Psalm 146–147

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord,^a my soul.

I will praise the Lord all my life;^b

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

Do not put your trust in princes,^e

in human beings,^f who cannot save.

When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;^g

on that very day their plans come to nothing.^h

Blessed are thoseⁱ whose help^j is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord their God.

He is the Maker of heaven^k and earth,

the sea, and everything in them—

he remains faithful^l forever.

He upholds^m the cause of the oppressedⁿ

and gives food to the hungry.^o

The Lord sets prisoners free,^p

the Lord gives sight^q to the blind,^r

the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,^s

the Lord loves the righteous.^t

The Lord watches over the foreigner^u

and sustains the fatherless^v and the widow,^w

but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The Lord reigns^x forever,

your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 147

Praise the Lord.

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.

His pleasure is not in the strength^v of the horse,^w

nor his delight in the power of human legs;

the Lord delights^x in those who fear him,^y

who put their hope^z in his unfailing love.^a

Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;^b

praise your God, Zion.

He strengthens the bars of your gates^c

and blesses your people^d within you.

He grants peace^e to your borders

and satisfies you^f with the finest of wheat.^g

He sends his command^h to the earth;

his word runsⁱ swiftly.

He spreads the snow^j like wool

and scatters the frost^k like ashes.

He hurls down his hail^l like pebbles.

Who can withstand his icy blast?

He sends his word^m and melts them;

he stirs up his breezes,ⁿ and the waters flow.

He has revealed his word^o to Jacob,^p

his laws and decrees^q to Israel.

He has done this for no other nation;^r

they do not know^s his laws.

Praise the Lord.^t