Corpus Psalterium · Vol. VI
Psalm CXLVII (147)
Cantillated — Hallelujah Hymn in Three Stanzas
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 147 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
Praise Yah, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.
הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ כִּי־ט֭וֹב זַמְּרָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־נָ֝עִים נָאוָ֥ה תְהִלָּֽה׃
Yahweh builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.
בּוֹנֵ֣ה יְרוּשָׁלִַ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה נִדְחֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל יְכַנֵּֽס׃
He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.
הָ֭רֹפֵא לִשְׁב֣וּרֵי לֵ֑ב וּ֝מְחַבֵּ֗שׁ לְעַצְּבוֹתָֽם׃
He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.
מוֹנֶ֣ה מִ֭סְפָּר לַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים לְ֝כֻלָּ֗ם שֵׁמ֥וֹת יִקְרָֽא׃
Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.
גָּד֣וֹל אֲדוֹנֵ֣ינוּ וְרַב־כֹּ֑חַ לִ֝תְבוּנָת֗וֹ אֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃
Yahweh upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.
מְעוֹדֵ֣ד עֲנָוִ֣ים יְהוָ֑ה מַשְׁפִּ֖יל רְשָׁעִ֣ים עֲדֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,
עֱנ֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה בְּתוֹדָ֑ה זַמְּר֖וּ לֵאלֹהֵ֣ינוּ בְכִנּֽוֹר׃
who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.
הַֽמְכַסֶּ֬ה שָׁמַ֨יִם ׀ בְּעָבִ֗ים הַמֵּכִ֣ין לָאָ֣רֶץ מָטָ֑ר הַמַּצְמִ֖יחַ הָרִ֣ים חָצִֽיר׃
He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.
נוֹתֵ֣ן לִבְהֵמָ֣ה לַחְמָ֑הּ לִבְנֵ֥י עֹ֝רֵ֗ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִקְרָֽאוּ׃
He doesn’t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
לֹ֤א בִגְבוּרַ֣ת הַסּ֣וּס יֶחְפָּ֑ץ לֹֽא־בְשׁוֹקֵ֖י הָאִ֣ישׁ יִרְצֶֽה׃
Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
רוֹצֶ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אֶת־יְרֵאָ֑יו אֶת־הַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדּֽוֹ׃
Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!
שַׁבְּחִ֣י יְ֭רוּשָׁלִַם אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה הַֽלְלִ֖י אֱלֹהַ֣יִךְ צִיּֽוֹן׃
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.
כִּֽי־חִ֭זַּק בְּרִיחֵ֣י שְׁעָרָ֑יִךְ בֵּרַ֖ךְ בָּנַ֣יִךְ בְּקִרְבֵּֽךְ׃
He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.
הַשָּׂם־גְּבוּלֵ֥ךְ שָׁל֑וֹם חֵ֥לֶב חִ֝טִּ֗ים יַשְׂבִּיעֵֽךְ׃
He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.
הַשֹּׁלֵ֣חַ אִמְרָת֣וֹ אָ֑רֶץ עַד־מְ֝הֵרָ֗ה יָר֥וּץ דְּבָרֽוֹ׃
He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.
הַנֹּתֵ֣ן שֶׁ֣לֶג כַּצָּ֑מֶר כְּ֝פ֗וֹר כָּאֵ֥פֶר יְפַזֵּֽר׃
He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?
מַשְׁלִ֣יךְ קַֽרְח֣וֹ כְפִתִּ֑ים לִפְנֵ֥י קָ֝רָת֗וֹ מִ֣י יַעֲמֹֽד׃
He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.
יִשְׁלַ֣ח דְּבָר֣וֹ וְיַמְסֵ֑ם יַשֵּׁ֥ב ר֝וּח֗וֹ יִזְּלוּ־מָֽיִם׃
He shows his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
מַגִּ֣יד דברו לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב חֻקָּ֥יו וּ֝מִשְׁפָּטָ֗יו לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
He has not done this for just any nation. They don’t know his ordinances. Praise Yah!
לֹ֘א עָ֤שָׂה כֵ֨ן ׀ לְכָל־גּ֗וֹי וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֥ים בַּל־יְדָע֗וּם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
He keeps count of every star in the dark,
Not one of them is nameless to Him.
Our Lord is huge, His strength runs deep,
His wisdom has no bottom.
He props up the ones down low
And drops the proud ones in the dust.
Answer Him with thanks,
Pick up the strings and play for our God.
He pulls the clouds across the sky,
Saves up rain for the dry ground,
Cokes the grass
Up the mountain side.
The cows get their feed from Him,
Even the raven chicks crying in the nest.
A strong horse doesn't impress Him,
Neither do a soldier's legs.
What He loves is the ones who fear Him,
Who lean on His steady love.
Jerusalem, lift up the Lord!
Zion, sing out to your God!
Jerusalem
He's bolted your gates strong,
Blessed your children inside your walls.
He's laid peace down along your borders,
Filled your table with the finest wheat.
He gives the earth an order,
And His word goes running.
He shakes out snow like a fleece,
Tosses the frost like a fire's ash,
He throws down hail like crumbs of bread.
Who can last in a cold like His?
One word from Him, and it all melts down.
His breath blows warm,
And the rivers move.
He spoke His words to Jacob,
Showed Israel His ways and rulings.
No other nation got this from Him,
They never learned His rulings.
Hallelujah!
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.