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Sing and Praise the Lord

Shout praises to the Lord!
    Our God is kind,
and it is right and good
    to sing praises to him.
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem
and brings the people of Israel
    back home again.
He renews our hopes
    and heals our bodies.
He decided how many stars
there would be in the sky
    and gave each one a name.
Our Lord is great and powerful!
    He understands everything.
The Lord helps the oppressed,
but he smears the wicked
    in the dirt.

Celebrate and sing!
Play your harps
    for the Lord our God.
He fills the sky with clouds
    and sends rain to the earth,
so that the hills
    will be green with grass.
He provides food for cattle
and for the young ravens,
    when they cry out.
10 The Lord doesn't care about
the strength of horses
    or powerful armies.
11 The Lord is pleased only
with those who worship him
    and trust his love.

12 Everyone in Jerusalem,
come and praise
    the Lord your God!
13 He makes your city gates strong
    and blesses your people.
14 God lets you live in peace,
and he gives you
    the very best wheat.

15 As soon as God speaks,
    the earth obeys.
16 He covers the ground with snow
    like a blanket of wool,
and he scatters frost
    like ashes on the ground.
17 God sends down hailstones
like chips of rocks.
    Who can stand the cold?
18 At his command the ice melts,
the wind blows,
    and streams begin to flow.

19 God gave his laws and teachings
to the descendants of Jacob,
    the nation of Israel.
20 But he has not given his laws
to any other nation.
    Shout praises to the Lord!

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