Psalms 145:1--147:20

Psalm 145

A psalm of praise, by David.

145:1 I will extol you, my God, O king!

I will praise your name continually!

145:2 Every day I will praise you!

I will praise your name continually!

145:3 The Lord is great and certainly worthy of praise!

No one can fathom his greatness!

145:4 One generation will praise your deeds to another,

and tell about your mighty acts!

145:5 I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor,

and your amazing deeds!

145:6 They will proclaim the power of your awesome acts!

I will declare your great deeds!

145:7 They will talk about the fame of your great kindness,

and sing about your justice.

145:8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate;

he is patient and demonstrates great loyal love.

145:9 The Lord is good to all,

and has compassion on all he has made.

145:10 All he has made will give thanks to the Lord.

Your loyal followers will praise you.

145:11 They will proclaim the splendor of your kingdom;

they will tell about your power,

145:12 so that mankind might acknowledge your mighty acts,

and the majestic splendor of your kingdom.

145:13 Your kingdom is an eternal kingdom,

and your dominion endures through all generations.

145:14 The Lord supports all who fall,

and lifts up all who are bent over.

145:15 Everything looks to you in anticipation,

and you provide them with food on a regular basis.

145:16 You open your hand,

and fill every living thing with the food they desire.

145:17 The Lord is just in all his actions,

and exhibits love in all he does.

145:18 The Lord is near all who cry out to him,

all who cry out to him sincerely.

145:19 He satisfies the desire of his loyal followers;

he hears their cry for help and delivers them.

145:20 The Lord protects those who love him,

but he destroys all the wicked.

145:21 My mouth will praise the Lord.

Let all who live praise his holy name forever!

Psalm 146

146:1 Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

146:2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live!

I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist!

146:3 Do not trust in princes,

or in human beings, who cannot deliver!

146:4 Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground;

on that day their plans die.

146:5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord his God,

146:6 the one who made heaven and earth,

the sea, and all that is in them,

who remains forever faithful,

146:7 vindicates the oppressed,

and gives food to the hungry.

The Lord releases the imprisoned.

146:8 The Lord gives sight to the blind.

The Lord lifts up all who are bent over.

The Lord loves the godly.

146:9 The Lord protects those residing outside their native land;

he lifts up the fatherless and the widow,

but he opposes the wicked.

146:10 The Lord rules forever,

your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come!

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 147

147:1 Praise the Lord,

for it is good to sing praises to our God!

Yes, praise is pleasant and appropriate!

147:2 The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem,

and gathers the exiles of Israel.

147:3 He heals the brokenhearted,

and bandages their wounds.

147:4 He counts the number of the stars;

he names all of them.

147:5 Our Lord is great and has awesome power;

there is no limit to his wisdom.

147:6 The Lord lifts up the oppressed,

but knocks the wicked to the ground.

147:7 Offer to the Lord a song of thanks!

Sing praises to our God to the accompaniment of a harp!

147:8 He covers the sky with clouds,

provides the earth with rain,

and causes grass to grow on the hillsides.

147:9 He gives food to the animals,

and to the young ravens when they chirp.

147:10 He is not enamored with the strength of a horse,

nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs.

147:11 The Lord takes delight in his faithful followers,

and in those who wait for his loyal love.

147:12 Extol the Lord, O Jerusalem!

Praise your God, O Zion!

147:13 For he makes the bars of your gates strong.

He blesses your children within you.

147:14 He brings peace to your territory.

He abundantly provides for you the best grain.

147:15 He sends his command through the earth;

swiftly his order reaches its destination.

147:16 He sends the snow that is white like wool;

he spreads the frost that is white like ashes.

147:17 He throws his hailstones like crumbs.

Who can withstand the cold wind he sends?

147:18 He then orders it all to melt;

he breathes on it, and the water flows.

147:19 He proclaims his word to Jacob,

his statutes and regulations to Israel.

147:20 He has not done so with any other nation;

they are not aware of his regulations.

Praise the Lord!