Psalm 147

1 Praise the Lord.

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the exiles of Israel.

3 He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.

4 He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.

5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.

6 The Lord sustains the humble
but casts the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make music to our God on the harp.

8 He covers the sky with clouds;
he supplies the earth with rain
and makes grass grow on the hills.

9 He provides food for the cattle
and for the young ravens when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of a man;

11 the Lord delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.

12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion,

13 for he strengthens the bars of your gates
and blesses your people within you.

14 He grants peace to your borders
and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

15 He sends his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.

16 He spreads the snow like wool
and scatters the frost like ashes.

17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles.
Who can withstand his icy blast?

18 He sends his word and melts them;
he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word to Jacob,
his laws and decrees to Israel.

20 He has done this for no other nation;
they do not know his laws.

Praise the Lord.

PSALMS 147

Sing and Praise the [Lord]

1 Shout praises to the [Lord]!
Our God is kind,
and it is right and good
to sing praises to him.

2 The [Lord] rebuilds Jerusalem
and brings the people of Israel
back home again.

3 He renews our hopes
and heals our bodies.

4 He decided how many stars
there would be in the sky
and gave each one a name.

5 Our [Lord] is great and powerful!
He understands everything.

6 The [Lord] helps the oppressed,
but he smears the wicked
in the dirt.

7 Celebrate and sing!
Play your harps
for the [Lord] our God.

8 He fills the sky with clouds
and sends rain to the earth,
so that the hills
will be green with grass.

9 He provides food for cattle
and for the young ravens,
when they cry out.

10 The [Lord] doesn't care about
the strength of horses
or powerful armies.

11 The [Lord] is pleased only
with those who worship him
and trust his love.

12 Everyone in Jerusalem,
come and praise
the [Lord] your God!

13 He makes your city gates strong
and blesses your people.

14 God lets you live in peace,
and he gives you
the very best wheat.

15 As soon as God speaks,
the earth obeys.

16 He covers the ground with snow
like a blanket of wool,
and he scatters frost
like ashes on the ground.

17 God sends down hailstones
like chips of rocks.
Who can stand the cold?

18 At his command the ice melts,
the wind blows,
and streams begin to flow.

19 God gave his laws and teachings
to the descendants of Jacob,
the nation of Israel.

20 But he has not given his laws
to any other nation.
Shout praises to the [Lord]!