Charles H. Spurgeon on Psalms 147:1

It is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. These points are worthy of careful consideration.

1. To praise God is "good" for divers reasons. a) That is good which God commands (Mic 6:8). So that thanksgiving is no indifferent action, no will worship, but it is cultus institutus, not to be neglected. b) It raiseth the heart from earth to heaven; and being the work of angels and saints in heaven, joins us with that choir above. c) It is good, again, because by it we pay, or at least acknowledge, a debt, and this is common justice. d) Good, because for it we are like to receive a good and a great reward; for if he that prays to God is like to be rewarded (Mt 6:6), much more that man who sings praises to him; for in prayer we consult with our own necessities, in our praises we honour God, and bless him for his gifts.

2. To praise God is "pleasant." a) Because it proceeds out of love; for nothing is more pleasant to him that loves, than to make sonnets in the praise of that party he loves. b) Because it must needs please a man to perform that duty for which he was created; for to that end God created men and angels, that they should praise him. c) Because God is delighted with it, as the sweetest sacrifice (Ps 50:23). d) It is pleasant to God, because he is delighted with those virtues which are in us, —faith, hope, charity, religion, devotion, humility, etc., of all which our praises are a manifestation and exercise.

3. To praise God is "comely"; for there is no greater stain than ingratitude; it is made up of a lie and injustice. There is, then, all the decency in the world in praise, and it is comely that a man be thankful to his God, who freely gives him all things. —William Nicholson.