Psalms 146-148

Psalm 146

¹Hallelujah! Praise the LORD, O my soul.

²I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

³Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save.

⁴When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish.

⁵Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,

⁶the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He remains faithful forever.

⁷He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,

⁸the LORD opens the eyes of the blind, the LORD lifts those who are weighed down, the LORD loves the righteous.

⁹The LORD protects foreigners; He sustains the fatherless and the widow, but the ways of the wicked He frustrates.

¹⁰The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Hallelujah!

Psalm 147

¹Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and lovely 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; He 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 thanksgiving; make music on the harp to our God,

⁸who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the hills.

⁹He provides food for the animals, and for the young ravens when they call.

¹⁰He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legpower of the man.

¹¹The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.

¹²Exalt the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion!

¹³For He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses the children within you.

¹⁴He makes peace at your borders; He fills you with the finest wheat.

¹⁵He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs swiftly.

¹⁶He spreads the snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes;

¹⁷He casts forth His hail like pebbles. Who can withstand His icy blast?

¹⁸He sends forth His word and melts them; He unleashes His winds, and the waters flow.

¹⁹He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel.

²⁰He has done this for no other nation; they do not know His judgments. Hallelujah!

Psalm 148

¹Hallelujah! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise Him in the highest places.

²Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His heavenly hosts.

³Praise Him, O sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars.

⁴Praise Him, O highest heavens, and you waters above the skies.

⁵Let them praise the name of the LORD, for He gave the command and they were created.

⁶He established them forever and ever; He issued a decree that will never pass away.

⁷Praise the LORD from the earth, all great sea creatures and ocean depths,

⁸lightning and hail, snow and clouds, powerful wind fulfilling His word,

⁹mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,

¹⁰wild animals and all cattle, crawling creatures and flying birds,

¹¹kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth,

¹²young men and maidens, old and young together.

¹³Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

¹⁴He has raised up a horn for His people, the praise of all His saints, of Israel, a people near to Him. Hallelujah!