Psalm 147

Praise the Lord.[a]

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
    how pleasant(A) and fitting to praise him!(B)

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;(C)
    he gathers the exiles(D) of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted(E)
    and binds up their wounds.(F)
He determines the number of the stars(G)
    and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord(H) and mighty in power;(I)
    his understanding has no limit.(J)
The Lord sustains the humble(K)
    but casts the wicked(L) to the ground.

Sing to the Lord(M) with grateful praise;(N)
    make music(O) to our God on the harp.(P)

He covers the sky with clouds;(Q)
    he supplies the earth with rain(R)
    and makes grass grow(S) on the hills.
He provides food(T) for the cattle
    and for the young ravens(U) when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength(V) of the horse,(W)
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the Lord delights(X) in those who fear him,(Y)
    who put their hope(Z) in his unfailing love.(AA)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 147:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 20

20 He has done this for no other nation;(A)
    they do not know(B) his laws.[a]

Praise the Lord.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 147:20 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint nation; / he has not made his laws known to them

10 The righteous care for the needs of their animals,(A)
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

11 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies have no sense.(B)

12 The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous endures.

13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,(C)
    and so the innocent escape trouble.(D)

14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,(E)
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.(F)

15 The way of fools seems right to them,(G)
    but the wise listen to advice.(H)

16 Fools(I) show their annoyance at once,(J)
    but the prudent overlook an insult.(K)

17 An honest witness tells the truth,
    but a false witness tells lies.(L)

18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,(M)
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.(N)

19 Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but those who promote peace have joy.(O)

21 No harm overtakes the righteous,(P)
    but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

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Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,(A) Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.(B) You who are trying to be justified by the law(C) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.(D) For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.(E) For in Christ Jesus(F) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.(G) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.(H)

You were running a good race.(I) Who cut in on you(J) to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.(K) “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”(L) 10 I am confident(M) in the Lord that you will take no other view.(N) The one who is throwing you into confusion,(O) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?(P) In that case the offense(Q) of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,(R) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.(S) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a];(T) rather, serve one another(U) humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b](V) 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:13 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 16, 17, 19 and 24; and in 6:8.
  2. Galatians 5:14 Lev. 19:18

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