Psalm 145-147

New International Reader's Version

³ Lord, you are great. You are really worthy of praise.
    No one can completely understand how great you are.
⁴ Parents praise your works to their children.
    They tell about your mighty acts.
⁵ They speak about your glorious majesty.
    I will spend time thinking about your wonderful deeds.
⁶ They speak about the powerful and wonderful things you do.
    I will talk about the great things you have done.
⁷ They celebrate your great goodness.
    They sing for joy about your holy acts.

⁸ The Lord is gracious, kind and tender.
    He is slow to get angry and full of love.
⁹ The Lord is good to all.
    He shows deep concern for everything he has made.
¹⁰ Lord, all your works praise you.
    Your faithful people praise you.
¹¹ They tell about your glorious kingdom.
    They speak about your power.
¹² Then all people will know about the mighty things you have done.
    They will know about the glorious majesty of your kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is a kingdom that will last forever.
    Your rule will continue for all time to come.

The Lord will keep all his promises.
    He is faithful in everything he does.
¹⁴ The Lord takes good care of all those who fall.
    He lifts up all those who feel helpless.
¹⁵ Every living thing looks to you for food.
    You give it to them exactly when they need it.
¹⁶ You open your hand
    and satisfy the needs of every living creature.

¹⁷ The Lord is right in everything he does.
    He is faithful in everything he does.
¹⁸ The Lord is ready to help all those who call out to him.
    He helps those who really mean it when they call out to him.
¹⁹ He satisfies the needs of those who have respect for him.
    He hears their cry and saves them.
²⁰ The Lord watches over all those who love him.
    But he will destroy all sinful people.

²¹ I will praise the Lord with my mouth.
    Let every creature praise his holy name
    for ever and ever.

146 Praise the Lord.

I will praise the Lord.
²     I will praise the Lord all my life.
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

³ Don’t put your trust in human leaders.
    Don’t trust in people who can’t save you.
⁴ When they die, they return to the ground.
    On that day their plans come to nothing.

⁵ Blessed are those who depend on the God of Jacob for help.
    Blessed are those who put their hope in the Lord their God.
⁶ He is the Maker of heaven and earth and the ocean.
    He made everything in them.
    He remains faithful forever.
⁷ He stands up for those who are treated badly.
    He gives food to hungry people.
The Lord sets prisoners free.
⁸     The Lord gives sight to those who are blind.
The Lord lifts up those who feel helpless.
    The Lord loves those who do what is right.
⁹ The Lord watches over the outsiders who live in our land.
    He takes good care of children whose fathers have died.
    He also takes good care of widows.
But he causes evil people to fail
    in everything they do.

¹⁰ The Lord rules forever.
    The God of Zion will rule for all time to come.

Praise the Lord.

147 Praise the Lord.

How good it is to sing praises to our God!
    How pleasant and right it is to praise him!

² The Lord builds up Jerusalem.
    He gathers the scattered people of Israel.
³ He heals those who have broken hearts.
    He takes care of their wounds.

⁴ He decides how many stars there should be.
    He gives each one of them a name.
⁵ Great is our Lord. His power is mighty.
    There is no limit to his understanding.
⁶ The Lord gives strength to those who aren’t proud.
    But he throws evil people down to the ground.

⁷ Sing to the Lord and give him grateful praise.
    Make music to our God on the harp.
⁸ He covers the sky with clouds.
    He supplies the earth with rain.
    He makes grass grow on the hills.
⁹ He provides food for the cattle.
    He provides for the young ravens when they cry out.

¹⁰ He doesn’t take pleasure in the strength of horses.
    He doesn’t take delight in the strong legs of warriors.
¹¹ The Lord takes delight in those who have respect for him.
    They put their hope in his faithful love.

¹² Jerusalem, praise the Lord.
    Zion, praise your God.
¹³ He makes the metal bars of your gates stronger.
    He blesses the people who live inside you.
¹⁴ He keeps your borders safe and secure.
    He satisfies you with the finest wheat.

¹⁵ He sends his command to the earth.
    His word arrives there quickly.
¹⁶ He spreads the snow like wool.
    He scatters the frost like ashes.
¹⁷ He throws down his hail like pebbles.
    No one can stand his icy blast.
¹⁸ He gives his command, and the ice melts.
    He stirs up his winds, and the waters flow.

¹⁹ He has made his word known to the people of Jacob.
    He has made his laws and rules known to Israel.
²⁰ He hasn’t done that for any other nation.
    They don’t know his laws.

Praise the Lord.