Psalms 147:1
Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that praise isn't just a good idea; it's "fitting"—a word that suggests it's perfectly suited to God's nature and our relationship with Him. This isn't merely about a pleasant feeling, but about acknowledging who God is and the proper response this evokes in us, especially when we see His actions like rebuilding Jerusalem and healing the brokenhearted.
This Psalm begins with a powerful call to worship, setting the stage for reflections on God's restorative work. It's understood by many scholars and commentators to have been written or adapted after the return from the Babylonian exile, celebrating God's faithfulness in rebuilding Jerusalem and gathering His scattered people. Therefore, this opening verse is not just a general exhortation to praise, but a fitting introduction to themes of God's healing, gathering, and providential care for His people, especially those who have experienced hardship and dispersion.
Why is singing praises to God not just something we should do, but something that's fundamentally good and fitting?
The opening of Psalm 147 calls us to praise the Lord with powerful reasons. It's declared "good" – meaning it's beneficial, acceptable to God, and produces comfort and well-being in us. It's also "pleasant," suggesting a deep, inner joy and delight that comes from connecting with our Creator.
Most significantly, praise is "fitting." This word points to what is proper, becoming, and suitable. It's the natural, right response of a created being to a good and sovereign God. Just as a melody is fitting for a song, praise is fitting for humanity in the face of God’s character and actions.
What specific actions of God make praise not only fitting, but essential?
The verses following the initial call to praise (though not strictly in 147:1) reveal why praise is so fitting. The psalmist points to God’s work as the Divine builder and healer. He "builds up Jerusalem," symbolizing the restoration and establishment of His people and His dwelling place. This isn't just physical building; it's about spiritual restoration and community.
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Furthermore, God "heals the brokenhearted" and "gathers the outcasts." These are profound acts of mercy that speak to both individual and corporate restoration. He cares for those who are hurting, who feel lost or scattered. This divine care forms the bedrock of why our response should be praise.
Understand the original words
halelujah · Hebrew Verb
A Hebrew imperative meaning to commend, laud, or celebrate the greatness and character of God. It is an expression of worship acknowledging His worthiness.
Yahweh · Hebrew Noun (Proper)
The personal, covenantal name of the self-existent God of Israel, revealed to Moses, emphasizing His faithfulness and eternal nature.
This Psalm likely emerged in the wake of the Babylonian exile and the subsequent return to Jerusalem. The call to praise in verse 1 is deeply resonant because God's faithfulness in rebuilding Jerusalem and gathering His people was not a distant theological concept, but a lived reality after profound devastation.
c. 587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and carry many inhabitants into exile, marking a devastating blow to the nation and its religious life.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus' Edict of Return
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus the Great, conquers Babylon and issues a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples.
c. 516 BC
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
After years of struggle and opposition, the Jewish exiles complete the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, a significant event for their religious and national identity.
c. 444 BC— this verse
Nehemiah Rebuilds Jerusalem's Walls
Nehemiah leads the effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, further consolidating the community and its spiritual center after the return from exile.
This verse is almost identical, directly stating that it is good to give thanks to the LORD and sing praises to His name, reinforcing the idea that praise is fitting and proper worship.
Psalm 135:3This passage shares the sentiment that praising God is both good and pleasant, highlighting the inherent joy and satisfaction found in acknowledging His greatness.
Romans 12:1This New Testament passage calls believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, presenting their worship as a 'reasonable' or fitting service, which echoes the Psalmist's idea that praise is 'comely' or appropriate.
Hebrews 13:15This verse directly connects the idea of praise with the sacrifice of Jesus, stating that through Him, believers can continually offer a sacrifice of praise, which is described as the fruit of lips that acknowledge God's name.
ellicottPsalms 147:1: "Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely."
-1 Psalm 135:3 is plainly before the poet in this verse; and yet, since Psalms 33 is in other respects his model, it is extremely doubtful whether we ought to change the reading, so as to make a complete correspondence between the verses, or suppose that the alteration was intentional, in accordance with “praise is comely for the upright ” in Psalm 33:1 . (See Notes on both…
bensonPsalms 147:1: "Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely."
Psalm 147:1-3 . Praise the Lord, for it is good — It is acceptable to God, and greatly beneficial and productive of comfort to ourselves. It is pleasant, and praise is comely — “Being the only return man can make for his creation and redemption, and all other mercies; the offspring of gratitude, and the expression of love; the elevation of the soul, and the ante-past of hea…
The verse highlights that praise isn't just a good idea; it's "fitting"—a word that suggests it's perfectly suited to God's nature and our relationship with Him. This isn't merely about a pleasant feeling, but about acknowledging who God is and the proper response this evokes in us, especially when we see His actions like rebuilding Jerusalem and healing the brokenhearted.
This Psalm begins with a powerful call to worship, setting the stage for reflections on God's restorative work. It's understood by many scholars and commentators to have been written or adapted after the return from the Babylonian exile, celebrating God's faithfulness in rebuilding Jerusalem and gathering His scattered people. Therefore, this opening verse is not just a general exhortation to praise, but a fitting introduction to themes of God's healing, gathering, and providential care for His people, especially those who have experienced hardship and dispersion.
This Psalm begins with a powerful call to worship, setting the stage for reflections on God's restorative work. It's understood by many scholars and commentators to have been written or adapted after the return from the Babylonian exile, celebrating God's faithfulness in rebuilding Jerusalem and gathering His scattered people. Therefore, this opening verse is not just a general exhortation to praise, but a fitting introduction to themes of God's healing, gathering, and providential care for His people, especially those who have experienced hardship and dispersion.
"Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting." — The verse highlights that praise isn't just a good idea; it's "fitting"—a word that suggests it's perfectly suited to God's nature and our relationship with Him. This isn't merely about a pleasant fe…
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