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Praise God Who Helps His People

147 Praise the Lord!

It is good to sing praises to our God.
    It is good and pleasant to praise him.
The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem.
    He brings back the scattered Israelites who were taken captive.
He heals the brokenhearted.
    He bandages their wounds.

He counts the stars
    and names each one.
Our Lord is great and very powerful.
    There is no limit to what he knows.
The Lord defends those who are not proud.
    But he throws the wicked to the ground.

Sing praises to the Lord.
    Praise our God with harps.
He fills the sky with clouds.
    He sends rain to the earth.
    He makes grass grow on the hills.
He gives food to cattle
    and to the little birds that call.

10 He is not pleased by the strength of a horse
    or the power of a man.
11 The Lord is pleased with those who fear him,
    with those who trust his love.

12 Jerusalem, praise the Lord.
    Jerusalem, praise your God.
13 He makes your city gates strong.
    He blesses the people inside.
14 He brings peace to your country.
    He fills you with the finest grain.

15 He gives a command to the earth,
    and it quickly obeys him.
16 He spreads the snow like wool.
    He scatters the frost like ashes.
17 He throws down hail like rocks.
    No one can stand the cold he sends.
18 Then he gives a command, and it melts.
    He sends the breezes, and the waters flow.

19 He gave his word to Jacob.
    He gave his laws and demands to Israel.
20 He didn’t do this for any other nation.
    They don’t know his laws.

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord.[a]

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

The Lord builds up Jerusalem;(C)
    he gathers the exiles(D) of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted(E)
    and binds up their wounds.(F)
He determines the number of the stars(G)
    and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord(H) and mighty in power;(I)
    his understanding has no limit.(J)
The Lord sustains the humble(K)
    but casts the wicked(L) to the ground.

Sing to the Lord(M) with grateful praise;(N)
    make music(O) to our God on the harp.(P)

He covers the sky with clouds;(Q)
    he supplies the earth with rain(R)
    and makes grass grow(S) on the hills.
He provides food(T) for the cattle
    and for the young ravens(U) when they call.

10 His pleasure is not in the strength(V) of the horse,(W)
    nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the Lord delights(X) in those who fear him,(Y)
    who put their hope(Z) in his unfailing love.(AA)

12 Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;(AB)
    praise your God, Zion.

13 He strengthens the bars of your gates(AC)
    and blesses your people(AD) within you.
14 He grants peace(AE) to your borders
    and satisfies you(AF) with the finest of wheat.(AG)

15 He sends his command(AH) to the earth;
    his word runs(AI) swiftly.
16 He spreads the snow(AJ) like wool
    and scatters the frost(AK) like ashes.
17 He hurls down his hail(AL) like pebbles.
    Who can withstand his icy blast?
18 He sends his word(AM) and melts them;
    he stirs up his breezes,(AN) and the waters flow.

19 He has revealed his word(AO) to Jacob,(AP)
    his laws and decrees(AQ) to Israel.
20 He has done this for no other nation;(AR)
    they do not know(AS) his laws.[b]

Praise the Lord.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 147:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 20
  2. Psalm 147:20 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint nation; / he has not made his laws known to them