The Word Am I

The Book of Psalms

Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 147 -

It is good to sing praise

1
Alleluia. Praise the Lord, because the psalm is good. Delightful and beautiful praise shall be for our God.
2
The Lord builds up Jerusalem. He will gather together the dispersed of Israel.
3
He heals the contrite of heart, and he binds up their sorrows.
4
He numbers the multitude of the stars, and he calls them all by their names.
5
Great is our Lord, and great is his virtue. And of his wisdom, there is no number.
6
The Lord lifts up the meek, but he brings down the sinner, even to the ground.
7
Sing before the Lord with confession. Play psalms to our God on a stringed instrument.
8
He covers heaven with clouds, and he prepares rain for the earth. He produces grass on the mountains and herbs for the service of men.
9
He gives their food to beasts of burden and to young ravens that call upon him.
10
He will not have good will for the strength of the horse, nor will he be well pleased with the legs of a man.
11
The Lord is well pleased with those who fear him and with those who hope in his mercy.
12
Alleluia. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem. Praise your God, O Zion.
13
For he has reinforced the bars of your gates. He has blessed your sons within you.
14
He has stationed peace at your borders, and he has satisfied you with the fat of the grain.
15
He sends forth his eloquence to the earth. His word runs swiftly.
16
He provides snow like wool. He strews clouds like ashes.
17
He sends his ice crystals like morsels. Who can stand firm before the face of his cold?
18
He will send forth his word, and it will melt them. His Spirit will breathe out, and the waters will flow.(a)
19
He announces his word to Jacob, his justices and his judgments to Israel.
20
He has not done so much for every nation, and he has not made his judgments manifest to them. Alleluia.

Footnotes

(a)147:7 Or, more literally, ‘His wind will blow and the waters will flow.’ The translation of ‘His Spirit will breathe’ clarifies and emphasizes the spiritual meaning of the text.(Conte)

It is good to sing praise

1
Praise the LORD, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.
2
The LORD builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
3
He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.
4
He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.
5
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.
6
The LORD upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.
7
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,
8
who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.
9
He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.
10
He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11
The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
12
Praise the LORD, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!
13
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.
14
He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15
He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.
16
He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.
17
He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?
18
He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
19
He shows his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
20
He has not done this for just any nation. They don’t know his ordinances. Praise the LORD!