Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 147 (MT) / Psalms 146 + 147 (LXX — split at v. 12) celebrates YHWH's rebuilding-of-Jerusalem (post-exilic), care-for-creation (counting-the-stars, providing-for-animals), and special-revelation-to-Israel ('he has not dealt thus with any other nation,' v. 20). The LXX-Vulgate tradition SPLITS the psalm at v. 12 into two psalms — resolving the final accumulated MT-vs-LXX Psalter numbering-difference before Ps 148 onward aligns again.
Notable Variants
147:4 'counts the number of the stars, calls them by name' → divine-cosmic-intimacy; 147:15–18 divine-word sent-forth creation-agent theology; 147:19–20 'he has not dealt thus with any nation' — covenant-particularity and Israel-election.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 147 = LXX Ps 146 (vv. 1–11) + Ps 147 (vv. 12–20) — LXX SPLITS the psalm at v. 12, resolving the Psalter-numbering-offset. 20 verses.
Halleluyah! How good it is to sing to our God, how pleasant — praise is fitting.
'Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting' tracks MT. HALLELUJAH opening.
The LORD is building up Jerusalem. He gathers the scattered of Israel.
'The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel' tracks MT. BUILDS-UP-JERUSALEM — post-exilic return. GATHERS-OUTCASTS — the in-gathering theme that Matthew 24:31 ('he will send out his angels … and they will gather his elect from the four winds') extends eschatologically.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
'He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds' tracks MT. HEALS-THE-BROKENHEARTED. Luke 4:18's 'he has sent me to proclaim good news to the poor … to heal the brokenhearted' (following the longer-LXX reading of Isa 61:1) extends this divine-pastoral work to Jesus' ministry.
He determines the number of the stars. He calls each of them by name.
'He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names' tracks MT. STARS-COUNTED-AND-NAMED. Isaiah 40:26 ('he who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name') parallels. The cosmic-scale-intimacy theology.
Great is our Lord and vast in power. His understanding has no limit.
'Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure' tracks MT. UNDERSTANDING-BEYOND-MEASURE. Romans 11:33–34 ('O depth of the riches') extends.
The LORD sustains the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.
'The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground' tracks MT. LIFTS-HUMBLE / CASTS-WICKED — Magnificat-reversal (Luke 1:52).
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving. Make music to our God on the lyre.
'Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre!' tracks MT.
He covers the sky with clouds. He prepares rain for the earth. He makes grass grow on the mountains.
'He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills' tracks MT.
He gives the animals their food and the young ravens when they cry out.
'He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry' tracks MT. YOUNG-RAVENS-CRYING. Luke 12:24 ('consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap … yet God feeds them') directly echoes — Jesus' anti-anxiety teaching draws on this psalm.
He does not delight in the strength of a horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a warrior.
'His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man' tracks MT. NOT-HORSE-NOR-LEGS — divine-values don't-track military-might or human-athletic-prowess.
The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who wait for his faithful love.
'But the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love' tracks MT. PLEASURE-IN-FEARERS. The LXX-Vulgate tradition ENDS LXX Ps 146 here; LXX Ps 147 begins with v. 12.
Praise the LORD, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!
'Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!' tracks MT. LXX starts Ps 147 HERE — thus resolving the psalter-numbering offset that began at Ps 9+10 merger.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.
'For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you' tracks MT.
He establishes peace on your borders. He satisfies you with the finest wheat.
'He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat' tracks MT. PEACE-IN-BORDERS — shalom as national-gift.
He sends out his command to the earth. His word runs swiftly.
'He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly' tracks MT. DIVINE-WORD RUNS SWIFTLY. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 ('that the word of the Lord may speed ahead' — ho logos tou kyriou trechē) directly echoes.
He gives snow like wool. He scatters frost like ashes.
'He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes' tracks MT. SNOW-LIKE-WOOL — creation's-beauty celebrated.
He hurls his ice like crumbs. Who can withstand his cold?
'He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold?' tracks MT.
He sends out his word and melts them. He blows his wind and the waters flow.
'He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow' tracks MT. SENDS-WORD → MELTS — word-of-God as creation-controller. John 1:3's 'all things were made through him' Christologically extends.
He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgments to Israel.
'He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel' tracks MT. WORD-TO-JACOB — special-revelation theology. Romans 3:2 ('to the Jews were entrusted the oracles of God') extends.
He has not done this for any other nation. They do not know his judgments. Halleluyah!
'He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules. Praise the LORD!' tracks MT. COVENANT-PARTICULARITY — Israel's unique-revelation-access. Deuteronomy 4:32–39 develops the same argument. The closing HALLELUJAH.