Psalms 146

1 Alleluia, [a Psalm] of Aggaeus and Zacharias. My soul, praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord! With my whole being I praise the Lord!

2 While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.

I will praise the Lord while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have breath.

3 Trust not in princes, nor in the children of men, in whom there is no safety.

Don't put your confidence in human leaders—they cannot save you.

4 His breath shall go forth, and he shall return to his earth; in that day all his thoughts shall perish.

Once they breathe no more, they go back to dust. On that very day everything they planned dies with them.

5 Blessed is he whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

Happy are those who have the God of Jacob to help them—their hope is in the Lord their God—

6 who made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all things in them: who keeps truth for ever:

the one who made heaven and earth, and the sea along with everything it contains. He is trustworthy forever.

7 who executes judgment for the wronged: who gives food to the hungry. The Lord looses the fettered ones:

He makes sure the oppressed receive justice. He gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free.

8 the Lord gives wisdom to the blind: The Lord sets up the broken down: the Lord loves the righteous: the Lord preserves the strangers;

The Lord makes the blind see. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down. The Lord loves those who do what is right.

9 he will relieve the orphan and widow: but will utterly remove the way of sinners.

The Lord takes care of strangers among us. He looks after widows and orphans. But he makes life difficult for the wicked.

10 The Lord shall reign for ever, [even] your God, O Sion, to all generations.

The Lord will reign forever. Zion, he will be your God for all generations. Praise the Lord!