Psalms 147:19
in Psalms 147He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He showeth his word unto Jacob, His statutes and his ordinances unto Israel.
KJV
He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.
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This verse in Psalms 147
Commentary
9 notes on this verseHe showeth his word unto Jacob,.... From the things of nature and providence, the psalmist passes to the blessings of grace and goodness; for which the Lord is to be praised, particularly for his word and ordinances.
This site's exposition
He declares His word to Jacob
on Psalms 147:19-20
The weather of the verses before reaches every nation; the word, the statutes and the judgments go to Jacob and Israel. The psalm says plainly that no other nation received this. Matthew Henry calls it a distinguishing mercy, God's word shown to Jacob and his statutes made known through it.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Announcing His Word unto Jacob, His Righteousnesses and Judgments unto Israel" (ver. 19). What "Righteousnesses," what "Judgments"? Because whatever mankind had suffered here before, when it was "snow" and "mist" and "crystal," it suffered for the deserts of its pride and uplifting against God. Let us go back to the origin of our fall, and see that most truly is it sung in the Psalm, "Before I was troubled I went wrong." But he who says, "Before I was troubled I went wrong," saith also, "It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me, that I may learn Thy Righteousnesses." These righteousnesses Jacob learnt from God, who made him to wrestle with an Angel; under the guise of which Angel, God Himself wrestled with him. He held Him, he exerted violence to hold Him, he prevailed to hold Him: He caused Himself to be held, in mercy, not in weakness. Jacob therefore wrestled, and prevailed: he held Him and when he seemed to have conquered Him asked to be blessed of Him. How did he understand with Whom he had wrestled, Whom he had held? Wherefore did he wrestle violently, and hold Him? Because "the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." Wherefore then did he wrestle? Because it is with toil. Wherefore do we with difficulty hold, what we so easily lose? Lest, easily getting back what we have lost, we learn to lose that which we hold. Let man have toil to hold: he will hold firmly, what he has only held after toil. These His judgments therefore God manifested to Jacob and Israel. ...
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
They did not find out God's statutes and judgments of themselves, but God showed his word unto Jacob, and by that word he made known to them his statutes and judgments. It is a great mercy to any people to have the word of God among them; for faith comes by hearing and reading that word, that faith without which it is impossible to please God.
It is easy, in singing this psalm, to apply it to ourselves, both as to personal and national mercies, were it but as easy to do so with suitable affections. 1 Praise ye the L ORD : for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He who is the Creator is also the Revealer. We are to praise the Lord above all things for his manifesting himself to us as he does not unto the world. Whatever part of his mind he discloses to us, whether it be a word of instruction, a statute of direction, or a judgment of government, we are bound to bless the Lord for it.
He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He who is the Creator is also the Revealer. We are to praise the Lord above all things for his manifesting himself to us as he does not unto the world. Whatever part of his mind he discloses to us, whether it be a word of instruction, a statute of direction, or a judgment of government, we are bound to bless the Lord for it. He who causes summer to come in the place of winter has also removed the coldness and death from our hearts by the power of his word, and this is abundant cause for singing unto his name. As Jacob's seed of old were made to know the Lord, even so are we ill these latter days; wherefore, let his name be magnified among us. By that knowledge Jacob is ennobled into Israel, and therefore let him who is made a prevailing prince in prayer be also a chief musician in praise. The elect people were bound to sing hallelujahs to their own God. Why were they so specially favoured if they did not, above all others, tell forth the glory of their God?
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
He showeth his word unto Jacob - To no nation of the world beside had God given a revelation of his will.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He showeth his word unto Jacob - Margin, words. His commands; his promises; his laws. The things which were before adverted to, pertain to the world in general. All people see his works; all enjoy the benefits of his arrangements in the seasons - in the changes which occur upon the earth; but he has especially favored his own people by giving them his laws - his revealed will. This distinguishes them above all other nations of the earth, and gives them special occasion for gratitude. His statutes and his judgments unto Israel - His laws; his written word. The word judgments here refers to the law of God as being that which he judges or determines to be right.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַגִּ֣יד | magid | [the one who] declares | H5046 → | 370 times |
| דְּבָרָ֣יו | devarov | words his | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב | leyaako | to Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| חֻקָּ֥יו | chukav | decrees his | H2706 → | 127 times |
| וּ֝מִשְׁפָּטָ֗יו | umishpatav | and judgments his | H4941 → | 422 times |
| לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | leyisrael | to Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
מַגִּ֣יד[the one who] declares
magidH5046 →370 times
דְּבָרָ֣יוwords his
devarovH1697 →1440 times
לְיַעֲקֹ֑בto Jacob
leyaakoH3290 →350 times
חֻקָּ֥יוdecrees his
chukavH2706 →127 times
וּ֝מִשְׁפָּטָ֗יוand judgments his
umishpatavH4941 →422 times
לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃to Israel
leyisraelH3478 →2507 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 9:4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:12
remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
- Genesis 17:2
I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.”
- Romans 9:6
It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
- Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of…
- Acts 2:39
This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
- Ephesians 2:12
Through
Psalms 78:5For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach to their children,
it leads to
- Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 6:7
And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
- Ephesians 6:4
Through
Malachi 4:4“Remember the law of My servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances I commanded him for all Israel at Horeb.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 4:10
The day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, “Gather the people before Me to hear My words, so that they may learn to fear Me all…
- Deuteronomy 4:10
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 147; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.