1.
Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
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 by the Structure. See the Structure.
For. Not "come into the first line from the second by dittography", but an essential part of the second line, which is repeated by the Figure of speech Anadiplosis ( App-6 ) in the third line. The first verse thus does contain two lines (beside the "Hallelujah") like all the other verses.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
2.
The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
The LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
doth build up Jerusalem = is Jerusalem's builder (participle). No reference to post-exilic building. Compare Psalms 122:3 .
gathereth = will gather.
outcasts = the driven away.
3.
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
4.
He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
stars . . . names. See App-12 . Compare Isaiah 40:26 .
names. The reference is to the knowledge of the "names" in building up the nation of Israel. Compare verses: Psalms 147:2 ; Psalms 147:20 with Exodus 1:7-20 ; and verses: Psa 15:19 with Exodus 20 .
5.
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
our LORD. Hebrew. 'Adonim. App-4 . Compare Psalms 135:5 .
of great power = abounding in power. Compare Isaiah 40:26 .
6.
The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
the meek = meek or humble ones. Numbers 12:3 .
wicked = lawless. Hebrew. rasha. App-44 .
7.
Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
8.
Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
mountains. The Septuagint adds "and herb for the service of men". From thence it found its way into the Prayer Book Version. Compare Psalms 104:14 . Here, the addition is out of place, as "man" is not introduced till Psalms 147:10 .
9.
He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
10.
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
He taketh not. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "Nor taketh delight".
man. Hebrew ' ish . App-4 .
11.
The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
hope in His mercy = wait for His lovingkindness.
12.
Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.
Praise the LORD. Not the same word as in Psalms 147:1 . Used only by David and Solomon. Zion. See App-68 . Zion then still standing.
13.
For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.
children = sons.
14.
He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.
peace in thy borders = thy borders peace.
15.
He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.
commandment = sayings, or utterances. Hebrew. 'imrah. See App-73 . Compare Psalms 33:9 ; Psalms 107:20 .
16.
He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.
17.
He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?
18.
He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
word. Hebrew. dabar = the subject-matter of the articulate utterance (Psalms 147:16 ). See App-73 .
wind. Hebrew. ruach, App-9 .
19.
He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.
word. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "word". Others read plural.
Jacob . . . Israel. See notes on Genesis 32:28 ; Compare Psa 43:6 ; Psa 45:26 , Psa 45:28 .
20.
He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.
not dealt so, &c. The reference is to Exodus 20 . Compare Deuteronomy 4:7 , Deuteronomy 4:8 ; and see App-15 .
they have not known them. Septuagint and Vulg, read "He maketh not known to them".