Psalms 147

1 Praise ye Jah! For [it is] good to praise our God, For pleasant — comely [is] praise.

Praise the Lord, for it's good to sing praises to our God! Praise is wonderful and beautiful!

2 Building Jerusalem [is] Jehovah, The driven away of Israel He gathereth.

The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem, gathering together the people of Israel who have been scattered.

3 Who is giving healing to the broken of heart, And is binding up their griefs.

He heals the broken-hearted, and bandages the wounded.

4 Appointing the number of the stars, To all them He giveth names.

He knows how many stars he made, and commands all of them by name.

5 Great [is] our Lord, and abundant in power, Of His understanding there is no narration.

Our Lord is great! His power is immense! There's no limit to what he understands!

6 Jehovah is causing the meek to stand, Making low the wicked unto the earth.

The Lord helps those who are bowed down to get up; but he grinds the wicked into the ground.

7 Answer ye to Jehovah with thanksgiving, Sing ye to our God with a harp.

Sing thanks to the Lord! Sing praises to our God with a harp!

8 Who is covering the heavens with clouds, Who is preparing for the earth rain, Who is causing grass to spring up [on] mountains,

He covers the sky with clouds to bring rain to the earth, and makes the grass grow on the hills.

9 Giving to the beast its food, To the young of the ravens that call.

He gives food to the animals, and to the baby ravens when they call.

10 Not in the might of the horse doth He delight, Not in the legs of a man is He pleased.

The Lord doesn't appreciate the strength of war-horses or value human power.

11 Jehovah is pleased with those fearing Him, With those waiting for His kindness.

What the Lord values are those who follow him, those who put their confidence in his trustworthy love.

12 Glorify, O Jerusalem, Jehovah, Praise thy God, O Zion.

Jerusalem, praise the Lord! Zion, praise your God!

13 For He did strengthen the bars of thy gates, He hath blessed thy sons in thy midst.

He makes the bars on your city gates strong, and blesses your children around you.

14 Who is making thy border peace, [With] the fat of wheat He satisfieth Thee.

He keeps the borders of your land safe from attack; he provides you with plenty of the finest wheat.

15 Who is sending forth His saying [on] earth, Very speedily doth His word run.

He sends his commands around the world—they're quickly implemented.

16 Who is giving snow like wool, Hoar-frost as ashes He scattereth.

He sends snow as white as wool, and scatters frost like ashes.

17 Casting forth His ice like morsels, Before His cold who doth stand?

He throws hail like stones. Who can stand the cold he sends?

18 He sendeth forth His word and melteth them, He causeth His wind to blow — the waters flow.

Then he sends out his command and it melts; he blows on it and the water flows.

19 Declaring His words to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel.

He proclaims his word to Jacob; his rules and laws to Israel.

20 He hath not done so to any nation, As to judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye Jah!

He has not done this for any other nation—they don't know his laws. Praise the Lord!