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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

Praise to God for His Word and Providence

147 Praise[a] the Lord!
For (A)it is good to sing praises to our God;
(B)For it is pleasant, and (C)praise is beautiful.

The Lord (D)builds up Jerusalem;
(E)He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
(F)He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their [b]wounds.
(G)He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by name.
(H)Great is our Lord, and (I)mighty in power;
(J)His understanding is infinite.
(K)The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God,
(L)Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
(M)He gives to the beast its food,
And (N)to the young ravens that cry.

10 (O)He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.

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 (P)He makes peace in your borders,
And (Q)fills you with [c]the finest wheat.

15 (R)He sends out His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
16 (S)He gives snow like wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes;
17 He casts out His hail like [d]morsels;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 (T)He sends out His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.

19 (U)He declares His word to Jacob,
(V)His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 (W)He has not dealt thus with any nation;
And as for His judgments, they have not known them.

[e]Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 147:1 Heb. Hallelujah
  2. Psalm 147:3 Lit. sorrows
  3. Psalm 147:14 Lit. fat of wheat
  4. Psalm 147:17 fragments of food
  5. Psalm 147:20 Heb. Hallelujah

Praise God Who Helps His People

147 Praise the Lord!

It is good to sing praises to our God;
    it is good and pleasant to praise him.
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;
    he brings back the captured Israelites.
He heals the brokenhearted
    and bandages their wounds.

He counts the stars
    and names each one.
Our Lord is great and very powerful.
    There is no limit to what he knows.
The Lord defends the humble,
    but he throws the wicked to the ground.

Sing praises to the Lord;
    praise our God with harps.
He fills the sky with clouds
    and sends rain to the earth
    and makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives food to cattle
    and to the little birds that call.

10 He is not impressed with the strength of a horse
    or with human might.
11 The Lord is pleased with those who respect him,
    with those who trust his love.

12 Jerusalem, praise the Lord;
    Jerusalem, praise your God.
13 He makes your city gates strong
    and blesses your children inside.
14 He brings peace to your country
    and fills you with the finest grain.

15 He gives a command to the earth,
    and it quickly obeys him.
16 He spreads the snow like wool
    and scatters the frost like ashes.
17 He throws down hail like rocks.
    No one can stand the cold he sends.
18 Then he gives a command, and it melts.
    He sends the breezes, and the waters flow.

19 He gave his word to Jacob,
    his laws and demands to Israel.
20 He didn’t do this for any other nation.
    They don’t know his laws.

Praise the Lord!

147 Hallelujah!
It’s a good thing to sing praise to our God;
    praise is beautiful, praise is fitting.

2-6 God’s the one who rebuilds Jerusalem,
    who regathers Israel’s scattered exiles.
He heals the heartbroken
    and bandages their wounds.
He counts the stars
    and assigns each a name.
Our Lord is great, with limitless strength;
    we’ll never comprehend what he knows and does.
God puts the fallen on their feet again
    and pushes the wicked into the ditch.

7-11 Sing to God a thanksgiving hymn,
    play music on your instruments to God,
Who fills the sky with clouds,
    preparing rain for the earth,
Then turning the mountains green with grass,
    feeding both cattle and crows.
He’s not impressed with horsepower;
    the size of our muscles means little to him.
Those who fear God get God’s attention;
    they can depend on his strength.

12-18 Jerusalem, worship God!
    Zion, praise your God!
He made your city secure,
    he blessed your children among you.
He keeps the peace at your borders,
    he puts the best bread on your tables.
He launches his promises earthward—
    how swift and sure they come!
He spreads snow like a white fleece,
    he scatters frost like ashes,
He broadcasts hail like birdseed—
    who can survive his winter?
Then he gives the command and it all melts;
    he breathes on winter—suddenly it’s spring!

19-20 He speaks the same way to Jacob,
    speaks words that work to Israel.
He never did this to the other nations;
    they never heard such commands.
Hallelujah!

Praise for Jerusalem’s Restoration and Prosperity.

147 [a]Praise [b]the Lord!
For (A)it is good to sing praises to our God;
For [c]it is pleasant and praise is [d](B)beautiful.
The Lord (C)builds up Jerusalem;
He (D)gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the (E)brokenhearted
And (F)binds up their [e]wounds.
He (G)counts the number of the stars;
He [f](H)gives names to all of them.
(I)Great is our Lord and abundant in strength;
His (J)understanding is [g]infinite.
The Lord [h](K)supports the afflicted;
He brings the wicked down to the ground.

(L)Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises to our God on the lyre;
It is He who (M)covers the heavens with clouds,
Who (N)provides rain for the earth,
Who (O)makes grass sprout on the mountains.
It is He who (P)gives an animal its food,
And feeds (Q)young ravens that cry.
10 He does not delight in [i]the strength of the (R)horse;
He (S)does not take pleasure in the [j]legs of a man.
11 The Lord (T)favors those who fear Him,
(U)Those who wait for His [k]faithfulness.

12 Praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Praise your God, Zion!
13 For He has strengthened the (V)bars of your gates;
He has (W)blessed your sons among you.
14 He (X)makes [l]peace in your borders;
He (Y)satisfies you with (Z)the [m]finest of the wheat.
15 He sends His (AA)command to the earth;
His (AB)word runs very swiftly.
16 He [n]showers (AC)snow like wool;
He scatters the (AD)frost like ashes.
17 He hurls His (AE)ice as fragments;
Who can stand before His (AF)cold?
18 He (AG)sends His word and makes them melt;
He (AH)makes His wind blow, and the waters flow.
19 He (AI)declares His words to Jacob,
His (AJ)statutes and His judgments to Israel.
20 He (AK)has not dealt this way with any other nation;
And as for His judgments, [o]they have (AL)not known them.
[p]Praise [q]the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 147:1 Or Hallelujah!
  2. Psalm 147:1 Heb Yah
  3. Psalm 147:1 Or He is delightful
  4. Psalm 147:1 Or fitting
  5. Psalm 147:3 Lit pains
  6. Psalm 147:4 Or calls them all by their names
  7. Psalm 147:5 Lit innumerable
  8. Psalm 147:6 Or relieves
  9. Psalm 147:10 I.e., as a military asset
  10. Psalm 147:10 I.e., as a military asset
  11. Psalm 147:11 Or mercy
  12. Psalm 147:14 Lit your borders peace
  13. Psalm 147:14 Lit fat
  14. Psalm 147:16 Lit gives
  15. Psalm 147:20 I.e., the other nations
  16. Psalm 147:20 Or Hallelujah!
  17. Psalm 147:20 Heb Yah