Old Testament Commentary - Psalms 147

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 147 Praise the Lord for his power—His understanding is infinite—He sends his commandments, his word, his statutes, and his judgments unto Israel.
1 ^aPraise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.		2^a Ps. 33:1
2 The LORD doth build up ^aJerusalem^a: he ^agathereth together the ^boutcasts of Israel. 3 He healeth the ^abroken in heart^a, and bindeth up their wounds. Jerusalem Jerusalem is the Holy City of God, the City of Peace. Though the city of Melchizedek was named Salem, it was not the original city of peace but was so named after the city of the Lord which was designated to be the kingdom, people and therefore 'city' of the Lord. Thus when the scriptures speak of 'Jerusalem', they are not of necessity merely speaking of the actural city of the Jews on that hill near the Dead Sea.	2^a The LORD doth build up Jerusalem "I Bet You Think This Song Is About You." The conceit of the Jew is that when the scriptures speak of Jerusalem, they speak of the Jews primarily. This is not the case, though righteous Jews are to be included. Salem was the city of Melchizedek. It was the City of Peace. It was the righteous city or the city of the righteous. But the righteous followers of the Lord have long been refered to as the 'City of Jerusalem' or the city of peace. There is peace and rest in righteous doing. And a city or kingdom, such as that of the Lord, is just such a city or kingdom. T 3^a broken in heart Elsewhere stated as 'brokenhearted', the present phraseology sets forth an additional concept beyond just being sorrowful for sin. It brings to mind a spirited free willed wild animal such as a horse who has been tamed and 'broken', whose spirit is subdued. Often such 'braking' of an animal also tends to kill their willl for life. And often beyond just the realm of sin and sorrow, the trials of this life takes the life out of people and their drive and even their will to live. Thus this added concept of 'broke in heart' sets out that the Lord will heal and raise up those who this earth life and vail of tears has trodden down. He will heal those whose spirit is broken whether by sin or by the harsh carnal nature of the world. In many cases where the human soul has been so trodden upon and broken by the events of the life, it indeed is a miracle to be performed to so bind up and heal such a soul who may have been so mistreated even as a result of no fault of his own.	2^a Zech. 3:2; Commentary 2^a Deut. 30:3 (1-3) ^b Matt. 24:31 3^a Isa. 61:1; D&C 138:42
4 He telleth the number of the ^astars; he calleth them all by their ^bnames. 5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his ^aunderstanding is infinite.
6 The LORD lifteth up the ^ameek: he ^bcasteth the ^cwicked down to the ground^a. Summarized In Song Often the nature of the Song of Praise is to summarize from scripture knowledge what it is that the Lord does. Here the two extremes of 'lifting up the meek' as opposed to 'casting down the wicked' is contrasted in one summarized stanza statement. Today we have numerous scriptures which reflect these great events of 'lifting up the meek' and 'casting down the wicked'. Just what such Old Testament prophecies that the Psalmist did reference to generate these statements is not clear. It is completely likely that he had access to such panoramic visionary prophecies which are not in the Jewish prepared Old Testament. Perhaps the psalmist referenced Moses 4:3 which speaks of Satan/his followers being cast down. And perhaps he also referenced Moses 7:47 which speaks of the righteous being raised up. Or perhaps there were other such prophetic statements which the psalmist did capture in his summarized hymn of praise.	6^a ground Another name for 'ground' is 'earth'. It parallels that Satan and his followers where 'cast out of heaven and down to earth' as a result of the war in heaven in the preexistence. Whether this reference is to those preexistence events where the humble follower of Jehovah where 'lifted up' and Satan and his rebellious followers were 'cast down', is entirely possible. The prophet Isaiah has this knowledge and understanding (Isaiah 14:12), but the psalmist would have predated Isaiah and would have had some other reference source that would have also depicted such an event. This would support that much of the Old Testament prophets' words are no longer had in the Bible of today. But they are perserved in the second hand referencing source such as the hymns. Meek or Wicked None is 'good' but God. Man's 'righteousness' is in his meekness before God. He who is 'meek' is of a repentant and humble soul. He has come unto Christ and obtained his forgiveness and stands a meek recipient of the grace of God. Where as the wicked stand 'proud' and unrepentant before God. And thus the meek will be raised up and the wicked casted down. Pride and wickedness are the partners of sin.	1^a Zech. 3:8; Commentary; Moses 7:47; TG Meek ^b Moses 4:3; TG Day of the Lord ^c TG Proud, Pride; TG Wicked The Great and Dreadful Day At the end of days or in the latter days, will come the 'Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord'. At that day, the Lord will raise up the righteous and destroy the wicked. The psalmist captures this image in his words concerning the 'lifting up of the meek' and the 'casting down of the wicked'. It will be a 'great day' for the righteous meek followers of Christ who will be raised up to meet him. And it will be a 'dreadful day' for the wicked, who will be destroyed and cast down to hell. One of the primary purposes of man passing through this second estate is that he might learn humility. God has given man his weakness that he might be meek, lowly and humble before God. And it is through this meekness that man seeks God unto repentance. And it is by that grace of the atonement that man through his meek repentance may become even as God is (See Ether 12:27-28).
7 Sing unto the LORD with ^athanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: 8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh ^agrass to grow upon the mountains. 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. 11 The LORD taketh ^apleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. 12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. 13 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. 14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat. 15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly. 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. 19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. 20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not ^aknown them. Praise ye the LORD.