Psalm 147

1 Alleluia! Praise Yahweh -- it is good to sing psalms to our God -- how pleasant to praise him.

2 Yahweh, Builder of Jerusalem! He gathers together the exiles of Israel,

3 healing the broken-hearted and binding up their wounds;

4 he counts out the number of the stars, and gives each one of them a name.

5 Our Lord is great, all-powerful, his wisdom beyond all telling.

6 Yahweh sustains the poor, and humbles the wicked to the ground.

7 Sing to Yahweh in thanksgiving, play the harp for our God.

8 He veils the sky with clouds, and provides the earth with rain, makes grass grow on the hills and plants for people to use,

9 gives fodder to cattle and to young ravens when they cry.

10 He takes no delight in the power of horses, no pleasure in human sturdiness;

11 his pleasure is in those who fear him, in those who hope in his faithful love.

12 Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem, Zion, praise your God.

13 For he gives strength to the bars of your gates, he blesses your children within you,

14 he maintains the peace of your frontiers, gives you your fill of finest wheat.

15 He sends his word to the earth, his command runs quickly,

16 he spreads the snow like flax, strews hoarfrost like ashes,

17 he sends ice-crystals like breadcrumbs, and who can withstand that cold?

18 When he sends his word it thaws them, when he makes his wind blow, the waters are unstopped.

19 He reveals his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgments to Israel.

20 For no other nation has he done this, no other has known his judgments.