Read the Bible

¹ Shout praises to the Lord!
    Our God is kind,
    and it is right and good
    to sing praises to him.
² The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem
    and brings the people of Israel
    back home again.
³ He renews our hopes
    and heals our bodies.
⁴ He decided how many stars
there would be in the sky
    and gave each one a name.
⁵ Our Lord is great and powerful!
    He understands everything.
⁶ The Lord helps the poor,
    but he smears the wicked
    in the dirt.

⁷ Celebrate and sing!
    Play your harps
    for the Lord our God.
⁸ He fills the sky with clouds
    and sends rain to the earth,
    so that the hills
    will be green with grass.
⁹ He provides food for cattle
    and for the young ravens,
    when they cry out.
¹⁰ The Lord doesn't care about
the strength of horses
    or powerful armies.
¹¹ The Lord is pleased only
with those who worship him
    and trust his love.

¹² Everyone in Jerusalem,
    come and praise
    the Lord your God!
¹³ He makes your city gates strong
    and blesses your people
    by giving them children.
¹⁴ God lets you live in peace,
    and he gives you
    the very best wheat.

¹⁵ As soon as God speaks,
    the earth obeys.
¹⁶ He covers the ground with snow
    like a blanket of wool,
    and he scatters frost
    like ashes on the ground.
¹⁷ God sends down hailstones
like chips of rocks.
    Who can stand the cold?
¹⁸ At his command the ice melts,
the wind blows,
    and streams begin to flow.

¹⁹ God gave his laws and teachings
    to the descendants of Jacob,
    the nation of Israel.
²⁰ But he has not given his laws
to any other nation.
    Shout praises to the Lord!