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Psalm 147
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 147
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Psalm 147[a]
God’s Word Restores Jerusalem
1 Hallelujah!
I
How good to sing praise to our God;
how pleasant to give fitting praise.(A)
2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem,
and gathers the dispersed of Israel,(B)
3 Healing the brokenhearted,
and binding up their wounds.(C)
4 He numbers the stars,
and gives to all of them their names.(D)
5 Great is our Lord, vast in power,
with wisdom beyond measure.(E)
6 The Lord gives aid to the poor,
but casts the wicked to the ground.(F)
II
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
with the lyre make music to our God,(G)
8 [b]Who covers the heavens with clouds,
provides rain for the earth,
makes grass sprout on the mountains,(H)
9 Who gives animals their food
and young ravens what they cry for.(I)
10 [c]He takes no delight in the strength of horses,
no pleasure in the runner’s stride.(J)
11 Rather the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
those who put their hope in his mercy.
III
12 Glorify the Lord, Jerusalem;
Zion, offer praise to your God,
13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates,
blessed your children within you.(K)
14 He brings peace to your borders,
and satisfies you with finest wheat.(L)
15 [d]He sends his command to earth;
his word runs swiftly!(M)
16 Thus he makes the snow like wool,
and spreads the frost like ash;(N)
17 He disperses hail like crumbs.
Who can withstand his cold?
18 Yet when again he issues his command, it melts them;
he raises his winds and the waters flow.
19 He proclaims his word to Jacob,
his statutes and laws to Israel.(O)
20 He has not done this for any other nation;
of such laws they know nothing.
Hallelujah!
Footnotes
- Psalm 147 The hymn is divided into three sections by the calls to praise in Ps 147:1, 7, 12. The first section praises the powerful creator who restores exiled Judah (Ps 147:1–6); the second section, the creator who provides food to animals and human beings; the third and climactic section exhorts the holy city to recognize it has been re-created and made the place of disclosure for God’s word, a word as life-giving as water.
- 147:8–9 God clothes the fields and feeds the birds, cf. Mt 6:26, 30.
- 147:10–11 Acknowledging one’s dependence upon God rather than claiming self-sufficiency pleases God, cf. Ps 20:8; 33:16–19.
- 147:15–19 God speaks through the thunder of nature and the word of revealed law, cf. Is 55:10–11. The weather phenomena are well known in Jerusalem: a blizzard of snow and hail followed by a thunderstorm that melts the ice.
Psalm 147
New International Version
Psalm 147
New International Version
Psalm 147
1 Praise the Lord.[a]
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;(C)
he gathers the exiles(D) of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted(E)
and binds up their wounds.(F)
4 He determines the number of the stars(G)
and calls them each by name.
5 Great is our Lord(H) and mighty in power;(I)
his understanding has no limit.(J)
6 The Lord sustains the humble(K)
but casts the wicked(L) to the ground.
8 He covers the sky with clouds;(Q)
he supplies the earth with rain(R)
and makes grass grow(S) on the hills.
9 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
- Psalm 147:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 20
- Psalm 147:20 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint nation; / he has not made his laws known to them
Psalm 147
King James Version
Psalm 147
King James Version
147 Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
2 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
6 The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.
13 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.
14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.
16 He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.
17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?
18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.
20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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