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

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