< Psalms 147 >
1 Alleluia, [a Psalm] of Aggaeus and Zacharias. Praise you the Lord: for psalmody is a good thing; let praise be sweetly sung to our God.
Praise Yah, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; and he will gather together the dispersed of Israel.
Yahweh builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.
He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.
4 He numbers the multitudes of stars; and calls them all by names.
He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and great is his strength; and his understanding is infinite.
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.
6 The Lord lifts up the meek; but brings sinners down to the ground.
Yahweh upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.
7 Begin [the song] with thanksgiving to the Lord; sing praises on the harp to our God:
Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8 who covers the heaven with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who causes grass to spring up on the mountains, [[and green herb for the service of men; ]]
who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.
9 and gives cattle their food, and to the young ravens that call upon him.
He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.
10 He will not take pleasure in the strength of a horse; neither is he well-pleased with the legs of a man.
He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, and in all that hope in his mercy.
Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
12 Alleluia, a Psalm of Aggaeus and Zacharias. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Sion.
Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!
13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.
14 He makes your borders peaceful, and fills you with the flour of wheat.
He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends his oracle to the earth: his word will run swiftly.
He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool: he scatters the mist like ashes.
He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.
17 Casting [forth] his ice like morsels: who shall stand before his cold?
He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?
18 He shall send out his word, and melt them: he shall blow [with] his wind, and the waters shall flow.
He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19 He sends his word to Jacob, his ordinances and judgements to Israel.
He shows his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not done so to any [other] nation; and he has not shown them his judgements.
He has not done this for just any nation. They don’t know his ordinances. Praise Yah!