Israel’s praise to the sovereign Jehovah, who blesseth and rejoiceth over their nation restored to prosperity 

The psalm states that the Lord doth build Jerusalem, and Christ confirmed that when He said, “I will build my church.” He does so by sending His word, and showing His word to those who are then brought to hope in His mercy. He heals their diseases and sins by binding their wounds with Gospel balm. These favoured ones are subjects of His pleasure, as Paul later writes, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” 

Thus the psalm speaks of His goodness to His people, and also of His goodness to all creatures and His government of creation. For such mercies, His peculiar people and holy nation find it exceedingly pleasant and comely, to extol their God in Christ.


Psalm 147

  1  Praise ye the Lord; for it is good
        praise to our God to sing:
     For it is pleasant, and to praise
        it is a comely thing.

  2  God doth build up Jerusalem;
        and he it is alone
     That the dispersed of Israel
        doth gather into one.

  3  Those that are broken in their heart,
        and grieved in their minds,
     He healeth, and their painful wounds
        he tenderly up-binds.

  4  He counts the number of the stars;
        he names them ev'ry one.
  5  Great is our Lord, and of great pow'r;
        his wisdom search can none.

  6  The Lord lifts up the meek; and casts
        the wicked to the ground.
  7  Sing to the Lord, and give him thanks;
        on harp his praises sound;

  8  Who covereth the heav'n with clouds,
        who for the earth below
     Prepareth rain, who maketh grass
        upon the mountains grow.

  9  He gives the beast his food, he feeds
        the ravens young that cry.
 10  His pleasure not in horses' strength,
        nor in man's legs, doth lie.

 11  But in all those that do him fear
        the Lord doth pleasure take;
     In those that to his mercy do
        by hope themselves betake.

 12  The Lord praise, O Jerusalem;
        Zion, thy God confess:
 13  For thy gates' bars he maketh strong;
        thy sons in thee doth bless.

 14  He in thy borders maketh peace;
        with fine wheat filleth thee.
 15  He sends forth his command on earth,
        his word runs speedily.

 16  Hoar-frost, like ashes, scatt'reth he;
        like wool he snow doth give:
 17  Like morsels casteth forth his ice;
        who in its cold can live?

 18  He sendeth forth his mighty word,
        and melteth them again;
     His wind he makes to blow, and then
        the waters flow amain.

 19  The doctrine of his holy word
        to Jacob he doth show;
     His statutes and his judgments he
        gives Israel to know.

 20  To any nation never he
        such favor did afford;
     For they his judgments have not known.
        O do ye praise the Lord.


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