Psalm 147:1-3

New Catholic Bible

Footnotes

1. Psalm 147:1 Three times the psalmist sounds the invitation to praise, and three times he acclaims the almighty God. Immense is his power deployed throughout the universe, and without measure is his benevolence for his people. He rebuilds Jerusalem, leads captives back to freedom, and reveals his law. Yet the author of wonders in nature and the liberator of his people is a God who takes pleasure in the lowly. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Rev 21:4)—such will be the grace of the Almighty in the new Jerusalem (see Isa 60; 62).
   In the Septuagint and Vulgate, this psalm is divided into two (147:1-11 = Ps 146; 147:12-20 = Ps 147) and attributed to the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. It contains many reminiscences of Isaiah, Job, and Psalms.
   We can pray this psalm while keeping in mind that the restoration of Jerusalem and Israel after the disaster of 587 B.C. and the Babylonian Captivity constitutes a wonderful work of God. However, it is only a pale image of a more beautiful work of restoration that the heavenly Father accomplishes through Christ in building his Church.
2. Psalm 147:1 The psalmist enumerates the reasons why it is good to praise the Lord: the restoration that he has worked for his people in accord with his word by rebuilding Jerusalem and bringing back the exiles; his concern for all creation; and his redemption, i.e., the vindication of his people.
3. Psalm 147:1 See Ps 92:2 and note on Ps 135:3.
4. Psalm 147:2 See Deut 30:3f; Isa 11:12; 56:8; Jer 31:10; Dan 9:25.
5. Psalm 147:3 See Job 5:18; Isa 30:26; 61:1; Jer 33:6; Ezek 34:16. Brokenhearted: e.g., those in exile (see Ps 137) and those who returned from exile and attempted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (see Neh 2:17-20; 4:1-17).