Psalm 147

God Restores Jerusalem

Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing to our God,
for praise is pleasant and lovely.(A)

The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;(B)
he gathers Israel’s exiled people.(C)
He heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.(D)
He counts the number of the stars;
he gives names to all of them.(E)
Our Lord is great, vast in power;
his understanding is infinite.[a](F)
The Lord helps the oppressed
but brings the wicked to the ground.(G)

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
play the lyre to our God,(H)
who covers the sky with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
and causes grass to grow on the hills.(I)
He provides the animals with their food,
and the young ravens what they cry for.(J)

10 He is not impressed by the strength of a horse;
he does not value the power of a warrior.[b](K)
11 The Lord values those who fear him,
those who put their hope in his faithful love.(L)

12 Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion!(M)
13 For he strengthens the bars of your city gates
and blesses your children within you.(N)
14 He endows your territory with prosperity;[c](O)
he satisfies you with the finest wheat.(P)

15 He sends his command throughout the earth;
his word runs swiftly.(Q)
16 He spreads snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes;(R)
17 he throws his hailstones like crumbs.
Who can withstand his cold?(S)
18 He sends his word and melts them;
he unleashes his winds,[d] and the water flows.(T)

19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and judgments to Israel.(U)
20 He has not done this for every nation;
they do not know his judgments.(V)
Hallelujah!

Footnotes

  1. 147:5 Lit understanding has no number
  2. 147:10 Lit the legs of the man
  3. 147:14 Or peace
  4. 147:18 Or breath

Psalm 147[a]

147 Praise the Lord,
for it is good to sing praises to our God.
Yes,[b] praise is pleasant and appropriate.
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem,
and gathers the exiles of Israel.
He heals[c] the brokenhearted,
and bandages their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars;
he names all of them.
Our Lord is great and has awesome power;[d]
there is no limit to his wisdom.[e]
The Lord lifts up the oppressed,
but knocks[f] the wicked to the ground.
Offer to the Lord a song of thanks.[g]
Sing praises to our God to the accompaniment of a harp.
He covers[h] the sky with clouds,
provides the earth with rain,
and causes grass to grow on the hillsides.[i]
He gives food to the animals,
and to the young ravens when they chirp.[j]
10 He is not enamored with the strength of a horse,
nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs.[k]
11 The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers,[l]
and in those who wait for his loyal love.
12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem.
Praise your God, O Zion.
13 For he makes the bars of your gates strong.
He blesses your children[m] within you.
14 He[n] brings peace to your territory.[o]
He abundantly provides for you[p] the best grain.
15 He[q] sends his command through the earth;[r]
swiftly his order reaches its destination.[s]
16 He sends the snow that is white like wool;
he spreads the frost that is white like ashes.[t]
17 He throws his hailstones[u] like crumbs.
Who can withstand the cold wind he sends?[v]
18 He then orders it all to melt;[w]
he breathes on it,[x] and the water flows.
19 He proclaims his word to Jacob,
his statutes and regulations to Israel.
20 He has not done so with any other nation;
they are not aware of his regulations.
Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 147:1 sn Psalm 147. The psalmist praises the Lord for he is the sovereign ruler of the world who cares for the needs of his covenant people.
  2. Psalm 147:1 tn Or “for.”
  3. Psalm 147:3 tn Heb “the one who heals.”
  4. Psalm 147:5 tn Heb “and great of strength.”
  5. Psalm 147:5 tn Heb “to his wisdom there is no counting.”
  6. Psalm 147:6 tn Heb “brings down.”
  7. Psalm 147:7 tn Heb “sing to the Lord with thanksgiving.”
  8. Psalm 147:8 tn Heb “the one who covers.”
  9. Psalm 147:8 tn Heb “hills.”
  10. Psalm 147:9 tn Heb “which cry out.”
  11. Psalm 147:10 tn Heb “he does not desire the strength of the horse, he does not take delight in the legs of the man.” Here “the horse” refers to the war horse used by ancient Near Eastern chariot forces, and “the man” refers to the warrior whose muscular legs epitomize his strength.
  12. Psalm 147:11 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
  13. Psalm 147:13 tn Heb “your sons.”
  14. Psalm 147:14 tn Heb “the one who.”
  15. Psalm 147:14 tn Heb “he makes your boundary peace.”
  16. Psalm 147:14 tn Heb “satisfies you with.”
  17. Psalm 147:15 tn Heb “the one who.”
  18. Psalm 147:15 tn Heb “the one who sends his word, the earth.” The Hebrew term אֶרֶץ (ʾerets, “earth”) is an adverbial accusative; one must supply a preposition before it (such as “through” or “to”) in the English translation.
  19. Psalm 147:15 tn Heb “swiftly his word runs.”
  20. Psalm 147:16 tn Heb “the one who gives snow like wool, frost like ashes he scatters.”
  21. Psalm 147:17 tn Heb “his ice.”
  22. Psalm 147:17 tn Heb “Before his cold, who can stand?”
  23. Psalm 147:18 tn Heb “he sends his word and melts them.”
  24. Psalm 147:18 tn Heb “he blows his breath.”