Psalm 147 (146/147):18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In this passage, the limitless and omnipotent nature of God is portrayed through His ability to bring into existence what is not there, alter what already is, and reshape it according to His desires. This sentiment resonates with another prophet's declaration: "He creates all things and changes them, and turns the shadow of death into morning, and makes the day as dark as night, calls forth the water of the sea and spills it over the face of the earth" (Am. 5:8). While all creation is governed by the steadfast laws of nature, these laws can bend at His discretion. To Him, everything submits and complies. At times, He may even alter the essence of things, or, while preserving their essence, instill within them new dynamics.

Praise together, O Jerusalem, your God. Psalm 146:12. Even in captivity, the people behold their fellow citizens, gathered as one flock around the city, filled with joy after their labor, now secure and untroubled. While they remain amidst their hardships, they express a joyful hope, their hearts joining with the angels and those who will share eternal joy. What will you do, O Jerusalem? Surely the days of toil and sorrow will come to an end. What will you pursue? Will you still plow, sow, plant, journey, or trade? Will your work continue as before, however noble, stemming from mercy? Examine your community: is there anyone hungry to whom you can give bread? Is there anyone thirsty for whom you can provide a cup of cold water? Is there a stranger to welcome? A sick person to visit? A conflict to mend? A deceased to bury? What then should you do? Sing praises to your God in harmony, for this is your duty. As the inscriptions typically say, "Use and be happy."

Be Jerusalem; recall what has been spoken, "Lord, in thy city their image thou shalt destroy." Those now reveling in grandeur did not come here today because of the spectacle. To whom is this an offering? To whom is it a detriment? For not only do the performers suffer loss, but a far more significant loss befalls those who delight in observing them. The former may drain their wealth, while the latter risk losing the riches of righteousness. Many of these performers will mourn the loss of their possessions; how much deeper should sinners grieve the loss of their souls? Did the Lord not call out on the Lord's Day, "Watch so that men may be vigilant today"? I urge you, inhabitants of Jerusalem, for the peace of Jerusalem, by the Redeemer and the Builder, to direct your prayers to God for them. Let them perceive their folly, and though they remain transfixed by worldly spectacles, may they reflect on themselves and feel discontent. We rejoice that change has come; we, too, once found madness in such pursuits. Many presuming we remain in that state might not only become Christians but even bishops! From the past, we forecast the future; from what is accomplished, we proclaim in advance what God will do. Let your prayers be vigilant; they are not in vain. Indeed, those already saved intercede for those still in peril, having once been among the afflicted. God will surely deliver His people from Babylon's captivity; undoubtedly, He will redeem and free them, increasing the number of saints who bear His image.

Praise in unity, for though you are many, you are one. The apostle declares, "We, being many, are one in Christ." 1 Corinthians 10:17. United in praise, we acknowledge that though we are many, we are also one. This is because He, in whom unity exists, remains eternally One. For this reason, O Jerusalem, do I sing praises to the Lord collectively, as Zion, my God? Jerusalem and Zion are one and the same. Jerusalem signifies visions of peace; Zion signifies observation. These concepts mirror spectacles, lest the Gentiles presume they possess what we do not. As the crowd disperses from the theater, their minds still filled with vain illusions, they often spot the servants of God, recognizing them by their attire and demeanor, and remark among themselves, "Poor souls, how much they miss!" Dear brethren, let us respond to their goodwill, which, if sincere, we meet with prayers to the Lord. They wish us well; yet, those who cling to iniquity despise their own souls. If they do not love their souls, how can they care for ours? With misguided and baseless goodwill, they lament our losses, believing what they cherish is better; let us pray they do not lose what we value.

Consider what Jerusalem ought to embody, called to offer praise, or rather anticipates to praise. When we behold its grandeur, love it, and raise our voices in worship, we will require no encouragement from prophecy; the prophets currently proclaim it to prompt our hearts toward longing for the blissful joys awaiting us. Let us yearn and not be complacent in spirit. Praise your God, O Zion. "He hath strengthened the bolts of thy gates." Psalm 146:13. The locks are reinforced not for open gates but rather for closed ones, as many manuscripts affirm: "He strengthened the locks of your gates." Observe, beloved. He instructs Jerusalem to praise the Lord while it is shut. Sing in unison; praise now, though in the midst of offenses. Many enter places where we wish they would not; others leave against our desire, leading to frequent transgressions. And because of the abundance of wickedness, as the Truth states, "love grows cold in many" Matthew 24:12, due to those whose presence we cannot distinguish and those whose departure we cannot prevent. Why is this? Because perfection has not yet arrived, nor has bliss come. Why so? Because it remains a threshing floor, not yet a granary. What then shall we anticipate? Do not fear, even when entering, it will be said, "Only you shall be among the virgins who brought their oil."

Blessed are your children within you. WHO? He who has established peace at your gates. How deeply you rejoice! Love peace, my brothers. Rejoice abundantly when peace, born from love, resounds from within you. In your joyful cries, what is awakened? A love for peace… O children of the kingdom, citizens of Jerusalem, where visions of peace abound: all who cherish peace are blessed and enter when the doors are shut and the bars are reinforced. This is what you yearn for, what you esteem so greatly, this very love permeates your homes, your interactions, your families, your friends, and even your adversaries.

What you fervently cried out at the mention of peace signals a deep longing; your cries reflect thirst, not mere satisfaction; for perfect truth accompanies perfect peace. We hunger and thirst for righteousness. They will be satisfied. Matthew 5:6 How will they be filled? When we come into peace. Thus, when it states, "He hath established peace within thy borders," it implies abundance, with no scarcity. Immediately, it adds, "And with the fat of wheat he shall fill thee." Psalm 146:14.

"Who sends His Word upon the earth." Psalm 146:15. Behold, we labor and toil upon the earth, weary, weak, sluggish, and cold: when we should ascend to the fullness that fulfills us, He did not abandon us to the harshness of the desert; He sent down manna from heaven. He sends forth His Word to the earth, and that Word has come. How, or what does His Word resemble? It runs with swiftness. He did not merely state: "His Word is swift," but "His Word runs unto swiftness." Let us grasp this, dear brethren: His choice of word is impeccable. The one who is heated becomes hot, the cold remains cold, the swift cannot help but be swift. To what extent does it run? Even unto swiftness. Increase comparisons of the Word’s swiftness, and assert, "It is as swift as this or that, as birds, as winds, as angels." Is any of these as great in speed as swiftness itself? What is swiftness, brethren? It pervades all; it is impartial. It belongs to the Word of God, and is not confined to one part, but encompasses the entirety of the Word itself, through which He manifests as both the Power and Wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:24. If we contemplate God in His divine form, the Word equal to the Father, this is the Wisdom of God of which it is said, "It stretches mightily from one end to the other." Wisdom 8:1 What remarkable velocity! It reaches mightily from pole to pole.

We feel burdened by the weightiness of this cold and corrupt body and the chains of worldly existence; do we not harbor hope in the swift-approaching Word? Or has He deserted us, even as this earthly vessel constricts us? Did He not ordain our destinies before we were ever formed into this mortal and frail shell? He who Predestined us bestowed snow upon the earth, and upon us as well. Now, let us turn to the obscure verses of the Psalm, allowing their complexities to unfurl. Here, we are burdened and somewhat frozen within this life. Just as snowflakes freeze at their apex before dropping, so love grows cold, and human nature descends to this terrestrial realm, entangled in a sluggish form, resembling snow. Yet, within this snow, the children of God are foreordained; for He grants snow akin to wool. Psalm 146:16. What signifies wool? It indicates that from the snow He provides, from those who as yet are inert and frigid, whom He has predestined, He will produce something. Wool is the foundational fabric for garments: witnessing wool involves anticipating clothing. Therefore, since He has predestined those who persist in this chill and crawl upon the earth, not yet ablaze with divine love, God has granted them as a form of wool, foreseeing their transformation into garments. It is no coincidence that Christ's garments radiated like snow upon the mountain. Matthew 17:2. His garments shone as if already fashioned from that very snow—wool, from which he presaged a spiritual garment. Indeed, the Church is recognized as the body of Christ; thus, it is also called the garment of Christ. Hence comes the apostle's declaration that He should present to Himself a glorious Church, without spot or blemish. Ephesians 5:27. Let Him therefore present to Himself a glorious Church, unblemished and spotless; let Him fashion from that wool a garment from the snow He has designated, while humans remain stubborn, cold, and languid. Let the cleansing commence through faith, that no stain might remain upon him, by grace, and let him be humbled upon the cross.

He scatters the mist like ashes. The psalmist proclaims—who? He who gives snow like wool. Those He predestined, He invites to repent; to those He has chosen, He calls. Yet ashes are associated with repentance. Listen to how He called for repentance when rebuking specific cities, denouncing, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles performed in you had occurred in Tyre and Sidon, they would have long ago repented in sackcloth and ashes." Matthew 11:21. Thus, He scatters the mist as ash. What does it mean that He scatters the mist like ashes? When someone is called to know God, urged to "Receive the truth," they begin to yearn for it, but are hindered by a darkness they have not previously recognized... Do not wander in obscurity; walk in faith. Yet, as you strive to see yet cannot, repent of your sins, for the fog will vanish like ashes. Repent now of your obstinacy against God and your wicked ways. You find yourself in a circumstance obscuring the vision of blessedness, and the mist God dissipates like ash will serve as a remedy for your sight. You exist as a mist, yet kindred to ash. Those who seek repentance still find themselves enshrouded in ashes, affirming their state before God: "I am but ash." For a certain Scripture conveys this truth: "I despise myself, and I reckon myself as earth and ashes." Such is the humility of the contrite. When Abraham asked God for insight regarding the destruction of Sodom, he said, "I am but dust and ashes." Genesis 18:27. How remarkable is such humility found even in esteemed and holy individuals!

Present to me a sinner that God looks upon unfavorably, one who is devoid of warmth, lifeless and chilled. If this individual encounters the Word of God and begins to feel contrition, as the rigidity of their heart is softened, then the scripture shall be fulfilled, “He sends His word and melts them.” The Father initiates the sending. The Word is dispatched, accompanied by the Holy Spirit. “He shall breathe His spirit.” “With a flaming spirit.” Only the warmth of the Holy Spirit can eradicate the chill. Where are the Eunomians, the Arians, where are the Macedonians who claim, “We do not equate the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son”? The sending of God the Father, the sending of the Word, is not complete without the command of the Holy Spirit.

Yet, when He chooses, He easily transforms the solidified water, allowing it to flow swiftly as a stream. The midday breeze causes the snow and ice to melt into liquid. The Prophet did not share this imagery without purpose; he intended a deeper meaning. Just as the descending snow accumulates on the mountains and, upon melting, feeds the nearby rivers that nourish other lands, so too was the surplus of divine blessings first bestowed upon the Jews. When they turned away from grace, the holy Apostles, like rivers, conveyed the nourishment of doctrine to the Gentiles.

He will send forth His word, and everything will flourish. His Spirit will blow, and the waters will flow. Furthermore, a wondrous and remarkable truth is that God commands His word, causing the snow and ice to melt. He breathes with His Spirit, which is akin to a warm wind, and suddenly from the snow and ice, the waters emerge, from which they were originally formed. This is acknowledged by David, knowing that these occurrences do not happen by mere chance, but, as Chrysostom asserts, everything responds to the will of the Creator, allowing water to transform into snow and ice, and vice versa, while warmth can shift to cold and cold to warmth. Just as these natural phenomena undergo change with ease, so too can human circumstances rapidly transform.

Once again, the author showcases various works of God that can be observed throughout the natural world. However, since many people falsely attribute the changes seen in the sky and on the land to mere chance, he chooses first to discuss the earth, illustrating that it is under the dominion and might of God. The very act of uttering these words conveys the hidden influence through which God orchestrates everything and sets it into motion. Without His decree, the elements would remain still, and they cannot move independently unless guided by the unseen command of their Creator. The subsequent phrase, "His word flows with speed," indicates that the instant God commands something into existence, all creation eagerly complies and is poised to fulfill His directives.

This psalm, likely composed during the post-exilic era, may resemble the prior one in its origins in the time of Nehemiah, renowned for reconstructing the walls and gates of Jerusalem. The psalmist encourages Jerusalem, now reinstated and teeming with inhabitants, to bless her offspring and to celebrate the Lord in light of her peace and outward abundance. The powerful decree of God, capable of effortlessly transforming the harshness of winter into the gentleness of spring, has achieved this redemption and improved Israel's previous dire circumstances. It is fitting that Israel, bestowed with the Revelation, holds a unique status above all other nations and enjoys the favor of God.