Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 147
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 147
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 147
"Praise ye Jehovah; For it is good to sing praises unto our God; For it is pleasant, [and] praise is comely. Jehovah doth build up Jerusalem; He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth the broken in heart, And bindeth up their wounds. He counteth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by [their] names. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite. Jehovah upholdeth the meek: He bringeth the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto Jehovah with thanksgiving; Sing praises upon the harp unto our God, Who covereth the heavens with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth, Who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food, [And] to the young ravens which cry. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: He taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man. Jehovah taketh pleasure in them that fear him, In those that hope in his lovingkindness." — Psalms 147:1-11 (ASV)
Praising God is work that is its own reward. It is fitting; it is appropriate for us as reasonable creatures, and even more so as people in covenant with God. He gathers outcast sinners by His grace and will bring them into His holy dwelling. To those whom God heals with the comforts of His Spirit, He speaks peace and assures them their sins are pardoned.
And for this, let others praise Him also. Human knowledge is soon ended, but God's knowledge is a depth that can never be fathomed. And while He counts the number of the stars, He condescends to hear the broken-hearted sinner. While He feeds the young ravens, He will not leave His praying people destitute.
Clouds look dull and melancholy, yet without them we could have no rain, and therefore no fruit. Thus, afflictions look black and unpleasant, but from clouds of affliction come showers that make the soul yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness. The psalmist does not delight in things in which sinners trust and glory, but a serious and suitable regard for God is, in His sight, of very great value.
We are not to be in doubt between hope and fear, but to act under the gracious influences of hope and fear united.
"Praise Jehovah, O Jerusalem; Praise thy God, O Zion. For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; He hath blessed thy children within thee. He maketh peace in thy borders; He filleth thee with the finest of the wheat. He sendeth out his commandment upon earth; His word runneth very swiftly. He giveth snow like wool; He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels: Who can stand before his cold? He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: He causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow. He showeth his word unto Jacob, His statutes and his ordinances unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation; And as for his ordinances, they have not known them. Praise ye Jehovah. " — Psalms 147:12-20 (ASV)
The church, like Jerusalem of old, built up and preserved by the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, is exhorted to praise him for all the benefits and blessings granted to her. These blessings are represented by his favors in the course of nature.
The thawing word may represent the gospel of Christ, and the thawing wind the Spirit of Christ; for the Spirit is compared to the wind (John 3:8). Converting grace softens the heart that was frozen hard, melts it into tears of repentance, and makes good reflections flow, which before were chilled and blocked.
The change that the thaw makes is very evident, yet how it is done no one can say. Such is the change worked in the conversion of a soul, when God's word and Spirit are sent to melt it and restore it to itself.
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