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Commentary on Psalms 147 verses 1–11
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 (Psa 147:1), and again (Psa 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, Psa 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, Psa 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, Psa 40:2, Psa 40:3. And for this let others praise him also.
3.The sovereign dominion he has over the lights of heaven, Psa 147:4, Psa 147:5. 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 (Psa 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, Psa 147:8, Psa 147:9. 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, Psa 147:10, Psa 147:11. 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, Psa 20:7. Jehoshaphat's was much better: Lord, we have no might, Ch2 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.
They must suppose that our ancestors went down into Egypt without bodies and invisible and that only the soul of Joseph was imprisoned by Pharaoh, because it is written, “They went down into Egypt with threescore and fifteen souls,” and “The iron entered into his soul,” a thing that could not be bound. They who argue thus do not know that such expressions are used by synecdoche, declaring the whole by the part, as when Scripture says that the young ravens call on God, to indicate the whole feathered race; or Pleiades, Hesperus and Arcturus are mentioned, instead of all the stars and his providence over them.
..."Who covers the heaven with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth" [Psalm 147:8]. Now you are alarmed, because you can not see the heaven: when it has rained you shall gather fruit, and shall see clear sky. Perhaps our God has done this. For had we not the obscurity of Scripture as an occasion, we should not say to you those things wherein ye rejoice. This then perhaps is the rain whereat ye rejoice. It would not be possible for it to be expressed to you by our tongue, were it not that God covers with clouds of figures the heaven of the Scriptures. For this purpose willed He that the words of the Prophets should be obscure, that the servants of God might afterwards have that by interpreting which they might flow over the ears and hearts of men, that they might receive from the clouds of God the fatness of spiritual joy. "Who makes grass to grow upon the mountains, and herb for the service of men." Behold the fruit of the rain. "Who makes," says he, "grass to grow upon the mountains." Does it not also grow upon the low ground? Yes, but it is a great thing that it grows "on the mountains."...For nothing could be more barren than the hard mountains. "And herb for the service of men." What "service"? Listen to Paul himself. "And ourselves," says he, "your servants for Jesus Christ's sake." [2 Corinthians 4:5] He who said, "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things?" yet said, that he was a "servant." For we are your servants, brethren. Let none of us speak of himself, as though he were greater than you. We shall be greater if we are more humble. "But whosoever will be great among you" (it is the Lord's saying), "shall be your servant." [Matthew 20:26] Paul the Apostle, indeed, living by his own labour, refused even to receive "the grass of the mountains;" he chose to want; nevertheless, the mountains gave "grass." Because he chose not to receive, ought the mountains therefore not to give, and so to remain barren? Fruit is due to the rain, food is due to the servant, as the Lord says, "Eat such things as they give you:" and that they should not think that they gave anything of their own, He added, "for the labourer is worthy of his hire." [Luke 10:7-8]
That you may be aware that God the Father worked not only on those first six days but “even until now,” read the [saying] of the prophet, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you”; and in the psalm, “He who shaped the hearts of every one of them”; and elsewhere, “Who covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth, who produces hay on the mountains,” and other things of this sort. We must indeed note that [the psalmist] did not put the verb in the past tense, saying, “who covered and prepared and produced,” but in the present, “he covers, prepares, produces” in order to demonstrate that the Father works every day, no less on the sabbath than on other days. So that you may not doubt that the Son works all things equally, recall that [saying] of the psalmist: “He spoke, and flies and gnats came; he spoke, and the locust and the grasshopper came; he spoke, and there stood forth the wind of a storm.”
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SUMMARY
Psalm 147:8 presents a magnificent declaration of God's sovereign and benevolent control over the natural world, highlighting His meticulous provision for all creation. It portrays the Lord as the active orchestrator of the meteorological cycle, from cloaking the heavens with clouds to sending life-giving rain upon the earth, culminating in the flourishing of vegetation, even in seemingly barren or elevated terrains like mountains. This verse serves as a profound testament to God's omnipotence, wisdom, and continuous care, revealing His intimate involvement in sustaining the very fabric of life.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 147 is a hymn of praise, part of the final collection of Psalms (Book 5, Psalms 107-150), which often emphasize God's kingship and universal dominion. The psalm opens with an exhortation to praise God for His goodness and power, initially focusing on His restorative work for Israel (e.g., healing the brokenhearted in Psalm 147:3) and His knowledge of the stars (e.g., Psalm 147:4). Verse 8, however, marks a significant transition, shifting the focus from God's particular care for His people and His cosmic ordering to His universal provision for the earth's ecosystem. This transition underscores the breadth of God's benevolent rule, encompassing both humanity and the natural order, before returning to themes of God's favor for Israel in later verses (e.g., Psalm 147:19-20).
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, an agrarian society, rain was not merely a weather phenomenon but a direct manifestation of divine blessing and provision. Life itself depended on timely and sufficient rainfall, making God's control over the heavens a matter of ultimate survival and trust. The mention of "mountains" is significant; while fertile valleys were naturally productive, mountains were often perceived as rugged, less hospitable, or even barren. The idea of grass growing "upon the mountains" therefore emphasizes the extraordinary extent of God's provision, reaching even the most challenging and elevated terrains, showcasing His comprehensive and abundant care that transcends human limitations or expectations. This understanding aligns with the broader ancient Near Eastern worldview where deities were often associated with natural forces, but uniquely, the God of Israel is portrayed as the singular, benevolent, and active sovereign over all creation, unlike the capricious gods of surrounding cultures.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully illustrates several core themes prevalent throughout the Psalms and the Old Testament. Firstly, it highlights Divine Providence and Sustenance, demonstrating God's active and continuous involvement in maintaining the created order. He is not a distant deity but intimately engaged in the daily processes that sustain life, from the grand scale of meteorological cycles to the minute detail of vegetation growth, echoing the themes of God's provision seen in Psalm 104. Secondly, it underscores God's Omnipotence and Wisdom, as the intricate and reliable cycle of clouds, rain, and growth, even in difficult environments, testifies to His immense power and intelligent design. This speaks to a God who not only creates but also meticulously manages His creation with perfect foresight and capability. Thirdly, the verse subtly conveys God's Universal and Unconditional Care, extending His provision beyond human habitation to all corners of the earth, including seemingly wild or inaccessible places like mountains. This universal scope of divine care foreshadows the broader biblical truth that God's goodness is poured out on all His creatures, as articulated in Matthew 5:45.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Covereth (Hebrew, kâçâh', H3680): This verb (H3680) means "to plump, i.e., fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy); clad self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide, overwhelm." In the context of "heaven with clouds," it conveys an active, intentional, and complete blanketing. It's not a passive accumulation but a deliberate act of God, adorning or shrouding the sky with clouds, which are themselves instruments of His provision. This suggests a divine artistry and purpose in the formation of cloud cover.
Prepareth (Hebrew, kûwn', H3559): The root (H3559) signifies "to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous)." Here, it emphasizes God's deliberate planning, establishment, and making ready of the rain. It highlights His foresight and purposeful design in orchestrating the water cycle, ensuring that rain is not a random occurrence but a prepared blessing for the earth. This speaks to the reliability and intentionality of divine provision.
Maketh grass to grow (Hebrew, tsâmach', H6779): The verb (H6779) means "to sprout (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative); bear, bring forth, (cause to, make to) bud (forth), (cause to) grow (again, up), (cause to) spring (forth, up)." This word underscores God as the ultimate source of life and growth, directly involved in the flourishing of vegetation. The specific mention of "grass" (Hebrew, châtsîyr' - H2682) and its growth "upon the mountains" (Hebrew, har' - H2022) highlights the extraordinary nature of this provision. Mountains, often rocky and exposed, are challenging environments for growth. God's ability to make grass grow even there demonstrates the boundless reach and power of His life-giving hand, ensuring sustenance even in seemingly inhospitable places.
Verse Breakdown
"Who covereth the heaven with clouds": This opening clause establishes God's supreme authority over the atmospheric realm. He is the one who actively and intentionally drapes the vast expanse of the sky with clouds. This imagery evokes a sense of divine majesty and control, as the clouds, often seen as mysterious and powerful, are entirely subject to His will and purpose. It sets the stage for the subsequent acts of provision.
"who prepareth rain for the earth": Building on the first clause, this segment reveals the specific purpose of the cloud cover: to deliver rain. The verb "prepareth" signifies a deliberate, well-ordered, and purposeful act. God does not merely allow rain to happen; He actively orchestrates its coming, ensuring it is ready and available for the earth's needs. This highlights His foresight and benevolent design in sustaining life.
"who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains": This final clause illustrates the tangible outcome and the far-reaching extent of God's provision. The rain, prepared and sent by Him, results in the flourishing of vegetation, specifically "grass," which is fundamental for animal life and, indirectly, human sustenance. The phrase "upon the mountains" is crucial, emphasizing that God's care extends to all terrains, even those that are rugged, elevated, or seemingly barren. It underscores the universality and comprehensive nature of His life-giving power, reaching every corner of His creation.
Literary Devices
Psalm 147:8 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine power and provision. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically Synthetic Parallelism, where the second and third clauses build upon and expand the thought of the first. "Who covereth the heaven with clouds" leads to the purpose of those clouds, "who prepareth rain for the earth," which then culminates in the result, "who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains." This progression creates a sense of logical flow and increasing impact. Imagery is richly used, painting vivid pictures of God's active involvement: the heavens being "covered" like a blanket, rain being "prepared" like a meal, and grass "growing" even on rugged mountainsides. This sensory language helps the reader visualize God's direct hand in nature. Furthermore, there is an element of Merism in the scope of God's activity, moving from the vast "heaven" to the specific "mountains," implying His comprehensive control over all aspects of the natural world, from the grandest to the most detailed.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly articulates the biblical doctrine of God's ongoing providence—His continuous and active care for His creation. It asserts that God is not merely a deistic clockmaker who wound up the universe and left it to run, but an intimately involved Sustainer who meticulously oversees the very processes that enable life to flourish. His control over meteorological phenomena and botanical growth underscores His absolute sovereignty and His benevolent disposition towards all His creatures. This active provision is a demonstration of His covenant faithfulness, not only to humanity but also to the broader created order, ensuring the conditions necessary for life persist. The verse invites a posture of trust and worship, recognizing that the intricate cycles of nature are not random occurrences but direct expressions of divine wisdom and power, ensuring the sustenance of all living things.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 147:8 offers a powerful invitation to contemplate the profound depths of God's daily, active care for His creation, and by extension, for us. In a world often prone to anxiety about provision and security, this verse serves as a comforting reminder that the same God who meticulously orchestrates the vast cloud formations, prepares the life-giving rain, and ensures the growth of grass even on challenging mountain terrains, is intimately concerned with our well-being. It calls us to cultivate a deeper sense of trust, knowing that if God so faithfully provides for the natural world, He will surely attend to the needs of His beloved children. This understanding should foster a spirit of profound gratitude, transforming our perception of everyday phenomena like rain or green landscapes into tangible expressions of divine goodness. Furthermore, it encourages responsible stewardship of the earth, recognizing that we are entrusted with a world that God Himself actively sustains and cherishes, prompting us to care for creation as an act of worship and obedience.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does the psalm specifically mention "mountains" for grass to grow upon?
Answer: The mention of "mountains" (Hebrew, har') is significant because mountains were often rugged, rocky, and less fertile compared to valleys or plains. For grass to grow abundantly "upon the mountains" emphasizes the extraordinary and comprehensive nature of God's provision. It showcases His power to bring life and sustenance even to seemingly inhospitable or challenging environments, demonstrating that His care is not limited to easily accessible or naturally productive areas but extends universally to all corners of His creation. This highlights the boundless reach and efficacy of His benevolent power, ensuring that no place is beyond His ability to provide.
How does this verse relate to the concept of God's "providence"?
Answer: This verse is a quintessential illustration of God's providence. Divine providence refers to God's continuous activity in the universe, by which He preserves and governs all creation, ensuring that His purposes are fulfilled. Psalm 147:8 directly demonstrates this by showing God actively "covering" the heavens, "preparing" rain, and "making" grass grow. These are not passive or distant acts but ongoing, intentional interventions that sustain the natural order. It affirms that God is not merely the Creator but also the active Sustainer of the world, meticulously overseeing every detail of its operation to provide for life, as seen throughout the biblical narrative, from Genesis 8:22 to Acts 17:28.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Psalm 147:8 directly celebrates Yahweh's sovereign control over creation, its themes of divine sustenance and life-giving provision find their ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The New Testament reveals that Christ is not merely an agent of God's creation but the very means by which all things were made and are sustained. Colossians 1:16-17 declares that "by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible... all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." This means the very clouds, rain, and grass mentioned in Psalm 147:8 are not only products of God's power but are actively held in existence by the Son. Furthermore, Christ embodies the spiritual provision that far surpasses physical sustenance. Just as God provides physical rain for the earth, Jesus offers the "living water" that quenches spiritual thirst (John 4:10-14), and He is the "bread of life" who gives eternal sustenance (John 6:35). Thus, the God who makes grass grow on mountains is the same God who, in Christ, provides for our deepest spiritual needs, bringing life and flourishing even to the most barren and desolate places of the human heart, fulfilling the promise of abundant life (John 10:10).