Psalm 147:1 kjv
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 nkjv
Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
Psalm 147:1 niv
Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
Psalm 147:1 esv
Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
Psalm 147:1 nlt
Praise the LORD!
How good to sing praises to our God!
How delightful and how fitting!
Psalm 147 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Pss 146:1, 148:1, 149:1, 150:1 | Praise the Lord! ... | Call to universal praise (Hallelujah Psalms). |
| Ps 33:1 | Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise is comely for the upright. | Praise is beautiful and fitting for God's people. |
| Ps 92:1 | It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High. | Goodness of giving thanks and singing praises. |
| Ps 100:1-2 | Make a joyful noise to the Lord... Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! | Joyful and glad praise to the Lord. |
| Ps 107:1 | Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! | God's inherent goodness as a reason for thanks/praise. |
| Ps 113:1 | Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! | Direct command to servants of the Lord to praise. |
| Ps 135:3 | Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant! | Direct echo: Lord is good, His name pleasant to praise. |
| 1 Chr 16:25 | For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and He is to be feared above all gods. | God's greatness commands great praise. |
| 1 Chr 16:29 | Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come before Him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. | Worship involves ascribing glory and is beautiful/holy. |
| Jer 33:11 | the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, "Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!" as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord. | Restoration includes joyful praise and thanks for God's goodness. |
| Jas 5:13 | Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. | Encouragement to sing praise in cheerfulness. |
| Eph 5:19-20 | addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. | Heartfelt, musical praise and thanks as a Christian practice. |
| Col 3:16 | Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. | Corporate worship includes singing praises with thankfulness. |
| Heb 13:15 | Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name. | Praise as an ongoing spiritual sacrifice in Christ. |
| Rev 4:11 | "Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created." | God's worthiness is the ultimate reason for praise. |
| Rev 5:12-13 | "Worthy is the Lamb... to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" and "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" | Christ is also worthy of ultimate praise and adoration. |
| Ps 29:2 | Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. | Focus on God's glory and the holiness of worship. |
| Phil 4:4 | Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. | Command to joyful living, foundational for praise. |
| Ps 63:3 | Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. | God's lovingkindness inspires praise. |
| Ps 84:2 | My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. | Inner desire to sing praise and be in God's presence. |
Psalm 147 verses
Psalm 147 1 Meaning
Psalm 147:1 is an emphatic and joyful summons to praise the Lord. It declares that offering praise to God is inherently good and righteous, deeply satisfying and delightful to the worshiper, and perfectly fitting or appropriate for God Himself. This verse sets the foundational tone for the entire psalm, presenting praise not merely as a duty, but as a beneficial, joyous, and beautiful act.
Psalm 147 1 Context
Psalm 147 is the second of the final "Hallelujah Psalms" (Psalms 146-150), a concluding doxology for the entire Psalter, all beginning and ending with "Praise the Lord!" This psalm contrasts God's magnificent power in creation with His intimate and particular care for His people, Israel, particularly in the context of their post-exilic restoration. Verse 1 serves as an overarching theme statement and an emphatic invitation to praise God. It introduces the reasons for such praise, which the subsequent verses unfold: God's work in rebuilding Jerusalem and gathering Israel (v. 2-6), His provision for all creation (v. 7-9), and His unique favor and protection upon His chosen people through His Word (v. 10-20). Historically, the psalm likely reflects the gratitude and worship of the Israelites returned from Babylonian exile, as they witnessed the physical and spiritual restoration of Jerusalem, emphasizing God's faithfulness to His covenant promises despite national brokenness.
Psalm 147 1 Word analysis
- Praise (Halal): Hebrew: הַלְלוּ (Hallĕlū), imperative plural of the verb "Halal." This verb means to praise, commend, boast in, celebrate, or even shine. It suggests an enthusiastic, outward expression of commendation, often with an exultant, even boisterous, quality. Its root idea implies "to shine" or "to make bright," thus praise illuminates or glorifies God.
- the Lord (Yah): Hebrew: יָהּ (Yah), a shortened, poetic form of the divine personal name YHWH (Yahweh), the covenant-keeping God of Israel. Using "Yah" often highlights God's transcendence and enduring nature.
- For (Kī): Hebrew: כִּי (Kī), a conjunction introducing the reason or justification for the command to praise.
- it is good (Ṭōḇ): Hebrew: טוֹב (ṭōḇ), meaning good, right, beneficial, pleasing, excellent, or fitting. It indicates that praise is not merely a desirable action but is intrinsically righteous, aligned with divine order, and yields positive outcomes for those who engage in it.
- to sing praises (Zammar): Hebrew: לְזַמֵּר (Lĕzammer), infinitive of the verb "Zamar." This verb specifically refers to singing, often accompanied by stringed instruments. It implies a musical, intentional, and skilled act of worship, elevating the praise beyond mere speech.
- to our God (Lêlōhênū): Hebrew: לֵאלֹהֵינוּ (Lêlōhênū). "Elohim" (אֱלֹהִים) is a common, plural-form word for God, emphasizing His majestic and powerful attributes as the Creator and Sovereign. The possessive suffix "-enu" ("our") highlights the personal and covenantal relationship the worshipers have with this great God.
- it is pleasant (Na‘im): Hebrew: נָעִים (Nā‘im), meaning pleasant, delightful, agreeable, charming, or lovely. This word describes the subjective, internal joy and satisfaction experienced by the worshiper in the act of praise.
- and beautiful (Nā'wāh): Hebrew: נָאוָה (Nā'wāh), from the verb "nawah" meaning to be becoming, suitable, fitting, or proper; often translated as comely or beautiful. This term refers to the objective aesthetic and fittingness of praise for God. Praise "adorns" or "is becoming" to God, perfectly suiting His glorious nature, even though He lacks nothing.
- to praise Him (T'hilāh Y'dahh): "T'hilāh" (תְהִלָּה) refers to praise, specifically a song of praise, and "Him" is the direct object, referring back to "the Lord" / "our God."
Words-group analysis
- "Praise the Lord!" (Hallelujah!): This phrase is both a command and an exclamation. As a command, it calls all to participate in this essential act. As an exclamation, it expresses overflowing adoration. It also serves as a liturgical refrain, emphasizing the main purpose of the psalm.
- "For it is good to sing praises to our God": This phrase justifies the opening command. "Good" suggests righteousness and benefit. Praising "our God" emphasizes the personal, communal, and covenantal dimension of the relationship. The act of "singing praises" denotes intentional, melodic worship, which is superior and more delightful than mere spoken words.
- "for it is pleasant and beautiful to praise Him": This provides further layers of justification. "Pleasant" speaks to the emotional, subjective joy derived from worship. "Beautiful" (or fitting/becoming) highlights the objective truth that praise is the perfect and proper response to God's inherent glory and majesty. It emphasizes the harmony and decorum of sincere worship, adding an aesthetic dimension to its ethical and emotional qualities.
Psalm 147 1 Bonus section
- The placement of Psalm 147:1 at the beginning of one of the Hallelujah Psalms underscores its liturgical significance, acting as an invitation to a crescendo of praise that concludes the entire book of Psalms.
- The verse subtly challenges any worldview that perceives worship as solely a rigid obligation, presenting it instead as a source of deep, internal pleasure and an inherently proper act.
- The combination of "good," "pleasant," and "beautiful" reveals praise as a holistic act engaging intellect (understanding what is good/right), emotion (experiencing pleasure), and will (choosing to act fittingly).
- The Hebrew terms convey an active, exuberant praise, not a passive or stoic recognition. The command "Hallĕlū Yah" calls for enthusiastic proclamation of God's worth.
Psalm 147 1 Commentary
Psalm 147:1 lays out a foundational theology of worship, asserting that praising the Lord is not just a divine injunction but an inherently multi-faceted act. It's "good" because it is morally right and intrinsically beneficial, aligning human response with divine truth. It's "pleasant" because genuine praise brings deep joy, delight, and satisfaction to the human heart, transforming what could be perceived as a burden into a cherished experience. Finally, it's "beautiful" (or "becoming" and "fitting") because it is the most appropriate and decorous expression for God's immeasurable glory and majesty. This verse invites the worshiper to enter into a posture of exuberant, joyful, and proper adoration, understanding that such worship elevates the soul and perfectly reflects the glory of God, the One who merits all praise.