New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
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Give praise to the Lord; for it is good to make melody to our God; praise is pleasing and beautiful.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
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The Lord is building up Jerusalem; he makes all the outlaws of Israel come together.
3 He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
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He makes the broken-hearted well, and puts oil on their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.
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He sees the number of the stars; he gives them all their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
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Great is our Lord, and great his power; there is no limit to his wisdom.
6 The Lord lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground.
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The Lord gives help to the poor in spirit; but he sends sinners down in shame.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre.
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Make songs of praise to the Lord; make melody to our God with instruments of music.
8 He covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow on the hills.
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By his hand the heaven is covered with clouds and rain is stored up for the earth; he makes the grass tall on the mountains.
9 He gives to the animals their food, and to the young ravens when they cry.
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He gives food to every beast, and to the young ravens in answer to their cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
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He has no delight in the strength of a horse; he takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
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The Lord takes pleasure in his worshippers, and in those whose hope is in his mercy.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!
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Give praise to the Lord, O Jerusalem; give praise to your God, O Zion.
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you.
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He has made strong the iron bands of your doors; he has sent blessings on your children inside your walls.
14 He grants peace within your borders; he fills you with the finest of wheat.
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He gives peace in all your land, making your stores full of fat grain.
15 He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.
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He sends out his orders to the earth; his word goes out quickly.
16 He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes.
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He gives snow like wool; he sends out ice-drops like dust.
17 He hurls down hail like crumbs— who can stand before his cold?
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He sends down ice like raindrops: water is made hard by his cold.
18 He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
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At the outgoing of his word, the ice is turned to water; when he sends out his wind, there is a flowing of waters.
19 He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
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He makes his word clear to Jacob, teaching Israel his laws and his decisions.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the Lord!
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He has not done these things for any other nation: and as for his laws, they have no knowledge of them. Let the Lord be praised.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.