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Praise for Jerusalem’s Restoration and Prosperity.

147 Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our [gracious and majestic] God;
Praise is becoming and appropriate.

The Lord is building up Jerusalem;
He is gathering [together] the exiles of Israel.

He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow].(A)

He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by their names.

Great is our [majestic and mighty] Lord and abundant in strength;
His understanding is inexhaustible [infinite, boundless].

The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.


Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises to our God with the lyre,

Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who provides rain for the earth,
Who makes grass grow on the mountains.

He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens that for which they cry.
10 
He does not delight in the strength (military power) of the horse,
Nor does He take pleasure in the legs (strength) of a man.
11 
The Lord favors those who fear and worship Him [with awe-inspired reverence and obedience],
Those who wait for His mercy and lovingkindness.(B)

12 
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
13 
For He has strengthened the bars of your gates,
He has blessed your children within you.
14 
He makes peace in your borders;
He satisfies you with the finest of the wheat.
15 
He sends His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
16 
He gives [to the earth] snow like [a blanket of] wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes.
17 
He casts out His ice like fragments;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 
He sends out His word and melts the ice;
He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow.
19 
He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.(C)
20 
He has not dealt this way with any [other] nation;
They have not known [understood, appreciated, heeded, or cherished] His ordinances.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)(D)

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)

12 Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;(AB)
    praise your God, Zion.

13 He strengthens the bars of your gates(AC)
    and blesses your people(AD) within you.
14 He grants peace(AE) to your borders
    and satisfies you(AF) with the finest of wheat.(AG)

15 He sends his command(AH) to the earth;
    his word runs(AI) swiftly.
16 He spreads the snow(AJ) like wool
    and scatters the frost(AK) like ashes.
17 He hurls down his hail(AL) like pebbles.
    Who can withstand his icy blast?
18 He sends his word(AM) and melts them;
    he stirs up his breezes,(AN) and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word(AO) to Jacob,(AP)
    his laws and decrees(AQ) to Israel.
20 He has done this for no other nation;(AR)
    they do not know(AS) his laws.[b]

Praise the Lord.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 147:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 20
  2. Psalm 147:20 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint nation; / he has not made his laws known to them