Psalm 146–147

Psalm 146

THE GOD OF COMPASSION

¹Hallelujah!

My soul, praise the Lord.^b

²I will praise the Lord all my life;

I will sing to my God as long as I live.^c

³Do not trust in nobles,

in a son of man,^A who cannot save.^d

⁴When his breath^B leaves him,

he returns to the ground;

on that day his plans die.^e

⁵Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord his God,^f

⁶the Maker of heaven and earth,

the sea and everything in them.^g

He remains faithful forever,^h

⁷executing justice for the exploited

and giving food to the hungry.ⁱ

The Lord frees prisoners.^j

⁸The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.^k

The Lord raises up those who are oppressed.^Cl

The Lord loves the righteous.^m

⁹The Lord protects resident aliens

and helps the fatherless and the widow,ⁿ

but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.^o

¹⁰The Lord reigns forever;

Zion, your God reigns for all generations.^p

Hallelujah!

Psalm 147

GOD RESTORES JERUSALEM

¹Hallelujah!

How good it is to sing to our God,

for praise is pleasant and lovely.^q

²The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;^r

he gathers Israel’s exiled people.^s

³He heals the brokenhearted

and bandages their wounds.^t

⁴He counts the number of the stars;

he gives names to all of them.^u

⁵Our Lord is great, vast in power;

his understanding is infinite.^Dv

⁶The Lord helps the oppressed

but brings the wicked to the ground.^w

⁷Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;

play the lyre to our God,^x

⁸who covers the sky with clouds,

prepares rain for the earth,

and causes grass to grow on the hills.^y

⁹He provides the animals with their food,

and the young ravens what they cry for.^z

¹⁰He is not impressed by the strength of a horse;

he does not value the power of a warrior.^Eaa

¹¹The Lord values those who fear him,

those who put their hope in his faithful love.^ab

¹²Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem;

praise your God, Zion!^ac

¹³For he strengthens the bars of your city gates

and blesses your children within you.^ad

¹⁴He endows your territory with prosperity;^Aae

he satisfies you with the finest wheat.^af

¹⁵He sends his command throughout the earth;

his word runs swiftly.^ag

¹⁶He spreads snow like wool;

he scatters frost like ashes;^ah

¹⁷he throws his hailstones like crumbs.

Who can withstand his cold?^ai

¹⁸He sends his word and melts them;

he unleashes his winds,^B and the water flows.^aj

¹⁹He declares his word to Jacob,

his statutes and judgments to Israel.^ak

²⁰He has not done this for every nation;

they do not know his judgments.^al

Hallelujah!