Psalms 147
Chuck Smith on Psalms 147
Verse by verse, taught on Sunday nights: the C2000 series, 1979 to 1985, and the C3000 series, 1985 to 1999. Permission granted by The Word For Today.
Sunday Nights, 1979 to 1985 (C2000)
Chapter introduction
Psalm 147:
Verses 1–4
Praise ye the LORD [or hallelujah]: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; it's pleasant; praise is comely [or desirable, beautiful]. The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the broken in heart, he binds up their wounds. He tells the number of the stars; he calls them all by their names (147:1-4).
That to me is just fabulous. I love it! I've been sort of an amateur astronomer from my youth. Always been very interested in the heavens. From the time I was going through college I went out to the Griffith Observatory every month when they have a change of program and look at the programs that they offer there at the Griffith Observatory. Always fascinated with the vastness of this universe, because it just spoke to me of the greatness of the God that I serve.
And to learn of the number of stars. It is estimated that there are perhaps as many stars in the heavens as there are grains of sand upon the earth. Some have estimated there to be ten to the twenty-fifth power number of stars. Or ten with twenty-five zeroes tacked on behind. The Milky Way galaxy which our solar system is a part is just one of the many galaxies. Outside of us, the next one is the Adromeda galaxy and they're discovering new galaxies all the time. And the galaxies, each of them contain billions of stars. If you look at the Milky Way on a summer evening out on the desert or up in the mountains, that glow that is in the sky comes from the billions of stars that are in our Milky Way galaxy.
Now, "He tells the number of the stars." Now, we guessed at the number of the stars. It's interesting that when the science of astronomy was first developed in the early stages, some of the early scientists stayed up at night counting stars. And some of the earlier astronomers declare with scientific accuracy that there were 6,126 stars in the sky. And then later another astronomer who did much the same kind of a thing revised and said, "No, he was wrong. There's 6,232." And so the estimates of the number of the stars was always very low. In other words, something under 10,000 stars. Until, of course, the ability to magnify with a telescope, and we discovered that the stars are innumerable.
Well, actually, the Bible said that all along. God said to Abraham. He said, "Look up into the heavens." He said, "Can you number the stars? So shall thy seed be." You can't number them. You won't be able to number them. And God declared that the stars were innumerable. And yet, God has numbered the stars. As far as man is concerned, we don't know. We guessed at a number, ten to the twenty-fifth power. Who knows, it may be ten to the fiftieth power. But it's a guess. It's an estimate. But God knows the number of the stars. But more than that, He calls them all by their names.
Now the stars that He has called by name is not like stars like, Hey Joe and Jim and Jeff, you know. God said to Job," Can you find the sweet influence of the Pleiades? What about Arcturus? How would you like to guide us through the sky?" And He speaks about the bands of Orion and so forth. And so God is calling them by these fancy, technical names. All of the billions of them.
Verse 5
The next verse says,
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite (147:5).
It would have to be just to know all the names of all the stars.
Verse 6
The LORD lifts up the meek: and casts the wicked down to the ground (147:6).
Again, the idea of exalting the meek.
Verses 7–20
Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares the rain for the earth, who makes the grass to grow upon the mountains. He gives to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. He delights not in the strength of the horse: he takes not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD takes pleasure in those that reverence him, in those that hope in his mercy. Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee. He makes peace in thy borders, he fills you with the finest of the wheat. He sends forth his commandment upon the earth: his word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool: he scatters the hoar frost like ashes. He casts forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them: he causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow. He shows his word unto Jacob, his statutes, his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD (147:7-20).
For God's special work for His people.
Sunday Nights, 1985 to 1999 (C3000)
Chapter introduction
Psalm 147 again, begins with that Hallelujah!
Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
It is suitable or it is fit or it is beautiful. Comely can mean all of those things. Praising the Lord, it’s just good to spend your time in praising the Lord.
Verse 2
Now this is and the rest of these Psalms are thought by many scholars, to be Psalms that were written after the period of exile in Babylon. When the Jews had returned to the land, and had, under Nehemiah, rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. So if you have in your mind will sort of set these in that setting, praising God because the walls have been rebuilt, the nation had be reestablished after the seventy years of Babylonian captivity.
The LORD doth build up Jerusalem:
The Lord has built up Jerusalem again. The walls have been built up. The city has been fortified.
He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He has gathered together the outcasts of Israel, under the decree of Cyrus, all throughout the Persian Empire, which at that time ruled over the world. The Jews that were within the Persian Empire, had the permission of Cyrus to return to Jerusalem. So He gathered together the outcasts of Israel.
Verse 3
He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
That period of captivity was hard on many of them. It said that we, you know, sat by the river in Babylon and we cried. They, who had taken us captive, demanded you know a party—songs of happiness. We heard of the Israeli songs, Havah Negila, and so forth. Sing of some of your songs, but how can we sing those kind of songs when we are in captivity. But He heals the broken in heart, and He binds their wounds.
Verse 4
He telleth the number of the stars;
Now this one is really, I’m in love with! He tells the number of the stars and he calleth them all by their names. Now God has a name for every star out there! And as we have discovered there are millions of galaxies, and millions upon billions of stars in each galaxy. And God knows the number! We don’t know the number of stars. We just say it’s astronomical. God knows the number of the stars. It is estimated there are ten to the twenty-fifth power! But that was before they found this new galaxy. God knows the number of the stars and He calls them all by name! And I don’t think it’s Joe and Tom and Harry. You know, God talked to Job about Arcturus. And He knows the fancy, Latin names or whatever. I mean, imagine! Imagine the awesomeness. Our God is an awesome God! He tells the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names! I’ve always just loved that Scripture!
Verse 5
Great is our Lord, and of great power: (because) his understanding is infinite.
So you see, that where difficulty arises. My understanding is very finite. God's understanding is infinite. Because of that, I can’t understand God! I don’t understand God! I don’t understand the ways of God. I don’t understand the actions of God or the activities of God. God's understanding is infinite! That is, He knows all things! Now it’s rather pitiful and sad that many times with my limited. understanding, I’m prone to challenge God in His activities, when He has infinite understanding. I sort of think, well Lord, don’t you think you’ve made a mistake? I don’t know why you would do that. It seems very obvious to me that, that was a very foolish thing to do. Now if I were in Your shoes, this is the way, I would have done it, you know. And you sort of seek to advise God or to be His counselor. And I’m afraid that many times our prayers reflect this. Lord, I want you to bow now to my wishes. I want to bend now, to my desires. I want You, Lord, to do this, that I’ve got all figured out here. Because I understand this situation. And I know what’s going on, so this is the way you should do it, you know. And I trying to direct the activities of God through prayer. How much better that I say, Lord, work out Your will with Your infinite understanding. And to recognize how limited I am. And rather than challenge God, submit! And just, well Lord, You know best. You do what You know is the best. His understanding is infinite!
Verse 6
The LORD lifteth up the meek:
Jesus said, blessed are the meek. They shall inherit the earth. The Lord brings down the proud. Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up. So always, the Scripture extols meekness over pride. The world sees things from the opposite side.
Verse 7
The Lord lifts up the meek, but he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
So he opens the Psalm by declaring, Hallelujah, or praise the Lord! Sing unto Him with thanksgiving! Sing praises, accompanying on the harp unto our God!
Verse 8
Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
So now he is extolling this marvelous work of God in providing for His creature.
Verses 9–10
He caused the grass to grown upon the mountains and
He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse:
Now in battle, the horse was always considered an advantage. The cavalry units always had an advantage over the infantry. The horse, a thing of strength and power, especially in battle.
But the Lord doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse and he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The real strength is in the legs, the most powerful muscles of your body are in your legs. If you’ve done any weight lifting or all you know is that your lift with your legs, not with your back. And yet looking for strength, God doesn’t take the pleasure of horses or the legs of a man.
Verses 11–13
But
The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.
For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates;
When Nehemiah had come back and he led the people in the rebuilding of the wall. They rebuilt the gates. The gates of the city, when closed, they had this large bar of planks that went through these sockets, so that the gates could not be opened without breaking, which was impossible. This large plank that was run through these sockets to lock the gates of the city.
So He has strengthened the bars of thy gates and he hath blessed thy children within thee. They live in that peace and security again.
Verse 14
He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.
God has blessed. God has been good!
Verses 15–18
He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.
He giveth snow like wool: (to cover the earth.) 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.
The streams to flow with the melt-off of the snows, the winter snows.
Verses 19–20
He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.
He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them.
So God blessed you, Israel. He blessed you by making known His laws, His judgments, His statutes. Other nations do not know the judgments of the Lord. They do not share in that blessing.
They have not known them, therefore, Praise ye the LORD. Hallelujah!