Psalm 147:20 kjv
He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 147:20 nkjv
He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them. Praise the LORD!
Psalm 147:20 niv
He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD.
Psalm 147:20 esv
He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules. Praise the LORD!
Psalm 147:20 nlt
He has not done this for any other nation;
they do not know his regulations.
Praise the LORD!
Psalm 147 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 4:5-6 | "See, I have taught you statutes and judgments... for this is your wisdom and your understanding..." | Israel's unique wisdom from God's laws. |
| Deut 4:7-8 | "For what great nation has God so near... or statutes so righteous...?" | God's nearness and righteous laws unique to Israel. |
| Deut 4:32-34 | "Did any people ever hear the voice of God... and live?" | Unparalleled divine interaction with Israel. |
| Deut 7:6-8 | "For you are a holy people... the LORD has chosen you... not because you were more in number..." | God's sovereign choice of Israel. |
| Exo 19:5-6 | "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice... you shall be to Me a special treasure..." | Covenant terms and Israel's unique status. |
| Ps 103:7 | "He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel." | Exclusive revelation of God's ways to Israel. |
| Ps 147:19 | "He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel." | Immediate context; reiterates exclusive revelation. |
| Amos 3:2 | "You only have I known of all the families of the earth..." | God's intimate relationship exclusive to Israel. |
| Rom 3:1-2 | "What advantage then has the Jew... much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God." | The primary advantage of Jews: receiving God's word. |
| Rom 9:4-5 | "who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law..." | List of unique privileges of Israel. |
| Eph 2:11-12 | "remember that you... were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world." | Gentile spiritual separation prior to Christ. |
| Eze 20:11 | "I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, 'which, if a man does, he shall live by them.'" | God's life-giving statutes given to Israel. |
| Neh 9:13-14 | "You came down on Mount Sinai... and gave them right judgments and true laws..." | God's direct law-giving at Sinai to Israel. |
| Is 2:3 | "Many people shall come... saying, 'Come, and let us go up... that He may teach us His ways...'" | Future prophecy: Gentiles will seek God's law from Jerusalem. |
| Micah 4:2 | Similar to Isa 2:3. | Future prophecy: nations will learn God's law. |
| Deut 33:2-4 | "The LORD came from Sinai... and from His right hand a fiery law for them." | Sinai as the source of the unique law for Israel. |
| Jn 1:17 | "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." | The Mosaic Law specifically for Israel. |
| Acts 14:16 | "who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways." | Implies other nations did not receive direct law. |
| Heb 8:8-10 | "Behold, the days are coming... I will make a new covenant... not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers..." | New Covenant supersedes Old but acknowledges Old's recipient. |
| Jer 31:33 | "But this is the covenant that I will make... I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts..." | Points to a spiritual law, contrasting past written law. |
| Lev 26:46 | "These are the statutes and judgments and laws... which the LORD made between Himself and the children of Israel..." | The explicit divine origin of the covenant laws. |
| Deut 26:18-19 | "And the LORD has proclaimed you today to be His special people... that you may be high above all nations..." | Israel set apart by obedience to His commandments. |
Psalm 147 verses
Psalm 147 20 Meaning
Psalm 147:20 declares the exceptional and exclusive favor of God toward Israel, in contrast to all other nations. God's distinct dealings with His chosen people are highlighted by His unique revelation of His Word, statutes, and judgments specifically to them. While God provides generally for all creation, He chose to make His perfect and moral laws known directly only to Israel, thereby establishing a unique covenantal relationship and identity that sets them apart from the Gentiles who did not possess this revealed truth. The verse concludes with an emphatic call to worship and praise Yahweh for this singular divine grace.
Psalm 147 20 Context
Psalm 147 is a magnificent psalm of praise, calling for adoration of Yahweh due to His immense power and benevolent care, particularly over Israel and Jerusalem. The psalm opens and closes with "Praise the LORD!" and progresses from acknowledging God's universal governance (sustaining the universe, healing the brokenhearted, knowing the stars) to focusing specifically on His unique relationship with His chosen people. Verse 19 sets the immediate context, stating, "He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel." Psalm 147:20 directly follows, elaborating on the profound exclusivity of this divine revelation. Historically, the psalm may reflect a post-exilic context, emphasizing God's restoration of Jerusalem and gathering of His people (v.2), a period where reaffirming Israel's distinct identity and the foundational role of the Law was crucial. This verse underscores the foundational truth of Israel's election, demonstrating that their laws were not merely human constructs but divine ordinances from the Creator, distinguishing them from all surrounding pagan nations whose beliefs and laws stemmed from human invention or demonic influence. It served as a powerful polemic against the polytheism and arbitrary justice systems prevalent in the ancient world.
Psalm 147 20 Word analysis
- He has not dealt thus: This phrase attributes specific actions (implied from verse 19: declaring His word, statutes, judgments) solely to Yahweh (God) concerning a specific group. "Thus" points to the preceding divine actions—the singular act of direct revelation of His will.
- with any other nation: The Hebrew word for "nation" is goy (גּוֹי), which frequently refers to Gentile nations, people groups distinct from Israel. This explicitly highlights God's unique and exclusive covenantal dealings with Israel, a nation singled out by His divine choice. While God manifests common grace to all nations (e.g., providing rain, food), the giving of His specific covenantal law was unique to Israel.
- And as for His judgments: The Hebrew mishpatim (מִשְׁפָּטִים) refers to God's legal decrees, moral ordinances, and rightful judgments. These are expressions of God's perfect justice, truth, and moral standards, given as part of the covenant at Sinai. They were comprehensive instructions for Israel's worship, civil life, and personal conduct.
- they have not known them: This refers to the goyim (other nations). The Hebrew verb yada' (יָדַע), translated as "known," signifies more than intellectual comprehension. It implies an intimate, experiential, and relational knowledge. Other nations did not have access to God's specific, divinely inspired laws through direct revelation; their understanding of morality and justice was based on general revelation (conscience, creation) and cultural customs, which were often flawed and distorted. This phrase emphasizes their lack of a covenant relationship with Yahweh and His revealed will.
- Praise the LORD!: This is Halleluyah (הַלְלוּיָהּ) in Hebrew. It functions as both a command and an exclamation of adoration, urging worship for God's extraordinary and distinctive favor toward Israel. It encapsulates the psalmist's central theme—to laud God for His unparalleled care and specific revelation to His people.
Words-group analysis:
- "He has not dealt thus with any other nation": This entire clause establishes the concept of divine election and exceptionalism. It emphasizes that the specific and profound way God engaged with Israel—through the covenant and the Law—was unparalleled in His dealings with any other human group throughout history. It positions Israel as uniquely chosen for a specific redemptive purpose.
- "And as for His judgments, they have not known them": This clarifies the nature of God's exclusive dealing. It wasn't merely general blessings but the bestowal of divine, holy, and perfect laws (mishpatim) which revealed His character and will. The world's inability to "know" these implies their lack of divine illumination and direct, authoritative instruction regarding God's moral order. This set Israel apart, not only by possession of the Law but by a relationship predicated on that revealed truth.
Psalm 147 20 Bonus section
The repeated "Halleluyah" (Praise the LORD!) in Psalm 147, appearing at the beginning, mid-point (v.7), and end (v.20), emphasizes that the appropriate response to God's unparalleled greatness and specific favor is heartfelt worship. This final Halleluyah particularly signifies that God's unique dealings with Israel, especially the gift of His law, are supreme reasons for adoration.
This verse lays the groundwork for understanding the progression of salvation history. Although the Law was initially exclusive to Israel, its purpose was to set Israel apart to be a "light to the nations" (Isa 49:6), foreshadowing the coming of the Messiah who would embody the law's fulfillment. In the New Covenant, salvation, knowledge of God, and access to His Spirit are now offered to all nations through faith in Jesus Christ, effectively breaking down the wall of separation (Eph 2:11-22). However, this does not negate the historical truth of Israel's unique initial election and the invaluable privilege of being the custodians of God's written revelation.
Psalm 147 20 Commentary
Psalm 147:20 powerfully concludes a segment of praise focused on God's unique care for Israel, affirming His absolute distinctiveness among all deities of the ancient world. The core message is God's sovereign election and special covenant with Israel, supremely demonstrated by His revelation of the Law (His "word," "statutes," and "judgments") exclusively to them (v.19). This was a privilege bestowed not out of Israel's merit or greatness (Deut 7:7-8), but from God's unmerited grace and love.
The statement that "He has not dealt thus with any other nation" underlines a foundational theological truth: While God provides for all humanity through common grace, sustaining life and offering glimpses of His character through creation and conscience (Acts 14:17, Rom 1:19-20), He chose to reveal His specific moral will and redemptive plan through a singular people. Other nations lacked this direct, divinely-inspired knowledge of His perfect law. Their judicial systems and ethical frameworks were human constructs, often flawed, and could not lead them into a covenant relationship with the one true God.
"They have not known them" implies a profound spiritual separation. This knowledge (yada') refers to an intimate understanding that comes from divine revelation and covenant participation, not just intellectual awareness. Thus, this verse encapsulates Israel's unparalleled spiritual advantage as the recipients of God's oracles (Rom 3:1-2) and the vehicle through whom salvation would eventually extend to all nations. This distinction formed the very essence of their identity as God's chosen people, prompting the climactic and necessary call to "Praise the LORD!"