Psalms 147
1 Hallelujah; for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely.
Praise the Lord, for it's good to sing praises to our God! Praise is wonderful and beautiful!
2 The LORD doth build up Jerusalem, He gathereth together the dispersed of Israel;
The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem, gathering together the people of Israel who have been scattered.
3 Who healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
He heals the broken-hearted, and bandages the wounded.
4 He counteth the number of the stars; He giveth them all their names.
He knows how many stars he made, and commands all of them by name.
5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
Our Lord is great! His power is immense! There's no limit to what he understands!
6 The LORD upholdeth the humble; He bringeth the wicked down to the ground.
The Lord helps those who are bowed down to get up; but he grinds the wicked into the ground.
7 Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving, sing praises upon the harp unto our God;
Sing thanks to the Lord! Sing praises to our God with a harp!
8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh the mountains to spring with grass.
He covers the sky with clouds to bring rain to the earth, and makes the grass grow on the hills.
9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
He gives food to the animals, and to the baby ravens when they call.
10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse; He taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man.
The Lord doesn't appreciate the strength of war-horses or value human power.
11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that wait for His mercy.
What the Lord values are those who follow him, those who put their confidence in his trustworthy love.
12 Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.
Jerusalem, praise the Lord! Zion, praise your God!
13 For He hath made strong the bars of thy gates; He hath blessed thy children within thee.
He makes the bars on your city gates strong, and blesses your children around you.
14 He maketh thy borders peace; He giveth thee in plenty the fat of wheat.
He keeps the borders of your land safe from attack; he provides you with plenty of the finest wheat.
15 He sendeth out His commandment upon earth; His word runneth very swiftly.
He sends his commands around the world—they're quickly implemented.
16 He giveth snow like wool; He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes.
He sends snow as white as wool, and scatters frost like ashes.
17 He casteth forth His ice like crumbs; who can stand before His cold?
He throws hail like stones. Who can stand the cold he sends?
18 He sendeth forth His word, and melteth them; He causeth His wind to blow, and the waters flow.
Then he sends out his command and it melts; he blows on it and the water flows.
19 He declareth His word unto Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances unto Israel.
He proclaims his word to Jacob; his rules and laws to Israel.
20 He hath not dealt so with any nation; and as for His ordinances, they have not known them. Hallelujah.
He has not done this for any other nation—they don't know his laws. Praise the Lord!
