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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
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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