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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

Psalm 147

Praise for God’s Care for Jerusalem

Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God,
    for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.(A)
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
    he gathers the outcasts of Israel.(B)
He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.(C)
He determines the number of the stars;
    he gives to all of them their names.(D)
Great is our Lord and abundant in power;
    his understanding is beyond measure.(E)
The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
    he casts the wicked to the ground.

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
    make melody to our God on the lyre.
He covers the heavens with clouds,
    prepares rain for the earth,
    makes grass grow on the hills.(F)
He gives to the animals their food
    and to the young ravens when they cry.(G)
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse
    nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner,[a](H)
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
    in those who hope in his steadfast love.

12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
    he blesses your children within you.
14 He grants peace[b] within your borders;
    he fills you with the finest of wheat.(I)
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
    his word runs swiftly.(J)
16 He gives snow like wool;
    he scatters frost like ashes.(K)
17 He hurls down hail like crumbs—
    who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word and melts them;
    he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.(L)
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
    his statutes and ordinances to Israel.(M)
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
    they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!(N)

Footnotes

  1. 147.10 Heb legs of a person
  2. 147.14 Or prosperity

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord!

How good to sing praises to our God!
    How delightful and how fitting!
The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem
    and bringing the exiles back to Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
    and bandages their wounds.
He counts the stars
    and calls them all by name.
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
    His understanding is beyond comprehension!
The Lord supports the humble,
    but he brings the wicked down into the dust.

Sing out your thanks to the Lord;
    sing praises to our God with a harp.
He covers the heavens with clouds,
    provides rain for the earth,
    and makes the grass grow in mountain pastures.
He gives food to the wild animals
    and feeds the young ravens when they cry.
10 He takes no pleasure in the strength of a horse
    or in human might.
11 No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him,
    those who put their hope in his unfailing love.

12 Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates
    and blessed your children within your walls.
14 He sends peace across your nation
    and satisfies your hunger with the finest wheat.
15 He sends his orders to the world—
    how swiftly his word flies!
16 He sends the snow like white wool;
    he scatters frost upon the ground like ashes.
17 He hurls the hail like stones.[a]
    Who can stand against his freezing cold?
18 Then, at his command, it all melts.
    He sends his winds, and the ice thaws.
19 He has revealed his words to Jacob,
    his decrees and regulations to Israel.
20 He has not done this for any other nation;
    they do not know his regulations.

Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. 147:17 Hebrew like bread crumbs.

Psalm 147

147 Praise the Lord!
    Because it is good to sing praise to our God!
    Because it is a pleasure to make beautiful praise!

The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem, gathering up Israel’s exiles.
God heals the brokenhearted
    and bandages their wounds.
God counts the stars by number,
    giving each one a name.
Our Lord is great and so strong!
    God’s knowledge can’t be grasped!
The Lord helps the poor,
    but throws the wicked down on the dirt!

Sing to the Lord with thanks;
    sing praises to our God with a lyre!
God covers the skies with clouds;
    God makes rain for the earth;
God makes the mountains sprout green grass.
    God gives food to the animals—
    even to the baby ravens when they cry out.
10 God doesn’t prize the strength of a horse;
    God doesn’t treasure the legs of a runner.
11 No. The Lord treasures the people
who honor him,
    the people who wait for his faithful love.

12 Worship the Lord, Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, Zion!
13 Because God secures the bars on your gates,
    God blesses the children you have there.
14 God establishes your borders peacefully.
    God fills you full with the very best wheat.

15 God issues his command to the earth—
    God’s word speeds off fast!
16 God spreads snow like it was wool;
    God scatters frost like it was ashes;
17 God throws his hail down like crumbs—
    who can endure God’s freezing cold?
18 Then God issues his word and melts it all away!
    God makes his winds blow;
    the water flows again.

19 God proclaims his word to Jacob;
    his statutes and rules to Israel.
20 God hasn’t done that with any other nation;
    those nations have no knowledge of God’s rules.[a]

Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 147:20 LXX, Tg, DSS (11QPsa) God hasn’t let those nations know his rules.

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