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Psalm 147 · a question people ask

"He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man" (147:10). Is the psalm against strength?

In the text

The verse says what the LORD doesn't delight in, and the next verse says what he does: "The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness" (147:11). It doesn't say horses or strong legs are bad. The same psalm praises him for giving strength: "For he has strengthened the bars of your gates" (147:13), though in Hebrew strength in 147:10 and strengthened in 147:13 are different words. Legs is shoq, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "leg"; the Psalms have it only here. Other psalms speak of horses too: "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God" (Psalm 20:7), and "A horse is a vain thing for safety" (Psalm 33:17). Psalm 147 keeps to what the LORD takes pleasure in.

The verses

“He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.”
Psalm 147:10-11 · World English Bible
“For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.”
Psalm 147:13 · World English Bible
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”
Psalm 20:7 · World English Bible
“A horse is a vain thing for safety, neither does he deliver any by his great power.”
Psalm 33:17 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 147

Psalm 147: He heals the broken in heart

Psalm 147 sets the one who "heals the broken in heart" (147:3) right beside the one who "counts the number of the stars" (147:4), and its "His understanding is infinite" (147:5) is, in Hebrew, there is no number, the same word as the stars' number. In Hebrew, the word that melts the snow (147:18) and the word he shows to Jacob (147:19) are the same word, davar.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions