12 Jerusalem, worship God! Zion, praise your God! 13 He made your city secure, he blessed your children among you. 14 He keeps the peace at your borders, he puts the best bread on your tables. 15 He launches his promises earthward - how swift and sure they come! 16 He spreads snow like a white fleece, he scatters frost like ashes, 17 He broadcasts hail like birdseed - who can survive his winter? 18 Then he gives the command and it all melts; he breathes on winter - suddenly it's spring! 19 He speaks the same way to Jacob, speaks words that work to Israel. 20 He never did this to the other nations; they never heard such commands. Hallelujah!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 147:12-20
Commentary on Psalm 147:12-20
(Read Psalm 147:12-20)
The church, like Jerusalem of old, built up and preserved by the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, is exhorted to praise him for all the benefits and blessings vouchsafed to her; and these are represented by his favours in the course of nature. The thawing word may represent the gospel of Christ, and the thawing wind the Spirit of Christ; for the Spirit is compared to the wind, John 3:8. Converting grace softens the heart that was hard frozen, and melts it into tears of repentance, and makes good reflections to flow, which before were chilled and stopped up. The change which the thaw makes is very evident, yet how it is done no one can say. Such is the change wrought in the conversion of a soul, when God's word and Spirit are sent to melt it and restore it to itself.