The final praises of Jah in five strains close the book. It may be noticed that creation and Israel here and elsewhere in the O. T. answer to the new creation and the church in the N. T. The Septuagint attributes the first three to Haggai and Zechariah, Psa. 147 being divided.
Psalm 146
“Praise ye Jah. Praise Jehovah, O my soul. I will praise Jehovah while I live; I will sing psalms to my God while I have my being. Confide not in nobles, in a son of man in whom is no salvation. His spirit goeth forth, he returneth to his earth: in that very day his purposes perish. Blessed he, whose help [is] Jacob's God (El), whose hope in Jehovah his God, who made heavens and earth, the sea and all that [is] in them; the keeper of truth forever; doing judgment for the oppressed, giving bread to the hungry. Jehovah looseth the prisoners: Jehovah openeth [the eyes of] the blind; Jehovah raiseth the bowed down; Jehovah loveth the righteous. Jehovah keepeth strangers; orphans and widows he upholdeth; and the way of wicked ones he maketh crooked. Jehovah reigneth forever, thy God, O Zion, generation to generation. Praise ye Jah” (vers. 1-10).
The praise of Jah, Jehovah, Jacob's God, is urged, in contrast with men, not only as Maker of heaven, earth, the sea, and all in them, but as the sure moral Governor, only to be proved and displayed perfectly in that day when Zion is the earthly center.
Psalm 147
“Praise ye Jah, for [it is] good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant; comely [is] praise. Jehovah buildeth Jerusalem; Israel's outcasts he gathereth; the healer of the broken. hearted, and binding up their wounds. Counting the number of the stars, to them all he giveth (calleth) names. Great [is] our Lord, and of much power; his understanding is infinite. Jehovah lifteth up the humble; he casteth down the wicked to the earth. Respond to Jehovah with thanksgiving, sing psalms unto our God with harp. He covereth the heaven with clouds, he provideth for the earth of rain, he causeth mountains to bring forth grass, giving to cattle their food, to young (sons of) ravens which cry. Not in strength of the horse doth he delight, not in legs of (the) man taketh he pleasure. Jehovah taketh pleasure in those fearing him, in those hoping in his mercy. Laud Jehovah, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy sons in, thy midst. He maketh thy border peace, with the fat of wheat satisfieth thee. He sendeth his saying earth [ward]; with speed runneth his word. He giveth snow like the wool, scattereth hoarfrost like ashes. He casteth his ice like morsels: before his cold who can stand? He sendeth his word and melteth [them], he causeth his wind to blow—the waters flow. He showeth his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgments to Israel. He dealt not thus with any living nation; and judgments, they know them not. Praise ye Jah” (vers. 1-20).
Incomparably greater things are before Israel than the work of Nehemiah for the returned remnant, though to speak of this may have given occasion to their glorious hope, inseparable from the Messiah and the kingdom and all Israel then to be saved. Then indeed it will be Jehovah building Jerusalem and gathering Israel's outcasts far beyond the little provisional mercy to the Jews from Babylon. And He is competent Who makes the world, yea the universe, delights most of all in the lowly that fear Him, and shows Jacob His word, Israel His judgments; He thus owned no other nation.
Psalm 148
“Praise ye Jah, praise ye Jehovah from the heaven; praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels; praise ye Zion, all his hosts. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and the waters that [are] above the heavens. Let them praise the name of Jehovah, for he commanded, and they were created; and he established them forever and ever, and he gave a decree which shall not pass. Praise Jehovah from the earth, ye sea-monsters and all deeps; fire and hail, snow and vapor, stormy wind doing his word; the mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars; beasts and all cattle, creeping thing and bird of wing; kings of earth and all peoples, princes and all judges of earth, young men and also maidens, old men with youths; let them praise the name of Jehovah. For exalted [is] his name alone, his honor above earth and heaven. And he lifted up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, even for Israel's sons, a people near to him. Praise ye Jah” (vers. 1-14).
Here praise is called for from the heaven, and every one and thing connected, the praise of Jehovah's name; so from the earth and all below, rising up to the kings and all peoples, of every age, sex, and degree, to praise His name set in His people, His holy or godly ones, beyond question Israel's sons. The church reigns with Him Who reigns over all the rest, the universe.
Psalm 149
“Praise ye Jah; sing ye to Jehovah a new song, his praise in the congregation of godly ones. Let Israel rejoice in his Maker, let Zion's sons rejoice in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance; with timbrel and harp let them sing psalms to him. For Jehovah taketh pleasure in his people; he honors the humble ones with salvation. Let godly ones exult in glory; let them shout for joy upon their beds, exaltations of God (El) in their throat and a two-edged sword in their hand, to do vengeance on the Gentiles, punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye Jah” (vers. 1-9).
Here it is expressly a new song for Israel, no longer enemies as touching the gospel, no longer only beloved for the fathers' sake, but a congregation of pious ones, Zion's sons rejoicing in their King. Their position is judicial on earth; but we who believe without seeing Christ have our joy in His heavenly grace and glory.
Psalm 150
“Praise ye Jah, praise ye God (El) in his sanctuary, praise him in the expanse of his power. Praise him in his mighty acts; praise him for his abundant greatness. Praise him with blast of trumpet; praise him with lute and harp; praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with instruments and pipe; praise him with loud symbols; praise him with high-sounding (hearing) cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise Jah. Praise ye Jah” (vers. 1-6).
Thus fitly ends this inspired collection of psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, in a grand chorus of praise on this long travailing but soon to be delivered and rejoicing earth, when the world-kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ is come.
No apology is offered for the close rendering of the Hebrew, often no doubt uncouth to western ears. The aim of a version for public use is wholly different. But the more literal reflection is also full of interest and instruction to those who would weigh the form as well as the substance of the inspired word, whether Old or New; and this is what has been essayed here, however inadequately. W. K.
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