectival participle מַגִּ֣יד [דְּבָרֹו כ] (דְּבָרָ֣יו ק) לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב
Psalm 147:19a MOMT [He is] announcing his word to Jacob,
Psalm 147:19b WLC dependent חֻקָּ֥יו וּ֝מִשְׁפָּטָ֗יו לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Psalm 147:19b MOMT his statutes and judgements to Israel.
Psalm 147:20a WLC lo-Qatal לֹ֘א עָ֤שָׂה כֵ֨ן ׀ לְכָל־גֹּ֗וי
Psalm 147:20a MOMT He has not done thus to all nations;
Psalm 147:20b WLC X-neg-Qatal וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֥ים בַּל־יְדָע֗וּם
Psalm 147:20b MOMT and [as for his] judgements, they do not know them.
[Deut 4:7-8: 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8 And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so \righteous as all this law that I set before you today? (ESV cf. 4:32-34)]
FINAL CALL TO PRAISE (v. 20)
Psalm 147:20c WLC Impv הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
Psalm 147:20c MOMT Praise Yah!