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

In Praise of God the Almighty

147 Praise the Lord!

It is good to sing praise to our God;
    it is pleasant and right to praise him.
The Lord is restoring Jerusalem;
    he is bringing back the exiles.
He heals the broken-hearted
    and bandages their wounds.

He has decided the number of the stars
    and calls each one by name.
Great and mighty is our Lord;
    his wisdom cannot be measured.
He raises the humble,
    but crushes the wicked to the ground.

Sing hymns of praise to the Lord;
    play music on the harp to our God.
He spreads clouds over the sky;
    he provides rain for the earth
    and makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives animals their food
    and feeds the young ravens when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in strong horses,
    nor his delight in brave soldiers;
11 but he takes pleasure in those who honor him,
    in those who trust in his constant love.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
    Praise your God, O Zion!
13 He keeps your gates strong;
    he blesses your people.
14 He keeps your borders safe
    and satisfies you with the finest wheat.

15 He gives a command to the earth,
    and what he says is quickly done.
16 He spreads snow like a blanket
    and scatters frost like dust.
17 He sends hail like gravel;
    no one can endure the cold he sends!
18 Then he gives a command, and the ice melts;
    he sends the wind, and the water flows.

19 He gives his message to his people,
    his instructions and laws to Israel.
20 He has not done this for other nations;
    they do not know his laws.

Praise the Lord!

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.

147 Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

13 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.

14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.

15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

16 He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.

17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?

18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.

20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.