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英文原文
This is another psalm of praise. Some think it was penned after the return of the Jews from their captivity; but it is so much of a piece with Ps 145:1-21 that I rather think it was penned by David, and what is said (Ps 147:2,13) may well enough be applied to the first building and fortifying of Jerusalem in his time, and the gathering in of those that had been out-casts in Saul's time. The Septuagint divides it into two; and we may divide it into the first and second part, but both of the same import. I. We are called upon to praise God, Ps 147:1,7,12. II. We are furnished with matter for praise, for God is to be glorified, 1. As the God of nature, and so he is very great, Ps 147:4,5,8,9,15-18. 2. As the God of grace, comforting his people, Ps 147:3,6,10,11. 3. As the God of Israel, Jerusalem, and Zion, settling their civil state (Ps 147:2,13,14), and especially settling religion among them, Ps 147:19,20. It is easy, in singing this psalm, to apply it to ourselves, both as to personal and national mercies, were it but as easy to do so with suitable affections.
1-11
A Call to Praise God; Reasons for Praise
赞美神的呼召；赞美的理由
¹ 你们要赞美耶和华；因歌颂我们的神为善为美；赞美的话是合宜的。
² 耶和华建造耶路撒冷；他聚集以色列中被赶散的人。
³ 他医好伤心的人，裹好他们的伤处。
⁴ 他数点星宿的数目，一一称它的名。
⁵ 我们的主为大，最有能力；他的智慧无法测度。
⁶ 耶和华扶持谦卑人，将恶人倾覆于地。
⁷ 你们要以感谢向耶和华歌唱，用琴向我们的神歌颂。
⁸ 他用云遮天，为地降雨，使山上发生青草。
⁹ 他赐食给走兽，和啼叫的小乌鸦。
¹⁰ 他不喜悦马的力大，不喜爱人的腿快。
¹¹ 耶和华喜爱敬畏他和盼望他慈爱的人。
在此，一、赞美的本分被推荐给我们。我们如此一次又一次被呼召来赞美，并非没有缘由：「你们要赞美耶和华」（诗147:1），又说（诗147:7），「你们要以感谢向耶和华歌唱，用琴向我们的神歌颂」（愿我们一切的赞美都归向他、以他为终极），「因为这是好的」——如此行是我们的本分，故其本身是好的；这是我们的益处，故于我们有益。这为造我们的主所悦纳，也回应了我们受造的目的。为此所定的律法是圣洁、公义、良善的；如此行也必结出美好的果效。这是好的，因为：1. 这是可喜悦的。圣洁的喜乐或欢欣被要求作为其原则，这对我们作为人而言是可喜悦的；将荣耀归给神是其目的与职事，这对我们作为献身于他尊荣的圣徒而言是可喜悦的。赞美神是一项本身就是酬报的工作；这是在地如在天；这是我们的本性所在。2. 这是合宜的；这是作为有理性的受造之物所相宜的，更不用说作为与神立约的子民了。我们尊荣神，实际上也大大尊荣了自己。
二、神被推荐给我们，作为我们至高至广赞美最合适的对象，理由有以下几方面：
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他对他选民的爱顾（诗147:2）。耶路撒冷要从微小的起头被建造吗？它要从废墟中恢复吗？在这两种情形下，「耶和华建造耶路撒冷。」福音教会——那从上头来的耶路撒冷——正是这建造。他在自己的筹算中定规了它的样式；他借福音的传讲立定了它的根基；他天天将得救的人加添给它，如此使之增长。他必建造它直到完全，建造它高达于天。他的子民中有人被赶散吗？是他们因自己的愚妄使自己如此吗？他赐他们悔改，将他们再带回圣徒的相交中。他们因战争、饥荒或逼迫而被逐出吗？他为他们开了回归之门；许多失踪的、以为失丧的人被领回，那在云暗无光之日被分散的人又被聚集。
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他为真心悔改者所预备的安慰（诗147:3）。他们「伤心」，受创、自卑、为罪忧苦，因记念罪而内心痛苦，如人受了重伤。他们的心不仅被刺，更被撕裂——因他们得罪了神、又因罪伤害了自己的知觉。神用他圣灵的安慰医治他们，向他们宣告平安，使他们确知自己的罪已得赦免，他已与他们和好，如此使他们得安息，将基列的乳香倾入流血的伤口，然后包裹起来，使他们喜乐。经历过这事的人，无需再被劝勉去赞美主；因为当他将他们「从祸坑里……拉上来……使他们的脚立在磐石上」，他便「使我口唱新歌」（诗40:2、3）。为此，愿别人也赞美他。
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他对天上众光的主权（诗147:4、5）。星辰多得不可胜数，其中许多凭肉眼几乎难以辨识；但他数点它们，知道它们的准确数目，因为它们都是他手中的工作，是他护理的工具。它们的体积和能力极其巨大；但他「一一称它们的名」，这表明他对它们的主权，以及他对它们所拥有的命令权，可以随意使用它们。它们是他的仆役、他的战士；他召集它们、编排它们；它们听命而来去，一切运行都受他指挥。他提及这事作为众多例子之一，表明「我们的主为大，最有能力」（他能随己意行事），并且「他的智慧无法测度」，因此他能为万物安排至善。人的知识很快穷尽，你能测到他智慧的尽头；到此为止，再不能远。但神的知识是无法测透的深渊。
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他喜悦使骄傲者降卑、使卑微者升高的乐趣（诗147:6）：「耶和华扶持谦卑人」——那些在他面前自卑、被人践踏的人；「恶人」——那些对神行事傲慢、对全人类冷嘲热讽，因骄傲愚昧而自高自大的人——他「倾覆于地」，有时借着今世极卑微的护理，至迟在那他们的脸必「充满永远羞辱」之日。神借着「观看骄傲的人，使他降卑」（伯40:12）证明自己是神。
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他为低等受造之物所作的供应。他虽伟大到可以统帅群星，却又良善到不忘记甚至飞鸟（诗147:8、9）。请看他以何等方式喂养人与牲畜。〔1〕「他用云遮天」——云使空气昏暗，遮蔽日光的射线——但他在云中「为地」预备那地所必需的「雨」。云看来阴沉，但若没有它们就没有雨，因而也就没有果实。苦难也是如此，目前看来又黑又暗、令人不快，我们因此忧愁，正如天空阴霾使我们沉闷；但它们是必需的，因为从这些苦难之云所降的甘霖，使庄稼「结出平安的果子，就是义」（来12:11），这当有助于使我们与苦难和解。请看地对天的必要倚靠，这指示在地上的人当倚靠天上的神。浇灌大地的所有雨水都是神所预备的。〔2〕借降在大地上的雨，他「使山上发生青草」，连人既不照料也不收割其利益的高山也是如此。那些不像山谷那样有泉源河流灌溉的山，却仍得浇灌，不至荒芜。〔3〕他将这青草「赐给」「走兽」作「食物」，就是山上那人不予供养的野兽。甚至被老鸟弃掉而「啼叫」的「小乌鸦」，他也垂听，并设法喂养它们，使它们不至丧命于巢中。
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他对自己子民的喜悦（诗147:10、11）。在大事正在进行、对其成功大有期待的时期，我们当知道（因结局乃由耶和华而定）神乐意尊荣谁、使谁得胜加冕。这不是军兵的力量，而是恩典的能力，神才乐意使用。〔1〕不是军兵的力量——不在骑兵，因「他不喜悦马的力大」——那以勇力著称的战马（伯39:19等）——也不在步兵，因他「不喜爱人的腿快」；他指的不是逃命时的快腿，而是冲锋时的稳立。一个君王与另一个君王争战，若到神面前求胜，他不能以「主啊，我有精兵，马步各军整齐；他们不该受辱」来恳求，因为这在神面前算不得理由（诗20:7）。约沙法的话好得多：「主啊，我们无力」（代下20:12）。但〔2〕神乐意使用恩典的能力。对神认真而恰当的敬畏，在神眼中在这样的情形下价值极大。耶和华悦纳并「喜爱」「那些敬畏他、盼望他慈爱的人」。请注意，[1] 对神圣洁的敬畏和在神里面的盼望，不仅可以并存，更当同工。在同一颗心里、同一时刻，必须既有对他威严的敬畏，又有对他良善的欣悦；既有对他忿怒（凭信）的畏惧，又有对他恩惠（凭信）的期待——我们不是要在盼望与恐惧之间悬而不决，而是要在盼望与恐惧的恩典感化之下行事。我们的敬畏必须保守盼望不致膨胀为僭妄，我们的盼望必须保守敬畏不致沉沦为绝望；如此我们当担起眼前的工作。[2] 我们当「盼望他的慈爱」——他普遍的慈爱——甚至在我们找不到特定应许可凭依之时也是如此。对神本性的良善存谦卑的信赖，极蒙他喜悦，因为这与归荣耀给他最以此夸口的属性相符。每一个有尊严的人都喜爱被人信任。
英文原文
A Call to Praise God; Reasons for Praise
¹ Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
² The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
³ He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
⁴ He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
⁵ Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
⁶ The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
⁷ Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
⁸ Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass 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 pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
Here, I. The duty of praise is recommended to us. It is not without reason that we are thus called to it again and again: Praise you the Lord (Ps 147:1), and again (Ps 147:7), Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving, sing praise upon the harp to our God (let all our praises be directed to him and centre in him), for it is good to do so; it is our duty, and therefore good in itself; it is our interest, and therefore good for us. It is acceptable to our Creator and it answers the end of our creation. The law for it is holy, just, and good; the practice of it will turn to a good account. It is good, for 1. It is pleasant. Holy joy or delight are required as the principle of it, and that is pleasant to us as men; giving glory to God is the design and business of it, and that is pleasant to us as saints that are devoted to his honour. Praising God is work that is its own wages; it is heaven upon earth; it is what we should be in as in our element. 2. It is comely; it is that which becomes us as reasonable creatures, much more as people in covenant with God. In giving honour to God we really do ourselves a great deal of honour.
II. God is recommended to us as the proper object of our most exalted and enlarged praises, upon several accounts.
1. The care he takes of his chosen people, Ps 147:2. Is Jerusalem to be raised out of small beginnings? Is it to be recovered out of its ruins? In both cases, The Lord builds up Jerusalem. The gospel-church, the Jerusalem that is from above, is of this building. He framed the model of it in his own counsels; he founded it by the preaching of his gospel; he adds to it daily such as shall be saved, and so increases it. He will build it up unto perfection, build it up as high as heaven. Are any of his people outcasts? Have they made themselves so by their own folly? He gathers them by giving them repentance and bringing them again into the communion of saints. Have they been forced out by war, famine, or persecution? He opens a door for their return; many that were missing, and thought to be lost, are brought back, and those that were scattered in the cloudy and dark day are gathered together again.
2. The comforts he has laid up for true penitents, Ps 147:3. They are broken in heart, and wounded, humbled, and troubled, for sin, inwardly pained at the remembrance of it, as a man is that is sorely wounded. Their very hearts are not only pricked, but rent, under the sense of the dishonour they have done to God and the injury they have done to themselves by sin. To those whom God heals with the consolations of his Spirit he speaks peace, assures them that their sins are pardoned and that he is reconciled to them, and so makes them easy, pours the balm of Gilead into the bleeding wounds, and then binds them up, and makes them to rejoice. Those who have had experience of this need not be called upon to praise the Lord; for when he brought them out of the horrible pit, and set their feet upon a rock, he put a new song into their mouths, Ps 40:2,3. And for this let others praise him also.
3. The sovereign dominion he has over the lights of heaven, Ps 147:4,5. The stars are innumerable, many of them being scarcely discernible with the naked eye, and yet he counts them, and knows the exact number of them, for they are all the work of his hands and the instruments of his providence. Their bulk and power are very great; but he calleth them all by their names, which shows his dominion over them and the command he has them at, to make what use of them he pleases. They are his servants, his soldiers; he musters them, he marshals them; they come and go at his bidding, and all their motions are under his direction. He mentions this as one instance of many, to show that great is our Lord and of great power (he can do what he pleases), and of his understanding there is no computation, so that he can contrive every thing for the best. Man's knowledge is soon drained, and you have his utmost length; hitherto his wisdom can reach and no further. But God's knowledge is a depth that can never be fathomed.
4. The pleasure he takes in humbling the proud and exalting those of low degree (Ps 147:6): The Lord lifts up the meek, who abase themselves before him, and whom men trample on; but the wicked, who conduct themselves insolently towards God and scornfully towards all mankind, who lift up themselves in pride and folly, he casteth down to the ground, sometimes by very humbling providences in this world, at furthest in the day when their faces shall be filled with everlasting shame. God proves himself to be God by looking on the proud and abasing them, Job 40:12.
5. The provision he makes for the inferior creatures. Though he is so great as to command the stars, he is so good as not to forget even the fowls, Ps 147:8,9. Observe in what method he feeds man and beast. (1.) He covereth the heaven with clouds, which darken the air and intercept the beams of the sun, and yet in them he prepareth that rain for the earth which is necessary to its fruitfulness. Clouds look melancholy, and yet without them we could have no rain and consequently no fruit. Thus afflictions, for the present, look black, and dark, and unpleasant, and we are in heaviness because of them, as sometimes when the sky is overcast it makes us dull; but they are necessary, for from these clouds of affliction come those showers that make the harvest to yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness (Heb 12:11), which should help to reconcile us to them. Observe the necessary dependence which the earth has upon the heavens, which directs us on earth to depend on God in heaven. All the rain with which the earth is watered is of God's preparing. (2.) By the rain which distils on the earth he makes grass to grow upon the mountains, even the high mountains, which man neither takes care of nor reaps the benefit of. The mountains, which are not watered with the springs and rivers, as the valleys are, are yet watered so that they are not barren. (3.) This grass he gives to the beast for his food, the beast of the mountains which runs wild, which man makes no provision for. And even the young ravens, which, being forsaken by their old ones, cry, are heard by him, and ways are found to feed them, so that they are kept from perishing in the nest.
6. The complacency he takes in his people, Ps 147:10,11. In times when great things are doing, and there are great expectations of the success of them, it concerns us to know (since the issue proceeds from the Lord) whom, and what, God will delight to honour and crown with victory. It is not the strength of armies, but the strength of grace, that God is pleased to own. (1.) Not the strength of armies—not in the cavalry, for he delighteth not in the strength of the horse, the war-horse, noted for his courage (Job 39:19, etc.)—nor in the infantry, for he taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man; he does not mean the swiftness of them for flight, to quit the field, but the steadiness of them for charging, to stand the ground. If one king, making war with another king, goes to God to pray for success, it will not avail him to plead, "Lord, I have a gallant army, the horse and foot in good order; it is a pity that they should suffer any disgrace;" for that is no argument with God, Ps 20:7. Jehoshaphat's was much better: Lord, we have no might, 2Ch 20:12. But, (2.) God is pleased to own the strength of grace. A serious and suitable regard to God is that which is, in the sight of God, of great price in such a case. The Lord accepts and takes pleasure in those that fear him and that hope in his mercy. Observe, [1.] A holy fear of God and hope in God not only may consist, but must concur. In the same heart, at the same time, there must be both a reverence of his majesty and a complacency in his goodness, both a believing dread of his wrath and a believing expectation of his favour; not that we must hang in suspense between hope and fear, but we must act under the gracious influences of hope and fear. Our fear must save our hope from swelling into presumption, and our hope must save our fear from sinking into despair; thus must we take our work before us. [2.] We must hope in God's mercy, his general mercy, even when we cannot find a particular promise to stay ourselves upon. A humble confidence in the goodness of God's nature is very pleasing to him, as that which turns to the glory of that attribute in which he most glories. Every man of honour loves to be trusted.
12-20
Jerusalem and Zion Called to Praise to God; God's Favour to Israel
耶路撒冷与锡安受召赞美神；神对以色列的恩惠
¹² 耶路撒冷啊，你要赞美耶和华；锡安啊，你要赞美你的神。
¹³ 因为他坚固了你的门闩，赐福给你中间的儿女。
¹⁴ 他使你境内平安，用上好的麦子使你满足。
¹⁵ 他发命在地；他的话颁行最快。
¹⁶ 他降雪如羊毛，撒霜如炉灰。
¹⁷ 他掷下冰雹如碎渣；他发出寒冷，谁能当得起呢？
¹⁸ 他一出令，这些就都消化；他使他的风刮起，水便流动。
¹⁹ 他将他的道指示雅各，将他的律例典章指示以色列。
²⁰ 别国他都没有这样待过；至于他的典章，他们向来没有知道。你们要赞美耶和华。
耶路撒冷和锡安——圣城、圣山——在此受召「赞美神」（诗147:12）。因为既神的祭坛在那里，赞献给神的赞美当在哪里献上？既圣洁之中有华美，我们可期望他得荣耀于何处？愿耶路撒冷的居民在他们自己的家中赞美耶和华；愿在锡安——他们严肃集会之城——事奉的祭司利未人，特别地赞美耶和华。他们比别人更有理由如此行，又比别人更受约束如此行；因为这是他们的事，也是他们的职分。「锡安啊，要赞美你的神！」他是你的，所以你当赞美他；他既是你的，便包括一切幸福，所以你永不会缺赞美的内容。耶路撒冷和锡安当赞美神，
一、为他们民事利益的兴盛与繁荣（诗147:13-14）。1. 为他们共同的安全。他们有城门，并在危险之时紧闭城门；但若非神「坚固了你的门闩」、加强你的防御，这并不能成为他们有效的保障。我们所能筹划的最可能的保全之策，若非神赐福其中，并不能达其目的；所以我们当在谨慎殷勤使用这些手段之时，倚靠他赐这福，并把我们地土的安稳无扰，更多地归功于周围的火墙，而非水墙（亚2:5）。2. 为他们百姓的增多。这正与坚固门闩同样有效：「他赐福给你中间的儿女」——以那首要大福「要生养众多，遍满那地」赐福他们。看见儿女蒙耶和华赐福，是父母的安慰（赛61:9）；看见新兴的一代人数众多、希望可期，是将过去的一代的安慰——为此福必当称颂神。3. 为公众的太平，使他们脱离战争的恐惧与荒凉：「他使你境内平安」——结束既有的战争，并防止所威胁、所惧怕的战争。「他使你『境内』平安」，即在国中各处，借调解邻舍之间的争端，使无内争与党隙；又在「你的边境」上，使他们不受外来入侵的攻击。若有扰乱之处，必在边境——一国的边疆；边境城镇最为暴露，所以境内若有平安，便是普世的平安——这是我们永不能充分感恩的怜悯。4. 为大丰盛——太平的通常效果：「他用『上好的麦子』使你满足」——麦子是最宝贵的谷物，是其中最肥美的，且极其丰盛。他们还能要什么？迦南盛产最佳麦子（申32:14），并输出到国外，如结27:17所见。以色列地不以宝石、香料致富，乃以「上好的麦子」——能坚强人心的饼——致富。这使它成为万国之荣，为此神在锡安受赞美。
二、为他权能在气候中——尤其是冬天的气候——的奇妙作为。保护锡安和耶路撒冷的那位，正是那位一切自然之权能所从出、所倚靠的全能之神；他造出季节的一切变化，这些变化若不常见，必使我们惊奇。
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一般而言，下面世界一切的变动（这世界正是不断变化的世界），都是神旨意、权能与护理所产生的（诗147:15）：「他发命在地」，如一位有无可争辩权柄发令的，并有无数侍从随时传令执行。世界既最初借大能之话被造，便仍借这话被托住、被治理。「神一发言便成全，因都是他的仆人」。这话不仅确实应验，且迅速应验。「他的话颁行最快」，因无物能阻挡或拖延。如电光一瞬穿过空中，神的护理之话正是如此；他的恩典之话奉差遣而行之时，也是如此（路17:24）。传他话并成全它的天使，「快速飞行」（但9:21）。
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特别而言，霜冻与解冻都是奇妙的变化，二者中我们都当承认他权能之话。
（1）霜冻来自神。「雪雹之库在他那里」（伯38:22-23），他随己意从中取出。〔1〕「他降雪如羊毛」。雪因白（赛1:18）与柔软被比作羊毛；它悄然落下，不比一缕羊毛落地更大声；它覆盖地面，如羊毛 fleece 般保暖，因而促进地的结果。请看神能借相反之物工作，能从吃者得出肉，能用冷的雪温暖地面。〔2〕「他撒霜如炉灰」——霜是凝结的露，正如雪雹是凝结的雨。这看来如同撒在草上的炉灰，有时对地的出产有害，如热炉灰般把它烤焦（诗78:47）。〔3〕「他掷下冰雹如碎渣」——可指空中如冰的大雹，或指覆在水面的冰，当它破碎时，虽本性是饮水的点滴，却如肉的碎渣、饼的硬壳。〔4〕当我们看见霜、雪、冰时，便在空中感觉到它：「他发出寒冷，谁能当得起呢？」走兽不能；它们退入洞中（伯37:8）；那时它们容易被制伏（撒下23:20）。人也不能，只能借火、或皮、或两者兼用以自护，而寒冷至极之处、之时，这一切还嫌不足。我们感觉效果之时，看不见原因；所以我们必须称之为「他的寒冷」；是他所降的，所以我们必须忍耐承受，并为温暖的房屋、衣服、床榻——使我们在严寒季节得以缓解——感谢他，又将他的智慧与主权、他的权能与信实的荣耀归他——这些必不息，正如夏天不息一般（创8:22）。我们也当从此推论：我们若在他霜冻的寒冷之前不能站立，在他怒气的炎热之前怎能站立呢？
（2）解冻来自神。他何时喜悦（诗147:18），「他一出令，这些就都消化」；霜、雪、冰都速速溶解，为此他「使他的风」——南风——「刮起，水便流动」，原已结冰的水又像先前一样流动。我们很快感觉到变化，却看不见其原因，必须将其归于一因的旨意。其中我们不仅当看见神的权能——他能如此突然、如此不知不觉地在空气的性质与地的面貌上作出如此大而普世的改变（每冬如此——也许每冬多次——的那位，还有什么不能作？）——更当看见神的良善。严寒天气并不常持续；若常持续，便惨了。他「不永远相争」，却「更新地的面貌」。他记念挪亚、释放了他（创8:1），他也记念地，并他与地所立的约（歌2:11-12）。这解冻之话可代表基督的福音，这解冻之风可代表基督的灵（因灵比作风，约3:8）；二者都是为融化冰冻的灵魂而差。归正之恩如解冻，软化那原本刚硬的心，滋润它，使它化为悔改的眼泪；它温暖善情，使原本被冻结被堵塞的得以流露。解冻所作的改变是普世的，又是渐进的；它十分明显，但其如何作成却无可解释：当神的话与灵被差去融化灵魂、使它复归自己之时，灵魂归正所成就的改变正是如此。
三、为他对以色列有分别的恩惠——赐给他们他的话与典章——这是比他们的平安与丰盛更宝贵的福（诗147:14），正如灵魂比身体更宝贵。雅各与以色列中间有神的律例典章。他们在他的特殊治理之下；他们国家的民法是他制定颁布的，他们的政体是神政。他们享有神圣启示的好处；神律法的大事为他们而写。他们有神所设立的祭司制度，处理一切关于神的事；又有先知应对一切非常之事。除他们之外，没有别的民在其宗教上站在确定的根基上。如今这是，1. 防患的怜悯。他们不是自己找出神的律例典章，而是「神将他的道指示雅各」，并借这道将「律例典章」显明给他们。任何民有神的话在其中，便是大怜悯；因为「信道是从听道、读这道来的」——没有信就不能 pleasing 神。2. 分别的怜悯，因此更使人有义务：「他『没有』这样待过『任何国』」——没有待过「任何」国；「至于他的典章，他们向来没有知道」，也不太可能知道，直到弥赛亚来把犹太与外邦之间的隔墙拆下，使福音传给凡受造的人。别的国家有外在美物的丰盛；有些国甚富，有些有显赫有权势的君王和文雅文学，但没有一国像以色列那样因神的律例典章蒙福。所以愿「以色列」在遵守这些律例中「赞美耶和华」。「主啊，你为何要向我们显现，不向世人显现呢？父啊，是的，因为你的美意本是如此。」
英文原文
Jerusalem and Zion Called to Praise to God; God's Favour to Israel
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 showeth 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 known them. Praise ye the LORD.
Jerusalem, and Zion, the holy city, the holy hill, are here called upon to praise God, Ps 147:12. For where should praise be offered up to God but where his altar is? Where may we expect that glory should be given to him but in the beauty of holiness? Let the inhabitants of Jerusalem praise the Lord in their own houses; let the priests and Levites, who attend in Zion, the city of their solemnities, in a special manner praise the Lord. They have more cause to do it than others, and they lie under greater obligations to do it than others; for it is their business, it is their profession. "Praise thy God, O Zion! he is thine, and therefore thou art bound to praise him; his being thine includes all happiness, so that thou canst never want matter for praise." Jerusalem and Zion must praise God,
I. For the prosperity and flourishing state of their civil interests, Ps 147:13,14. 1. For their common safety. They had gates, and kept their gates barred in times of danger; but that would not have been an effectual security to them if God had not strengthened the bars of their gates and fortified their fortifications. The most probable means we can devise for our own preservation will not answer the end, unless God give his blessing with them; we must therefore in the careful and diligent use of those means, depend upon him for that blessing, and attribute the undisturbed repose of our land more to the wall of fire than to the wall of water round about us, Zec 2:5. 2. For the increase of their people. This strengthens the bars of the gates as much as any thing: He hath blessed thy children within thee, with that first and great blessing, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the land. It is a comfort to parents to see their children blessed of the Lord (Isa 61:9), and a comfort to the generation that is going off to see the rising generation numerous and hopeful, for which blessing God must be blessed. 3. For the public tranquillity, that they were delivered from the terrors and desolations of war: He makes peace in thy borders, by putting an end to the wars that were, and preventing the wars that were threatened and feared. He makes peace within thy borders, that is, in all parts of the country, by composing differences among neighbours, that there may be no intestine broils and animosities, and upon thy borders, that they may not be attacked by invasions from abroad. If there be trouble any where, it is in the borders, the marches of a country; the frontier-towns lie most exposed, so that, if there be peace in the borders, there is a universal peace, a mercy we can never be sufficiently thankful for. 4. For great plenty, the common effect of peace: He filleth thee with the finest of the wheat—wheat, the most valuable grain, the fat, the finest of that, and a fulness thereof. What would they more? Canaan abounded with the best wheat (De 32:14) and exported it to the countries abroad, as appears, Eze 27:17. The land of Israel was not enriched with precious stones nor spices, but with the finest of the wheat, with bread, which strengthens man's heart. This made it the glory of all lands, and for this God was praised in Zion.
II. For the wonderful instances of his power in the weather, particularly the winter-weather. He that protects Zion and Jerusalem is that God of power from whom all the powers of nature are derived and on whom they depend, and who produces all the changes of the seasons, which, if they were not common, would astonish us.
1. In general, whatever alterations there are in this lower world (and it is that world that is subject to continual changes) they are produced by the will, and power, and providence of God (Ps 147:15): He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth, as one that has an incontestable authority to give orders, and innumerable attendants ready to carry his orders and put them in execution. As the world was at first made, so it is still upheld and governed, by a word of almighty power. God speaks and it is done, for all are his servants. That word takes effect, not only surely, but speedily. His word runneth very swiftly, for nothing can oppose or retard it. As the lightning, which passes through the air in an instant, such is the word of God's providence, and such the word of his grace, when it is sent forth with commission, Lu 17:24. Angels, who carry his word and fulfil it, fly swiftly, Da 9:21.
2. In particular, frosts and thaws are both of them wonderful changes, and in both we must acknowledge the word of his power.
(1.) Frosts are from God. With him are the treasures of the snow and the hail (Job 38:22,23), and out of these treasures he draws as he pleases. [1.] He giveth snow like wool. It is compared to wool for its whiteness (Isa 1:18), and its softness; it falls silently, and makes no more noise than the fall of a lock of wool; it covers the earth, and keeps it warm like a fleece of wool, and so promotes its fruitfulness. See how God can work by contraries, and bring meat out of the eater, can warm the earth with cold snow. [2.] He scatters the hoar-frost, which is dew congealed, as the snow and hail are rain congealed. This looks like ashes scattered upon the grass, and is sometimes prejudicial to the products of the earth and blasts them as if it were hot ashes, Ps 78:47. [3.] He casts forth his ice like morsels, which may be understood either of large hail-stones, which are as ice in the air, or of the ice which covers the face of the waters, and when it is broken, though naturally it was as drops of drink, it is as morsels of meat, or crusts of bread. [4.] When we see the frost, and snow, and ice, we feel it in the air: Who can stand before his cold? The beasts cannot; they retire into dens (Job 37:8); they are easily conquered then, 2Sa 23:20. Men cannot, but are forced to protect themselves by fires, or furs, or both, and all little enough where and when the cold is in extremity. We see not the causes when we feel the effects; and therefore we must call it his cold; it is of his sending, and therefore we must bear it patiently, and be thankful for warm houses, and clothes, and beds, to relieve us against the rigour of the season, and must give him the glory of his wisdom and sovereignty, his power and faithfulness, which shall not cease any more than summer, Ge 8:22. And let us also infer from it, If we cannot stand before the cold of his frosts, how can we stand before the heat of his wrath?
(2.) Thaws are from God. When he pleases (Ps 147:18) he sends out his word and melts them; the frost, the snow, the ice, are all dissolved quickly, in order to which he causes the wind, the south wind, to blow, and the waters, which were frozen, flow again as they did before. We are soon sensible of the change, but we see not the causes of it, but must resolve it into the will of the First Cause. And in it we must take notice not only of the power of God, that he can so suddenly, so insensibly, make such a great and universal alteration in the temper of the air and the face of the earth (what cannot he do that does this every winter, perhaps often every winter?) but also of the goodness of God. Hard weather does not always continue; it would be sad if it should. He does not contend for ever, but renews the face of the earth. As he remembered Noah, and released him (Ge 8:1), so he remembers the earth, and his covenant with the earth, So 2:11,12. This thawing word may represent the gospel of Christ, and this thawing wind the Spirit of Christ (for the Spirit is compared to the wind, Joh 3:8); both are sent for the melting of frozen souls. Converting grace, like the thaw, softens the heart that was hard, moistens it, and melts it into tears of repentance; it warms good affections, and makes them to flow, which, before, were chilled and stopped up. The change which the thaw makes is universal and yet gradual; it is very evident, and yet how it is done is unaccountable: such is the change wrought in the conversion of a soul, when God's word and Spirit are sent to melt it and restore it to itself.
III. For his distinguishing favour to Israel, in giving them his word and ordinances, a much more valuable blessing than their peace and plenty (Ps 147:14), as much as the soul is more excellent than the body. Jacob and Israel had God's statutes and judgments among them. They were under his peculiar government; the municipal laws of their nation were of his framing and enacting, and their constitution was a theocracy. They had the benefit of divine revelation; the great things of God's law were written to them. They had a priesthood of divine institution for all things pertaining to God, and prophets for all extraordinary occasions. No people besides went upon sure grounds in their religion. Now this was, 1. A preventing mercy. They did not find out God's statutes and judgments of themselves, but God showed his word unto Jacob, and by that word he made known to them his statutes and judgments. It is a great mercy to any people to have the word of God among them; for faith comes by hearing and reading that word, that faith without which it is impossible to please God. 2. A distinguishing mercy, and upon that account the more obliging: "He hath not dealt so with every nation, not with any nation; and, as for his judgments, they have not known them, nor are likely to know them till the Messiah shall come and take down the partition-wall between Jew and Gentile, that the gospel may be preached to every creature." Other nations had plenty of outward good things; some nations were very rich, others had pompous powerful princes and polite literature, but none were blessed with God's statutes and judgments as Israel were. Let Israel therefore praise the Lord in the observance of these statutes. Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not to the world! Even so, Father, because it seemed good in thy eyes.
本篇是另一首赞美诗。有人以为它是犹太人从被掳归回后所写;但它与诗145:1-21极为相合,我倒认为它是大卫所写,而其中所言(诗147:2,13)尽可应用于他年间耶路撒冷初次建造、坚固,以及招聚扫罗年间被逐散之人的事。七十士译本将其分为两篇;我们也可分为前后两部,但二者主旨相同。本篇内容如下:一、我们蒙呼召来赞美神(诗147:1,7,12);二、我们获赐赞美的内容,因神当得荣耀:1. 作为自然之神,他极其伟大(诗147:4,5,8,9,15-18);2. 作为恩典之神,他安慰他的百姓(诗147:3,6,10,11);3. 作为以色列、耶路撒冷、锡安的神,他确立他们的国政(诗147:2,13,14),尤其是宗教在他们中间的建立(诗147:19,20)。唱这首诗时,无论关乎个人或国家的恩惠,我们都容易将其应用于己;但若要以相称的情感如此行,便不那么容易了。