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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Psalms 147:1-20

Psalm PSALM—NOTE ON Psalms 147:1. Here the praise is focused on gratitude for some great work of “building up Jerusalem” (or rebuilding it after the exile), and for the Creator who sustains his creation. The psalm alternates between universality (God rules over all) and particularity (he has set his own people apart and cares for them).

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See also Psalms 147:1-20 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    PSALM CXLVII _The psalmist praises God for his goodness to Jerusalem_, 1-3; _shows his great mercy to them that trust in him_, 4-6; _he extols him for his mercies, and providential kindness_, 7-11;...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    PRAISE YE THE LORD - Hallelu-jah. See Psalms 146:1. FOR IT IS GOOD TO SING PRAISES UNTO OUR GOD - See the notes at Psalms 92:1 : “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.” FOR IT IS PLEASANT...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    PSALM 144-150 THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS The five Psalms with which this marvellous book closeth are all Psalms of praise. The word “praise” is found in the Hebrew thirty-seven times. Each one of these Ps...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    CXLVII. The LXX, perhaps rightly, divides the Ps. into two, Psalms 147:1 and Psalms 147:12. PSALMS 147:1. An invitation to praise Yahweh for His almighty power and His kindness to Israel. Observe how...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    The second of these five Hallelujah Psalms, the EXODUS Psalm. PRAISE YE THE LORD. Hebrew Hallelu-JAH. App-4. Not "inserted by mistake in verse Psalms 147:1 instead of in the title", but required here...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The text of this verse seems to be in some confusion. The _Hallelujah_, which ought, as in the other Psalms of this group, to stand by itself as the summons of the precentor to the congregation (see o...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Praise Jehovah, the restorer of Israel, the sovereign ruler of the world....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _The prophet exhorteth to praise God for his care of the church, his power, and his mercy: for his providence: for his blessings upon the kingdom, for his power over the seasons, and for his ordinance...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 147 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Praise for the Restoration of Jerusalem and for Israel's Preeminence: with Grateful Recognition of Rain and of Spring. ANALYSIS After the Repetition and Expansion of th...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. The four psalms (and probably the preceding psalm, Psalms 146:1), 147-150, form one whole. A...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    147:1 Jah! (g-3) 'Hallelujah.' see Psalms 68:4 . psalms (h-9) See Psalms 30:12 ; Psalms 47:6 ; Psalms 138:1 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    A song of praise in which the Psalmist recounts God's mercies (1) in restoring Jerusalem, (2) in helping those cast down, (3) in caring for the animal world, and (4) in the changing seasons....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 107:150 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ GOD’S LOVE AND *POWER PSALMS 147 THE 2ND *HALLELUJAH PSALM Jesus said, "If God makes the grass green (so that it looks right), how much more will

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    Psalms 135:3 is plainly before the poet in this verse; and yet, since Psalms 33 is in other respects his model, it is extremely doubtful whether we ought to change the reading, so as to make a complet...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ כִּי ־טֹ֖וב זַמְּרָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 147:1 THE threefold calls to praise Jehovah (Psalms 147:1, Psalms 147:7, Psalms 147:12) divide this psalm into three parts, the two fo

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

      WHY WE PRAISE THE LORD Psalms 147:1-11 It has been supposed that this psalm was prepared for use when the new walls of the city were completed in the days of Nehemiah. It contains a further enumer...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this psalm, beginning with a call which declares the pleasantness and comeliness of praise (v. Psa 147:1), the singer first celebrates the Divine activity in restoring His people (vv. Psa 147:2-6)....

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Praise ye the LORD: for [it is] good to sing praises unto our God; for [it is] (a) pleasant; [and] praise is comely. (a) He shows in which we ought to exercise ourselves continually, and to take our...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    or Hebrew Psalm cxlvii. Ver. 12. Alleluia. This word is not in Hebrew. (Haydock) --- Many with the Septuagint add, "of Aggæus and Zacharias." (Calmet) --- The psalm has the same object in view as the...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The subject, though enlarged in this Psalm, is in substance the same as the two former. It consists of the praises of the Church upon earth looking unto her Lord, in imitation of the church...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    I consider this subject spiritually. For the building of Jerusalem is peculiarly the office of Christ. When the Lord promises to lift up an ensign to the people, it evidently refers to Christ. See tho...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    _Praise ye God, etc_. Though the benefits he speaks of are such as God extends to all men indiscriminately, it is plain that he addresses more especially God’s people, who alone behold his works in an...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In Psalms 147 the saints take their place now in Jerusalem and Zion to say what He is. He is their God; He builds up Jerusalem and gathers together the outcasts of Israel, healing the broken in heart...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    PRAISE YE THE LORD,.... When he shall reign, as Kimchi connects this psalm with the preceding; the arguments used to engage men to this work are taken partly from the nature of it, as in the next clau...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _Praise ye the LORD: for [it is] good to sing praises unto our God; for [it is] pleasant; [and] praise is comely._ Ver. 1. _It is good to sing praises_] For, 1. Hereby we glorify God, Psalms 50:23, a...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Praise the Lord, for it is good_ It is acceptable to God, and greatly beneficial and productive of comfort to ourselves. _It is pleasant, and praise is comely_ “Being the only return man can make for...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    HALLELUJAH TO THE GOD OF ZION. A Hallelujah Psalm, setting forth God's providential care toward all creatures, but especially toward His people, His holy congregation....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Praise ye the Lord, the entire congregation of believers raising its voice to that end; FOR IT IS GOOD TO SING PRAISES UNTO OUR GOD, with whom the believers are joined in the most intimate fellowship...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-11 Praising God is work that is its own wages. It is comely; it becomes us as reasonable creatures, much more as people in covenant with God. He gathers outcast sinners by his grace, and will bring...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    PSALM 147 THE ARGUMENT This Psalm may seem, from PSALMS 147:2,13, to have been composed by some holy prophet after the return of Israel from the Babylonish captivity. It containeth an ample celebratio...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 147:1 Praise H1984 (H8761) LORD H3050 good H2896 praises H2167 (H8763) God H430 pleasant H5273 praise...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Psalms 147:1 Consider the glory and the use of the Book of Psalms. I. Think, first, of the rareness and preciousness of that unique gift to the Church. The Hebrew's characteristic was his religion, a...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 147:1. _Praise ye the LORD:_ This Psalm begins and ends with Hallelujah. So may this service, and so may our lives, commence and conclude with Hallelujah! Psalms 147:1. For it is good to sing...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    This Book of Psalms ends its golden stream in a cataract of praise. The last Psalms are Hallelujah Psalms; this one begins and ends, as several others do, with «Hallelujah.» Psalms 147:1. _Praise ye...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 147:1. _Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely._ «It is good,» that is to say, it is a thing that ought to be done, it is a r...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 147:1. _Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant;_ Ye that know him, ye that love him, «praise ye the Lord.» «It is good: «it is right, it is accepta...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    This is one of the Hallelujah Psalms; it begins and ends with «Praise ye the LORD.» May our hearts be in tune, that we may praise the Lord while we read these words of praise! Psalms 147:1. _Praise y...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: A call to praise God. The greatness and condescending goodness of the Lord celebrated. CHARACTERS: God. CONCLUSION: Praise is comely it becomes us as reasonable creatures on account of God...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    This psalm, like the preseding, is without title in the Hebrew or Chaldee; but is ascribed by the Versions to Haggai and Zechariah. REFLECTIONS. The people are here exhorted to praise God for all th...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Praise ye the Lord._ GENUINE WORSHIP: - I. The transcendent excellence of true worship (verse 1). 1. It is good. (1) It accords with the constitution of the human soul. (2) It accords with the D...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION “Like the last Psalm, and like those which follow it, this is evidently an anthem intended for the service of the Second Temple. It celebrates God’s almighty and gracious rule over His pe...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION This psalm is generally assigned to the time of the dedication of the city wall (Nehemiah 12:27-16), when the gate-towers had been set up, and the gates and bars put in their places (see Ps...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Praise ye the LORD [or hallelujah]: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; it's pleasant; praise is comely [or desirable, beautiful]. The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathers together the ou...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Psalms 122:1; Psalms 135:3; Psalms 33:1; Psalms 42:4; Psalms 63:3;...

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