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Praise for Jerusalem’s Restoration and Prosperity.

147 Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our [gracious and majestic] God;
Praise is becoming and appropriate.

The Lord is building up Jerusalem;
He is gathering [together] the exiles of Israel.

He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow].(A)

He counts the number of the stars;
He calls them all by their names.

Great is our [majestic and mighty] Lord and abundant in strength;
His understanding is inexhaustible [infinite, boundless].

The Lord lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.


Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
Sing praises to our God with the lyre,

Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who provides rain for the earth,
Who makes grass grow on the mountains.

He gives to the beast its food,
And to the young ravens that for which they cry.
10 
He does not delight in the strength (military power) of the horse,
Nor does He take pleasure in the legs (strength) of a man.
11 
The Lord favors those who fear and worship Him [with awe-inspired reverence and obedience],
Those who wait for His mercy and lovingkindness.(B)

12 
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O 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 satisfies you with the finest of the wheat.
15 
He sends His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
16 
He gives [to the earth] snow like [a blanket of] wool;
He scatters the frost like ashes.
17 
He casts out His ice like fragments;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 
He sends out His word and melts the ice;
He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow.
19 
He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.(C)
20 
He has not dealt this way with any [other] nation;
They have not known [understood, appreciated, heeded, or cherished] His ordinances.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)(D)

The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the Lord.

148 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!

Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts (armies)!

Praise Him, sun and moon:
Praise Him, all stars of light!

Praise Him, highest heavens,
And the waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created.

He has also established them forever and ever;
He has made a decree which shall not pass away.


Praise the Lord from the earth,
Sea monsters and all deeps;

Lightning and hail, snow and fog;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His orders;

Mountains and all hills;
Fruitful trees and all cedars;
10 
Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and winged birds;
11 
Kings of the earth and all people;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
12 
Both young men and virgins;
Old men and children.

13 
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For His name alone is exalted and supreme;
His glory and majesty are above earth and heaven.
14 
He has lifted up a horn for His people [giving them strength, prosperity, dignity, and preeminence],
Praise for all His godly ones;
For the people of Israel, a people near to Him.
Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)(E)

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)

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord.[c](AU)

Praise the Lord from the heavens;(AV)
    praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels;(AW)
    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.(AX)
Praise him, sun(AY) and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens(AZ)
    and you waters above the skies.(BA)

Let them praise the name(BB) of the Lord,
    for at his command(BC) they were created,
and he established them for ever and ever—
    he issued a decree(BD) that will never pass away.

Praise the Lord(BE) from the earth,
    you great sea creatures(BF) and all ocean depths,(BG)
lightning and hail,(BH) snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,(BI)
you mountains and all hills,(BJ)
    fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals(BK) and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings(BL) of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
    old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,(BM)
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his splendor(BN) is above the earth and the heavens.(BO)
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,[d](BP)
    the praise(BQ) of all his faithful servants,(BR)
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.(BS)

Praise the Lord.

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
  3. Psalm 148:1 Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 14
  4. Psalm 148:14 Horn here symbolizes strength.