Psalm 147, verse 4: He sends out his Word

Book of Kells, Folio 292r

Today's verse of Psalm 147 can be seen as a prophesy of God's sending of his son to earth so that the Gospel might be preached everywhere.

Text notes 

4	V	Qui emittit eloquium suum terræ: * velociter currit sermo ejus.
	JH	Qui emittit eloquium suum terrae, velociter currit verbum eius.
		ὁ ἀποστέλλων τὸ λόγιον αὐτοῦ τῇ γῇ ἕως τάχους δραμεῖται ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ

Word by word:

 Qui (who) emíttit (sends) elóquium (word) suum (his) terræ (to the earth): velóciter (quickly) currit (it runs) sermo (command) ejus (his) = his command runs quickly

Key vocabulary

eloquium, ii, n.a word, oracle, speech, utterance, promise. 

sermo, onis, m. words; a command, edict word, speech, saying, discourse scheme, plan, proposal

emitto, misi, missum, ere 3 to send out or forth; to stretch forth, put forth

velociter, adv. (velox),swiftly, quickly, speedily, rapidly

curro, cucurri, cursum, ere 3, to run, hasten.  

DR	Who sends forth his speech to the earth: his word runs swiftly.
Brent.	He sends his oracle to the earth: his word will run swiftly.
MD	He sendeth forth His word to the earth and swiftly runneth His command
RSV	He sends forth his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.
Cover	He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth, and his word runneth very swiftly.
Knox	See how he issues his command to the earth, how swift his word runs!

Make disciples of all nations

The first few verses speak of the Church: first his chosen people, the Jews, and then, when they rejected him, those brought into his church under the new covenant.  

This verse, however, points out that God's plan does not stop there: the aim is the conversion of the whole world. 

 

 God as the creator and sustainer of all

The swiftness with which God's word in this verse is often interpreted as referring to the rapid spread of the Gospel to all the corners of the earth, as Cassiodorus pointed out:

The speech of this almighty Word has run so swiftly that the speediest acknowledg­ment of the holy Trinity has filled the world with wondrous haste, transforming cults of idols through the manifestation of Truth itself.

But can also be taken as referring to God's creation and ongoing governance of the world, as St Robert Bellarmine explains:

He, there­fore, exhorts them to praise that God, "who sendeth forth his speech to the earth," who issues the precepts and decrees of his providence to the whole world; and "his word runneth quick­ly;" such precepts and decrees are borne with the greatest expe­dition to all created beings, penetrate all things, and are put into immediate execution. These words explain the order of divine providence that extends itself to everything, and that with the greatest velocity because God is everywhere, "upholding all things by the word of his power," (Heb. 1); and "reaches from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly," (Wisd. 8). Hence, David says, in Psalm 118, "All things serve thee."

Pope John Paul II put it this way:

The Lord, therefore, acts with his Word not only in creation but also in history. He reveals himself with the silent language of nature (cf. Ps 19[18]: 2-7), but expresses himself in an explicit way through the Bible and his personal communication through the prophets and fully through the Son (cf. Heb 1: 1, 2). They are two different but converging gifts of His love. For this reason, our praise must rise to heaven each day...to bless the Lord of life and freedom, of existence and faith, of creation and redemption. 

Psalm 147 – Lauda Jerusalem 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Lauda, Jerúsalem, Dóminum: * lauda Deum tuum, Sion.	Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem: praise your God, O Sion.
2  Quóniam confortávit seras portárum tuárum: * benedíxit fíliis tuis in te.	Because he has strengthened the bolts of your gates, he has blessed your children within you
3 Qui pósuit fines tuos pacem: * et ádipe fruménti sátiat te.	Who has placed peace in your borders: and fills you with the fat of corn.
4 Qui emíttit elóquium suum terræ: * velóciter currit sermo ejus.	Who sends forth his speech to the earth: his word runs swiftly.
5 Qui dat nivem sicut lanam: * nébulam sicut cínerem spargit.	Who gives snow like wool: scatters mists like ashes.
6  Mittit crystállum suam sicut buccéllas: * ante fáciem frígoris ejus quis sustinébit?	He sends his crystal like morsels: who shall stand before the face of his cold?
7  Emíttet verbum suum, et liquefáciet ea: * flabit spíritus ejus, et fluent aquæ.	He shall send out his word, and shall melt them: his wind shall blow, and the waters shall run.
8 Qui annúntiat verbum suum Jacob: * justítias, et judícia sua Israël.	Who declares his word to Jacob: his justices and his judgments to Israel
9 Non fecit táliter omni natióni: * et judícia sua non manifestávit eis.	He has not done in like manner to every nation: and his judgments he has not made manifest to them. Alleluia.