Psalms 147

1 Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

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

2 The LORD buildeth up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.

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

3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

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

4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.

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

5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

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

6 The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

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

7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp to our God:

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

8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

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

9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

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

10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.

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

11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

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

12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

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

13 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee.

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

14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.

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

15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

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

16 He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.

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

17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?

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

18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

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

19 He showeth his word 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 dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.

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