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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 147

Psalm 147 is read especially through the theme of praise, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

PraiseCreationPilgrimage
Old Testament

Psalm 147

1Praise the LORD, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.

2The LORD builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

3He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

4He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.

5Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.

6The LORD upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.

7Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,

8who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.

9He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.

10He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

11The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.

12Praise the LORD, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!

13For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.

14He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.

15He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.

16He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.

17He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?

18He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

19He shows his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

20He has not done this for just any nation. They don’t know his ordinances. Praise the LORD!

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 147

Psalm 147 is read especially through the theme of praise, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book V (Psalms 107–150). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Praise, Creation, Pilgrimage. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 147

Psalm 147 contains 20 verses and about 289 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “Praise the LORD, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 20 closes: “He has not done this for just any nation. They don’t know his ordinances. Praise the LORD!” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include praise, sing, word, like, praises, jerusalem. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 147

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 147:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes praise, with related themes of Praise, Creation, Pilgrimage. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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