Psalms 147:7–9
The psalmist sees God giving rain, grass, and food to the young ravens
Study it word by word7Sing to YHWH with thanksgiving; sing psalms to our Elohim with the lyre,
8who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes sprout grass on the mountains,
9who gives to the livestock its food, to the young of the raven that cry out.
In its context
5Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; to his understanding there is no number.
6YHWH sustains the humble; he brings down the wicked to the ground.
…
10Not in the strength of the horse does he delight, nor in the legs of a man does he take pleasure.
11YHWH takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who await his loyal love.
Its words in the original
- עֱנוּenu· answer
Answer, reply; also speak up, testify, or sing in response.
- יהוָהyhva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- תוֹדָהtoda· thanksgiving
Thanksgiving: acknowledging aloud what God has done; also the sacrifice offered to give thanks, and a choir giving thanks.
- זַמְּרוּzamru· sing praise, make music
Sing praise: sing or play a stringed instrument in praise. The word for "psalm" comes from it.
- אלֹהֵיlohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- כִנּוֹרchinor· lyre
Lyre: a small stringed instrument.
- מְכַסֶּהmechase· cover
Cover, hide; also cover over (sin), conceal.
- שָׁמַיִםshamayim· heavens, sky
The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".
- עָבִיםavim· thick cloud
Thick, dark cloud.
- מֵּכִיןmechin· be firm, prepare
Be firm, be set, be ready; in the causative form, set up, establish, prepare, make ready.
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- מָטָרmatar· rain
Rain.
- מַּצְמִיחַmatsmiach· sprout
Sprout, spring up; begin to grow.
- הָרִיםharim· mountain, hill country
Mountain, hill; hill country.
- חָצִירchatsir· grass; leek
Green grass, pasture. In Numbers 11:5, leeks.
- נוֹתֵןnoten· give, put, set
Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.
- בְהֵמָהvehema· livestock, beast
Four-footed animal, above all livestock and domestic animals; sometimes all animals in contrast with human beings.
- לַחְמָlachma· bread, food
Bread; in a wide sense, food.
- בְנֵיvene· son
Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).
- עֹרֵבorev· raven
Raven.
- יִקְרָאוּyikrau· call, proclaim
Call: speak out to someone, summon, invite, give a name, proclaim; also read aloud. "Call on the name of YHWH" is to pray to him and worship him.