Psalm 145–147

Psalm 145^a

A song of praise by David.

¹I will highly praise you, my God, the king. 

I will bless your name forever and ever. 

²I will bless you every day. 

I will praise your name forever and ever. 

³The Lord is great, and he should be highly praised. 

His greatness is unsearchable. 

⁴One generation will praise your deeds to the next. 

Each generation will talk about your mighty acts. 

⁵I will think about the glorious honor of your majesty 

and the miraculous things you have done. 

⁶People will talk about the power of your terrifying deeds, 

and I will tell about your greatness. 

⁷They will announce what they remember of your great goodness, 

and they will joyfully sing about your righteousness. 

⁸The Lord is merciful, compassionate, patient, 

and always ready to forgive. 

⁹The Lord is good to everyone 

and has compassion for everything that he has made. 

¹⁰Everything that you have made will give thanks to you, O Lord, 

and your faithful ones will praise you. 

¹¹Everyone will talk about the glory of your kingdom 

and will tell the descendants of Adam about your might 

¹²in order to make known your mighty deeds 

and the glorious honor of your kingdom. 

¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. 

Your empire endures throughout every generation. 

¹⁴The Lord supports everyone who falls. 

He straightens ⸤the backs⸥ of those who are bent over. 

¹⁵The eyes of all creatures look to you, 

and you give them their food at the proper time. 

¹⁶You open your hand, 

and you satisfy the desire of every living thing. 

¹⁷The Lord is fair in all his ways 

and faithful in everything he does. 

¹⁸The Lord is near to everyone who prays to him, 

to every faithful person who prays to him. 

¹⁹He fills the needs of those who fear him. 

He hears their cries for help and saves them. 

²⁰The Lord protects everyone who loves him, 

but he will destroy all wicked people. 

²¹My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, 

and all living creatures will praise his holy name 

forever and ever. 

Psalm 146

¹Hallelujah! 

Praise the Lord, my soul! 

²I want to praise the Lord throughout my life. 

I want to make music to praise my God as long as I live. 

³Do not trust influential people, 

mortals who cannot help you. 

⁴When they breathe their last breath, they return to the ground. 

On that day their plans come to an end. 

⁵Blessed are those who receive help from the God of Jacob. 

Their hope rests on the Lord their God, 

⁶who made heaven, earth, 

the sea, and everything in them. 

The Lord remains faithful forever. 

⁷He brings about justice for those who are oppressed. 

He gives food to those who are hungry. 

The Lord sets prisoners free. 

⁸The Lord gives sight to blind people. 

The Lord straightens ⸤the backs⸥ of those who are bent over. 

The Lord loves righteous people. 

⁹The Lord protects foreigners. 

The Lord gives relief to orphans and widows. 

But he keeps wicked people from reaching their goal. 

¹⁰The Lord rules as king forever. 

Zion, your God rules throughout every generation. 

Hallelujah! 

Psalm 147

¹Hallelujah! 

It is good to sing psalms to our God. 

It is pleasant to sing ⸤his⸥ praise beautifully. 

²The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem. 

He is the one who gathers the outcasts of Israel together. 

³He is the healer of the brokenhearted. 

He is the one who bandages their wounds. 

⁴He determines the number of stars. 

He gives each one a name. 

⁵Our Lord is great, and his power is great. 

There is no limit to his understanding. 

⁶The Lord gives relief to those who are oppressed. 

He brings wicked people down to the ground. 

⁷Sing to the Lord a song of thanksgiving. 

Make music to our God with a lyre. 

⁸He covers the sky with clouds. 

He provides rain for the ground. 

He makes grass grow on the mountains. 

⁹He is the one who gives food to animals 

and to young ravens when they call out. 

¹⁰He finds no joy in strong horses, 

nor is he pleased by brave soldiers. 

¹¹The Lord is pleased with those who fear him, 

with those who wait with hope for his mercy. 

¹²Praise the Lord, Jerusalem! 

Praise your God, Zion! 

¹³He makes the bars across your gates strong. 

He blesses the children within you. 

¹⁴He is the one who brings peace to your borders 

and satisfies your ⸤hunger⸥ with the finest wheat. 

¹⁵He is the one who sends his promise throughout the earth. 

His word travels with great speed. 

¹⁶He is the one who sends snow like wool 

and scatters frost like ashes. 

¹⁷He is the one who throws his hailstones like breadcrumbs. 

Who can withstand his chilling blast? 

¹⁸He sends out his word and melts his hailstones. 

He makes wind blow ⸤and⸥ water flow. 

¹⁹He speaks his word to Jacob, 

his laws and judicial decisions to Israel. 

²⁰He has done nothing like this for any other nation. 

The other nations do not know the decisions he has handed down. 

Hallelujah!