He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.

PSALMS 147:16KJV
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Psalms 147:16 (KJV)

What does Psalms 147:16 mean?

Psalms 147:16 describes God as the one who sends snow and spreads frost over the ground. The singer uses familiar sights to portray winter weather as part of God’s care over the world, rather than as something outside his reach.

The comparisons invite listeners to picture the whiteness and soft appearance of snow as wool, and the fine covering of frost as scattered ashes. Both images draw on materials people would have known from daily life.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 147:16

  • “giveth” — נָתַן (natan): This word often means “give.” The singer presents snow as something God gives, using the same everyday language someone might use for giving an object.

  • “scattereth” — פָּזַר (pazar): This word means to scatter or spread. It gives the picture of frost being dispersed across a surface, as ashes might be scattered.

  • “hoarfrost” — כְּפוֹר (kephor): This word refers to frost, a thin deposit of ice. The old English word “hoarfrost” points to the white, feathery frost that can form on cold surfaces.

Why Psalms 147:16 matters

  • The verse presents ordinary weather as a reason for praise. Its descriptions belong to a song addressed to Jerusalem and Zion, which is called to praise God in verse 12.

  • The winter scene continues beyond snow and frost. The following verses describe ice, cold, and then melting, placing verse 16 within a picture of changing weather under God’s direction.

Where else these words appear

“hoarfrost” Hebrew H3713 · used in 6 verses

  • Exodus 16:14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
  • 1 Chronicles 28:17 Also pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver:
  • Ezra 8:27 Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.

“scattereth” Hebrew H6340 · used in 10 verses

  • Esther 3:8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.
  • Psalms 112:9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
  • Jeremiah 3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

“wool” Hebrew H6785 · used in 16 verses

  • Leviticus 13:47 The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;
  • Judges 6:37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
  • Ezekiel 27:18 Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy making, for the multitude of all riches; in the wine of Helbon, and white wool.

“snow” Hebrew H7950 · used in 20 verses

  • Exodus 4:6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
  • Job 9:30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
  • Proverbs 25:13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.