TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 147

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Hallelujah. It is good to chant hymns to our God; it is pleasant to sing glorious praise.

אהַלְלוּ יָהּ כִּי־טוֹב זַמְּרָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ כִּי־נָעִים נָאוָה תְהִלָּה׃

2Hashem rebuilds Yerushalayim; He gathers in the exiles of Yisrael.

בבּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם יְהֹוָה נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֵּס׃

3He heals their broken hearts, and binds up their wounds.

גהָרֹפֵא לִשְׁבוּרֵי לֵב וּמְחַבֵּשׁ לְעַצְּבוֹתָם׃

4He reckoned the number of the stars; to each He gave its name.

דמוֹנֶה מִסְפָּר לַכּוֹכָבִים לְכֻלָּם שֵׁמוֹת יִקְרָא׃

5Great is our Lord and full of power; His wisdom is beyond reckoning.

הגָּדוֹל אֲדוֹנֵינוּ וְרַב־כֹּחַ לִתְבוּנָתוֹ אֵין מִסְפָּר׃

6Hashem gives courage to the lowly, and brings the wicked down to the dust.

ומְעוֹדֵד עֲנָוִים יְהֹוָה מַשְׁפִּיל רְשָׁעִים עֲדֵי־אָרֶץ׃

7Sing to Hashem a song of praise, chant a hymn with a lyre to our God,

זעֱנוּ לַיהֹוָה בְּתוֹדָה זַמְּרוּ לֵאלֹהֵינוּ בְכִנּוֹר׃

8who covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, makes mountains put forth grass;

חהַמְכַסֶּה שָׁמַיִם בְּעָבִים הַמֵּכִין לָאָרֶץ מָטָר הַמַּצְמִיחַ הָרִים חָצִיר׃

9who gives the beasts their food, to the raven's brood what they cry for.

טנוֹתֵן לִבְהֵמָה לַחְמָהּ לִבְנֵי עֹרֵב אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָאוּ׃

10He does not prize the strength of horses, nor value the fleetness of men;

ילֹא בִגְבוּרַת הַסּוּס יֶחְפָּץ לֹא־בְשׁוֹקֵי הָאִישׁ יִרְצֶה׃

11but Hashem values those who fear Him, those who depend on His faithful care.

יארוֹצֶה יְהֹוָה אֶת־יְרֵאָיו אֶת־הַמְיַחֲלִים לְחַסְדּוֹ׃

12O Yerushalayim, glorify Hashem; praise your God, O Tzion!

יבשַׁבְּחִי יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם אֶת־יְהֹוָה הַלְלִי אֱלֹהַיִךְ צִיּוֹן׃

13For He made the bars of your gates strong, and blessed your children within you.

יגכִּי־חִזַּק בְּרִיחֵי שְׁעָרָיִךְ בֵּרַךְ בָּנַיִךְ בְּקִרְבֵּךְ׃

14He endows your realm with well-being, and satisfies you with choice wheat.

ha-SAM g'-vu-LAYKH sha-LOM KHAY-lev khi-TEEM yas-bee-AYKH

ידהַשָּׂם־גְּבוּלֵךְ שָׁלוֹם חֵלֶב חִטִּים יַשְׂבִּיעֵךְ׃

 147:14   He endows your realm with well-being

A new IDF recruit holding a Tanakh and a gun

While the Bible makes frequent mention of military affairs and speaks often of soldiers, the important principle that emerges is found in this verse: Ha-sam g’vulaych shalom (השם גבולך שלום). Translated here as ‘He endows your realm with well-being,’ these words literally mean ‘He who makes your borders peaceful.’ We must always remember that ultimately, our own efforts do not matter. Rather, Hashem is behind all of our successes. Though the modern Israeli army is one of the strongest in the world, it continuously remembers the true source of its strength. At their swearing-in ceremony, which often takes place at the Western Wall, each IDF soldier is handed a Tanakh and a gun, as a reminder that ultimately the One above is the source of their physical strength and their military success.

15He sends forth His word to the earth; His command runs swiftly.

טוהַשֹּׁלֵחַ אִמְרָתוֹ אָרֶץ עַד־מְהֵרָה יָרוּץ דְּבָרוֹ׃

16He lays down snow like fleece, scatters frost like ashes.

טזהַנֹּתֵן שֶׁלֶג כַּצָּמֶר כְּפוֹר כָּאֵפֶר יְפַזֵּר׃

17He tosses down hail like crumbs— who can endure His icy cold?

יזמַשְׁלִיךְ קַרְחוֹ כְפִתִּים לִפְנֵי קָרָתוֹ מִי יַעֲמֹד׃

18He issues a command—it melts them; He breathes—the waters flow.

יחיִשְׁלַח דְּבָרוֹ וְיַמְסֵם יַשֵּׁב רוּחוֹ יִזְּלוּ־מָיִם׃

19He issued His commands to Yaakov, His statutes and rules to Yisrael.

יטמַגִּיד דברו [דְּבָרָיו] לְיַעֲקֹב חֻקָּיו וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו לְיִשְׂרָאֵל׃

20He did not do so for any other nation; of such rules they know nothing. Hallelujah.

כלֹא עָשָׂה כֵן לְכָל־גּוֹי וּמִשְׁפָּטִים בַּל־יְדָעוּם הַלְלוּ־יָהּ׃