Psalms 107

1 Give ye thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; for his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever.

Thank the Lord, for he is good! His trustworthy love continues forever!

2 Let the redeemed of Jehovah say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the oppressor,

Let those the Lord has saved say that they are saved; those he has rescued from the power of the enemy.

3 And gathered out of the countries, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea.

He has gathered them together from distant lands, from the east and the west, the north and the south.

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way, they found no city of habitation;

They wandered in the desert wilderness, unable to find a way to a city where they could live.

5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them:

Hungry and thirsty, they became very discouraged.

6 Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble, [and] he delivered them out of their distresses,

Then they cried out to the Lord to help them in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.

7 And he led them forth by a right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

He led them along a straight way to a city where they could live.

8 Let them give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous works to the children of men;

Let them praise the Lord for his trustworthy love, and for all the wonderful things he does for people.

9 For he hath satisfied the longing soul and filled the hungry soul with good.

For he gives drink to those who are thirsty, and food to those who are hungry.

10 Such as inhabit darkness and the shadow of death, bound in affliction and iron,

Some sat in complete darkness, prisoners of misery and bound with iron chains,

11 Because they had rebelled against the words of God, and had despised the counsel of the Most High; ...

for they had rebelled against what God had said; they had rejected the guidance of the Most High.

12 And he bowed down their heart with labour; they stumbled, and there was none to help:

So he humbled their pride with the troubles of life; they tripped over and no one was there to stop them falling.

13 Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble, [and] he saved them out of their distresses;

Then they called out to the Lord for help in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bands in sunder.

He brought them out of complete darkness, he broke their chains to pieces.

15 Let them give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous works to the children of men;

Let them praise the Lord for his trustworthy love, and for all the wonderful things he does for people.

16 For he hath broken the gates of bronze, and cut asunder the bars of iron.

For he breaks down the bronze doors, and cuts through the iron bars.

17 Fools, because of their way of transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted;

They were stupid because they rebelled; they suffered for their sins.

18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of food, and they draw near unto the gates of death:

They didn't want to eat; they were at death's door.

19 Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, [and] he saveth them out of their distresses;

Then they called out to the Lord for help in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.

20 He sendeth his word, and healeth them, and delivereth them from their destructions.

He gave the command and he healed them; he saved them from the grave.

21 Let them give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous works to the children of men,

Let them praise the Lord for his trustworthy love, and for all the wonderful things he does for people.

22 And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works in joyful song.

Let them present thank offerings and sing with joy about what he has done.

23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters,

Those who set sail in ships, crossing the seas to earn their living,

24 These see the works of Jehovah, and his wonders in the deep.

they have seen the Lord's incredible power at work—the wonderful things he did in the deepest oceans.

25 For he speaketh, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof:

He only had to speak to cause a stormy wind that stirred up towering waves,

26 They mount up to the heavens, they go down to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble;

lifting the ships high in the air and then plunging them down. The sailors were so terrified that their courage melted away.

27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and they are at their wits' end:

They staggered around, falling from side to side like drunks—all their seamanship skills were useless.

28 Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses;

Then they cried out to the Lord to help them in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.

29 He maketh the storm a calm, and the waves thereof are still:

He calmed the storm, the waves were quiet.

30 And they rejoice because they are quiet; and he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

The sailors were so happy when it all calmed down, and he brought them to the harbor they wanted.

31 Let them give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous works to the children of men;

Let them praise the Lord for his trustworthy love, and for all the wonderful things he does for people.

32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the session of the elders.

Let them say how wonderful he is in front of the whole congregation and the elders.

33 He maketh rivers into a wilderness, and water-springs into dry ground;

He dries up rivers and turns the land into a desert; the water springs stop flowing and the earth turns dry and dusty.

34 A fruitful land into a plain of salt, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

Fruitful ground becomes a salty wasteland because of the wickedness of those living there.

35 He maketh the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into water-springs;

But he also turns around and makes pools of water in the desert, and makes water springs flow in a dry and dusty land.

36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, and they establish a city of habitation;

He brings hungry people to live there—a place they can build their cities.

37 And sow fields, and plant vineyards, which yield fruits of increase;

They sow their fields and plant their vineyards, producing a good harvest.

38 And he blesseth them, so that they are multiplied greatly; and he suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

He takes care of them, and their numbers increase dramatically—their cattle too!

39 And they are diminished and brought low, through oppression, adversity, and sorrow:

When they become few, brought low by oppression, misery, and sorrow,

40 He poureth contempt upon nobles, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste;

He pours out his contempt on their leaders, making them wander, lost in the wilderness.

41 But he secureth the needy one on high from affliction, and maketh [him] families like flocks.

But he lifts the poor out of their troubles, and makes their families as big as flocks.

42 The upright shall see it, and rejoice; and all unrighteousness shall stop its mouth.

Those who live right will observe what is happening and be glad, but the wicked will be silenced.

43 Whoso is wise, let him observe these things, and let them understand the loving-kindnesses of Jehovah.

Those who are wise will pay attention to all this, and thoughtfully reflect on the Lord's trustworthy love.