Psalms, 147

1. Alleluia! Praise Yahweh -- it is good to sing psalms to our God -- how pleasant to praise him.

1. Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is seemly.

2. Yahweh, Builder of Jerusalem! He gathers together the exiles of Israel,

2. The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.

3. healing the broken-hearted and binding up their wounds;

3. He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.

4. he counts out the number of the stars, and gives each one of them a name.

4. He determines the number of the stars, he gives to all of them their names.

5. Our Lord is great, all-powerful, his wisdom beyond all telling.

5. Great is our LORD, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.

6. Yahweh sustains the poor, and humbles the wicked to the ground.

6. The LORD lifts up the downtrodden, he casts the wicked to the ground.

7. Sing to Yahweh in thanksgiving, play the harp for our God.

7. Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God upon the lyre!

8. He veils the sky with clouds, and provides the earth with rain, makes grass grow on the hills and plants for people to use,

8. He covers the heavens with clouds, he prepares rain for the earth, he makes grass grow upon the hills.

9. gives fodder to cattle and to young ravens when they cry.

9. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens which cry.

10. He takes no delight in the power of horses, no pleasure in human sturdiness;

10. His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man;

11. his pleasure is in those who fear him, in those who hope in his faithful love.

11. but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.

12. Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem, Zion, praise your God.

12. Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!

13. For he gives strength to the bars of your gates, he blesses your children within you,

13. For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your sons within you.

14. he maintains the peace of your frontiers, gives you your fill of finest wheat.

14. He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat.

15. He sends his word to the earth, his command runs quickly,

15. He sends forth his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.

16. he spreads the snow like flax, strews hoarfrost like ashes,

16. He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.

17. he sends ice-crystals like breadcrumbs, and who can withstand that cold?

17. He casts forth his ice like morsels; who can stand before his cold?

18. When he sends his word it thaws them, when he makes his wind blow, the waters are unstopped.

18. He sends forth his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.

19. He reveals his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgements to Israel.

19. He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and ordinances to Israel.

20. For no other nation has he done this, no other has known his judgements.

20. He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the LORD!