The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Message Bible MSG
1 Halleluyah! How good it is to sing praises to our God! How sweet, how fitting to praise him!
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Hallelujah! It's a good thing to sing praise to our God; praise is beautiful, praise is fitting.
2 ADONAI is rebuilding Yerushalayim, gathering the dispersed of Isra'el.
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God's the one who rebuilds Jerusalem, who regathers Israel's scattered exiles.
3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
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He heals the heartbroken and bandages their wounds.
4 He determines how many stars there are and calls them all by name.
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He counts the stars and assigns each a name.
5 Our Lord is great, his power is vast, his wisdom beyond all telling.
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Our Lord is great, with limitless strength; we'll never comprehend what he knows and does
6 ADONAI sustains the humble but brings the wicked down to the ground.
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God puts the fallen on their feet again and pushes the wicked into the ditch.
7 Sing to ADONAI with thanks, sing praises on the lyre to our God.
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Sing to God a thanksgiving hymn, play music on your instruments to God,
8 He veils the sky with clouds; he provides the earth with rain; he makes grass grow on the hills;
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Who fills the sky with clouds, preparing rain for the earth, Then turning the mountains green with grass,
9 he gives food to the animals, even to the young ravens when they cry.
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feeding both cattle and crows.
10 He takes no delight in the strength of a horse, no pleasure in a runner's speed.
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He's not impressed with horsepower; the size of our muscles means little to him.
11 ADONAI takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who wait for his grace.
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Those who fear God get God's attention; they can depend on his strength.
12 Glorify ADONAI, Yerushalayim! Praise your God, Tziyon!
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Jerusalem, worship God! Zion, praise your God!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates, he blesses your children within you,
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He made your city secure, he blessed your children among you.
14 he brings peace within your borders, he gives you your fill of the finest wheat.
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He keeps the peace at your borders, he puts the best bread on your tables.
15 He sends his word out over the earth, his command runs swiftly.
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He launches his promises earthward - how swift and sure they come!
16 Thus he gives snow like wool, scatters hoarfrost like ashes,
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He spreads snow like a white fleece, he scatters frost like ashes,
17 sends crystals of ice like crumbs of bread -who can withstand such cold?
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He broadcasts hail like birdseed - who can survive his winter?
18 Then he sends his word out and melts them; he makes the winds blow, and the water flows.
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Then he gives the command and it all melts; he breathes on winter - suddenly it's spring!
19 He reveals his words to Ya'akov, his laws and rulings to Isra'el.
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He speaks the same way to Jacob, speaks words that work to Israel.
20 He has not done this for other nations; they do not know his rulings. Halleluyah!
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He never did this to the other nations; they never heard such commands. Hallelujah!
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.