— Psalm 147 (Vulgate / Hebrew)
Laudate Dominum quoniam bonus est
By GRAHAM JOHN
A psalm of restoration and praise, uniting the rebuilding of Jerusalem with the ordering of creation, and holding together tenderness toward the broken and sovereignty over the cosmos.
20 verses total
VERSUS 1–20 (LATIN + LITERAL ENGLISH + WORD NOTES)
1
Laudate Dominum quoniam bonus est: psallite Deo nostro quoniam jucunda est: decoraque laudatio.
Praise the Lord, for he is good; sing to our God, for it is pleasant, and praise is fitting.
Word Notes
- laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum — to praise
- bonus, bona, bonum — good
- psallō, psallere, psallīvī — to sing
- jucundus, jucunda, jucundum — pleasant
- decorus, decora, decorum — fitting, beautiful
2
Ædificans Jerusalem Dominus: dispersiones Israël congregabit.
The Lord builds Jerusalem; he gathers the dispersed of Israel.
Word Notes
- ædificō, ædificāre, ædificāvī — to build
- dispersiō, dispersionis (f.) — dispersion
- congregō, congregāre, congregāvī — to gather
3
Qui sanat contritos corde: et alligat contritiones eorum.
He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.
Word Notes
- sānō, sānāre, sānāvī — to heal
- contrītus, contrīta, contrītum — broken, crushed
- cor, cordis (n.) — heart
- alligō, alligāre, alligāvī — to bind
4
Qui numerat multitudinem stellarum: et omnibus eis nomina vocat.
He counts the multitude of the stars and calls each of them by name.
Word Notes
- numerō, numerāre, numerāvī — to count
- stella, stellae (f.) — star
- vocō, vocāre, vocāvī — to call
5
Magnus Dominus noster, et magna virtus ejus: et sapientiæ ejus non est numerus.
Great is our Lord, and great is his power; his wisdom is beyond measure.
Word Notes
- virtus, virtutis (f.) — power
- sapientia, sapientiae (f.) — wisdom
6
Suscipit mansuetos Dominus: humiliat autem peccatores usque ad terram.
The Lord upholds the humble, but brings sinners down to the ground.
Word Notes
- suscipiō, suscipere, suscēpī — to support
- mansuetus, mansueta, mansuetum — gentle, humble
- humiliō, humiliāre, humiliāvī — to humble
7
Præcinite Domino in confessione: psallite Deo nostro in cithara.
Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God with the harp.
Word Notes
- præcinō, præcinere — to sing before, sing responsively
- confessiō, confessionis (f.) — thanksgiving
- cithara, citharae (f.) — harp
8
Qui operit cælum nubibus: et parat terræ pluviam.
He covers the heavens with clouds and prepares rain for the earth.
Word Notes
- operiō, operīre, operuī — to cover
- nūbēs, nūbis (f.) — cloud
- parō, parāre, parāvī — to prepare
- pluvia, pluviae (f.) — rain
9
Qui producit in montibus fœnum: et herbam servituti hominum.
He makes grass grow on the mountains and plants for the service of humankind.
Word Notes
- prōdūcō, prōdūcere, prōdūxī — to bring forth
- fœnum, fœnī (n.) — grass, hay
- herba, herbae (f.) — plant
10
Qui dat jumentis escam ipsorum: et pullis corvorum invocantibus eum.
He gives food to the beasts and to the young ravens when they cry.
Word Notes
- jūmentum, jūmentī (n.) — beast
- ēscha / esca, escae (f.) — food
- pullus, pullī (m.) — young
- corvus, corvī (m.) — raven
11
Non in fortitudine equi voluntatem habebit: nec in tibiis viri beneplacitum erit ei.
He takes no delight in the strength of the horse, nor pleasure in the legs of a man.
Word Notes
- fortitūdō, fortitūdinis (f.) — strength
- equus, equī (m.) — horse
- voluntās, voluntātis (f.) — pleasure, desire
- tibia, tibiae (f.) — leg
12
Beneplacitum est Domino super timentes eum: et in eis qui sperant super misericordia ejus.
The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, and in those who hope in his mercy.
Word Notes
- beneplacitum — pleasure
- timeō, timēre — to fear, revere
- spērō, spērāre — to hope
13
Lauda Jerusalem Dominum: lauda Deum tuum, Sion.
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion.
14
Quoniam confortavit seras portarum tuarum: benedixit filiis tuis in te.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates and blessed your children within you.
Word Notes
- confortō, confortāre, confortāvī — to strengthen
- sera, serae (f.) — bar, bolt
- porta, portae (f.) — gate
15
Qui posuit fines tuos pacem: et adipe frumenti satiat te.
He makes peace at your borders and fills you with the finest wheat.
Word Notes
- fīnis, fīnis (m.) — boundary
- pax, pacis (f.) — peace
- adeps, adipis (m.) — fat, finest part
- frūmentum, frūmentī (n.) — grain
16
Qui emittit eloquium suum terræ: velociter currit sermo ejus.
He sends out his word to the earth; his command runs swiftly.
Word Notes
- ēmittō, ēmittere, ēmīsī — to send out
- eloquium, eloquiī (n.) — word, utterance
- currō, currere, cucurrī — to run
17
Qui dat nivem sicut lanam: nebulam sicut cinerem spargit.
He gives snow like wool and scatters frost like ashes.
Word Notes
- nix, nivis (f.) — snow
- lāna, lānae (f.) — wool
- nebula, nebulae (f.) — frost, mist
- spargō, spargere, sparsī — to scatter
18
Mittit crystallum suam sicut buccellas: ante faciem frigoris ejus quis sustinebit?
He casts his ice like morsels; who can stand before his cold?
Word Notes
- crystallus, crystallī (f.) — ice
- buccella, buccellae (f.) — morsel
- frīgus, frīgoris (n.) — cold
- sustinēō, sustinēre — to endure
19
Emittet verbum suum, et liquefaciet ea: flabit spiritus ejus, et fluent aquæ.
He sends forth his word and melts them; his breath blows, and the waters flow.
Word Notes
- liquefaciō, liquefacere — to melt
- flō, flāre — to blow
- spīritus — breath
20
Qui annuntiat verbum suum Jacob: justitias et judicia sua Israël.
He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgments to Israel.
Word Notes
- annuntiō, annuntiāre, annuntiāvī — to proclaim
- jūstitia, jūstitiae (f.) — justice
- judicium, judiciī (n.) — judgment
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES (5)
Identify tense, voice, mood, and principal parts:
- ædificans
- sanat
- numerat
- suscipit
- emittit
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES — KEY
ædificans
- Verb: ædificō, ædificāre, ædificāvī
- Form: present active participle
- Meaning: building
sanat
- Verb: sānō, sānāre, sānāvī
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: he heals
numerat
- Verb: numerō, numerāre, numerāvī
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: he counts
suscipit
- Verb: suscipiō, suscipere, suscēpī
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: he upholds
emittit
- Verb: ēmittō, ēmittere, ēmīsī
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: he sends out
TRANSLATION EXERCISES (5)
Translate into Latin:
- The Lord builds Jerusalem.
- He heals the broken-hearted.
- He counts the stars.
- He gives food to the animals.
- The Lord takes pleasure in those who hope in his mercy.
TRANSLATION EXERCISES — KEY
- Ædificat Jerusalem Dominus.
- Sanat contritos corde.
- Numerat stellas.
- Dat escam jumentis.
- Beneplacitum est Domino in eis qui sperant super misericordia ejus.
SUMMARY (≈120 words)
Psalm 147 binds together the vast and the intimate. The God who numbers the stars also binds wounded hearts; the one whose word governs frost and thaw also rebuilds a shattered city. Power here is not distant but attentive, and praise is grounded in restoration rather than abstraction. The psalm steadily dismantles false measures of strength — horses, speed, physical prowess — and replaces them with humility, hope, and trust. Creation and covenant are not rivals but mirrors: the same word that orders nature gathers the dispersed and sustains community. Praise becomes an act of healing, naming a world held together by care.
REFLECTION QUESTION
Where in your own experience have healing and order emerged together — not through force, but through sustained care?