1  Give praise to the Lord; for it is good to make melody to our God; praise is pleasing and beautiful. 2  The Lord is building up Jerusalem; he makes all the outlaws of Israel come together. 3  He makes the broken-hearted well, and puts oil on their wounds. 4  He sees the number of the stars; he gives them all their names. 5  Great is our Lord, and great his power; there is no limit to his wisdom. 6  The Lord gives help to the poor in spirit; but he sends sinners down in shame. 7  Make songs of praise to the Lord; make melody to our God with instruments of music. 8  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 food to every beast, and to the young ravens in answer to their cry. 10  He has no delight in the strength of a horse; he takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. 11  The Lord takes pleasure in his worshippers, and in those whose hope is in his mercy. 12  Give praise to the Lord, O Jerusalem; give praise to your God, O Zion. 13  He has made strong the iron bands of your doors; he has sent blessings on your children inside your walls. 14  He gives peace in all your land, making your stores full of fat grain. 15  He sends out his orders to the earth; his word goes out quickly. 16  He gives snow like wool; he sends out ice-drops like dust. 17  He sends down ice like raindrops: water is made hard by his cold. 18  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 makes his word clear to Jacob, teaching Israel his laws and his decisions. 20  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.