Psalms 147
1 Praise the Lord, for it's good to sing praises to our God! Praise is wonderful and beautiful!
Give praise to the Lord; for it is good to make melody to our God; praise is pleasing and beautiful.
2 The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem, gathering together the people of Israel who have been scattered.
The Lord is building up Jerusalem; he makes all the outlaws of Israel come together.
3 He heals the broken-hearted, and bandages the wounded.
He makes the broken-hearted well, and puts oil on their wounds.
4 He knows how many stars he made, and commands all of them by name.
He sees the number of the stars; he gives them all their names.
5 Our Lord is great! His power is immense! There's no limit to what he understands!
Great is our Lord, and great his power; there is no limit to his wisdom.
6 The Lord helps those who are bowed down to get up; but he grinds the wicked into the ground.
The Lord gives help to the poor in spirit; but he sends sinners down in shame.
7 Sing thanks to the Lord! Sing praises to our God with a harp!
Make songs of praise to the Lord; make melody to our God with instruments of music.
8 He covers the sky with clouds to bring rain to the earth, and makes the grass grow on the hills.
By his hand the heaven is covered with clouds and rain is stored up for the earth; he makes the grass tall on the mountains.
9 He gives food to the animals, and to the baby ravens when they call.
He gives food to every beast, and to the young ravens in answer to their cry.
10 The Lord doesn't appreciate the strength of war-horses or value human power.
He has no delight in the strength of a horse; he takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 What the Lord values are those who follow him, those who put their confidence in his trustworthy love.
The Lord takes pleasure in his worshippers, and in those whose hope is in his mercy.
12 Jerusalem, praise the Lord! Zion, praise your God!
Give praise to the Lord, O Jerusalem; give praise to your God, O Zion.
13 He makes the bars on your city gates strong, and blesses your children around you.
He has made strong the iron bands of your doors; he has sent blessings on your children inside your walls.
14 He keeps the borders of your land safe from attack; he provides you with plenty of the finest wheat.
He gives peace in all your land, making your stores full of fat grain.
15 He sends his commands around the world—they're quickly implemented.
He sends out his orders to the earth; his word goes out quickly.
16 He sends snow as white as wool, and scatters frost like ashes.
He gives snow like wool; he sends out ice-drops like dust.
17 He throws hail like stones. Who can stand the cold he sends?
He sends down ice like raindrops: water is made hard by his cold.
18 Then he sends out his command and it melts; he blows on it and the water flows.
At the outgoing of his word, the ice is turned to water; when he sends out his wind, there is a flowing of waters.
19 He proclaims his word to Jacob; his rules and laws to Israel.
He makes his word clear to Jacob, teaching Israel his laws and his decisions.
20 He has not done this for any other nation—they don't know his laws. Praise the Lord!
He has not done these things for any other nation: and as for his laws, they have no knowledge of them. Let the Lord be praised.
