Psalms 147:12

DIVISION III

Briggs' summary: Jerusalem is summoned to laud Yahweh, who hath restored her prosperity (Psalms 147:12-14), whose word governs snow and frost and hail (Psalms 147:15-17). His word at the same time directs winds and waters, and gives to Israel a Law, thereby distinguishing them from other nations (Psalms 147:18-20).[22]

"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 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."

"Praise Jehovah, O Jerusalem; Praise thy God, O Zion" (Psalms 147:12). "Once more the call goes forth to the church on the soil of the land of promise assembled round about Jerusalem."[23] Again, this call to praise God marks the beginning of the third and final division.

"He hath strengthened the bars of thy gates" (Psalms 147:13a). As Miller noted, we have the past tense here, indicating that the gates of the holy city are in place and that the bars have been strengthened. Note the progress evident in the psalm. In Psalms 147:2 the building was in progress; here the walls are completed, the gates erected, and the bars strengthened. The security of ancient cities was sealed by the heavy bars of wood, reinforced with metal strips, locked into metal brackets embedded within the masonry of the walls. The "strengthening" mentioned here probably refers to the fastening of the long strips of heavy metal to the wooden bars. A number of men were required to lift these "bars" into position when the city was secured at nightfall.

"He hath blessed thy children within thee" (Psalms 147:13b). The placement of these mighty "bars" brought an added security to Jerusalem. During the these mighty "bars" brought an added security to Jerusalem. During the near-century long work of rebuilding Jerusalem, there was a feeling of insecurity on the part of the chosen people, surrounded as they were by many enemies. "Praise God! He had allowed the achievement of a new measure of their peace and security."

"He maketh peace in thy borders; he fiileth thee with the finest of wheat" (Psalms 147:14). McCaw pointed out that God had granted Israel a fourfold blessing, "Security (Psalms 147:13a), numbers (Psalms 147:13b), peace (Psalms 147:14a), and provision (Psalms 147:14b)."[24] But over and above such material blessings, the chosen people were covered and protected by the loving favor of God Himself, who contrary to every worldly expectation, and despite the long bitter record of the human race that denied even the possibility of such a thing, God had indeed returned a whole nation from captivity, re-established them in Zion, rebuilt their city, erected new walls around it, and strengthened the bars of the gates!

"He maketh peace in thy borders" (Psalms 147:14a). This is an historical illustration of one of the oldest principles of national security, that of `peace through strength.' "The completion of the walls and gates of Jerusalem brought an end to the troubles caused by Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem, and established peace and tranquility in Israel."[25]

What an incredible tragedy is it that when God came to visit Israel in the Person of the Dayspring from on High, that Israel not only hated him, but achieved his execution on a Roman cross by the pagan Gentiles!

Psalms 147:15-18 emphasize THE CAUSE of all the wonders that have encompassed Israel. What is that? It is the Word of God!

"He sendeth out his commandment" (Psalms 147:15a) ... "His word runneth very swiftly" (Psalms 147:15b) ... "He sendeth out his word" (Psalms 147:18) ... "He showeth his word unto Jacob" (Psalms 147:19a) ... "His statutes and ordinances (he showeth) unto Israel" (Psalms 147:19b).

"The word dominates this entire section. The word here spoken of (Psalms 147:19) is the written word, that is, the Pentateuch."[26] In the previous reference (Psalms 147:15) `the word' sent out upon the earth is that which, hurled the suns in space, said, "Let there be light," and gathered the seas into one place.'

"Snow like wool ... hoar-frost like ashes ... ice like morsels ... cold" (Psalms 147:16-17). "These various forms of cold are compared respectively to wool for whiteness, to ashes (or dust) for quantity, and to morsels for comparatively large hailstones. These things are mentioned here not merely as specimens of the divine sovereignty over nature; but because they were unusual in Palestine."[27]

Allen criticized Psalms 147:17. "The size of the hailstones is exuberantly extolled with some hyperbole."[28] Hyperbole, of course, means exaggeration for the sake of emphasis; but there is no exaggeration here. Even if a morsel should be understood as a very large biscuit, there is no exaggeration. This writer has measured and photographed hailstones over three and one half inches in diameter. Furthermore, Delitzsch here took the word morsels to mean crumbs or fragments and suggested the meaning as "sleet."[29]

"He showeth his word unto Jacob" (Psalms 147:19). Great indeed was the Word of God revealed to Jacob and recorded for all men in the Old Testament. However, that law was altogether a temporary device, "Because of transgressions, it was added until the seed should come (Christ) to whom the promise hath been made" (Galatians 3:19). In the present dispensation of God's grace, the word of Christ (the New Testament) takes precedence over everything in the Law of Moses. It is not Moses' law that shall judge men and angels at the last day. Jesus said, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my word, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48). "Praise ye Jehovah" (Psalms 147:20b). This, of course, is the terminal `Hallelujah.' Delitzsch assures us that, "This Hallelujah does not exult over the fact that other nations are not acquainted with any such divine law, but over the fact that Israel is put into the possession of such a law."[30] However, what if some Israelites still had the spirit of Jonah? Then the comment would not be correct.