How good it is to sing praises to our God,

how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

2The Lord builds up Jerusalem;

he gathers the exiles of Israel.

3He heals the brokenhearted

and binds up their wounds.

4He determines the number of the stars

and calls them each by name.

5Great is our Lord and mighty in power;

his understanding has no limit.

6The Lord sustains the humble

but casts the wicked to the ground.

7Sing to the Lord with grateful praise;

make music to our God on the harp.

8He covers the sky with clouds;

he supplies the earth with rain

and makes grass grow on the hills.

9He provides food for the cattle

and for the young ravens when they call.

10His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,

nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;

11the Lord delights in those who fear him,

who put their hope in his unfailing love.

12Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;

praise your God, Zion.

13He strengthens the bars of your gates

and blesses your people within you.

14He grants peace to your borders

and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

15He sends his command to the earth;

his word runs swiftly.

16He spreads the snow like wool

and scatters the frost like ashes.

17He hurls down his hail like pebbles.

Who can withstand his icy blast?

18He sends his word and melts them;

he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.

19He has revealed his word to Jacob,

his laws and decrees to Israel.

20He has done this for no other nation;

they do not know his laws. ^b

Praise the Lord.

~ Psalm 147