Psalms 107
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
Thank the Lord, for he is good! His trustworthy love continues forever!
2 Let the redeemed by the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary,
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 lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
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 to live in.
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 to the LORD 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 He led them also by a straight way, that they might go to a city to live in.
He led them along a straight way to a city where they could live.
8 Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds 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 satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.
For he gives drink to those who are thirsty, and food to those who are hungry.
10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron,
Some sat in complete darkness, prisoners of misery and bound with iron chains,
11 because they rebelled against the words of God, and condemned 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 Therefore he brought down their heart with labor. They fell down, and there was no one 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 to the LORD 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 away their chains.
He brought them out of complete darkness, he broke their chains to pieces.
15 Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds 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 has broken the gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron.
For he breaks down the bronze doors, and cuts through the iron bars.
17 Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience, and because of their iniquities.
They were stupid because they rebelled; they suffered for their sins.
18 Their soul abhors all kinds of food. They draw near to the gates of death.
They didn't want to eat; they were at death's door.
19 Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble, and he saves 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 sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them from their graves.
He gave the command and he healed them; he saved them from the grave.
21 Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds 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 Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his deeds with singing.
Let them present thank offerings and sing with joy about what he has done.
23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters,
Those who set sail in ships, crossing the seas to earn their living,
24 these see the LORD’s deeds, 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 commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves.
He only had to speak to cause a stormy wind that stirred up towering waves,
26 They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts away 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 back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and 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 to the LORD in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress.
Then they cried out to the Lord to help them in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.
29 He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still.
He calmed the storm, the waves were quiet.
30 Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to 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 praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds for 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 assembly of the people, and praise him in the seat of the elders.
Let them say how wonderful he is in front of the whole congregation and the elders.
33 He turns rivers into a desert, water springs into a thirsty 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 and a fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
Fruitful ground becomes a salty wasteland because of the wickedness of those living there.
35 He turns a desert into a pool of water, and a 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 There he makes the hungry live, that they may prepare a city to live in,
He brings hungry people to live there—a place they can build their cities.
37 sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase.
They sow their fields and plant their vineyards, producing a good harvest.
38 He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly. He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease.
He takes care of them, and their numbers increase dramatically—their cattle too!
39 Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.
When they become few, brought low by oppression, misery, and sorrow,
40 He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste.
He pours out his contempt on their leaders, making them wander, lost in the wilderness.
41 Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock.
But he lifts the poor out of their troubles, and makes their families as big as flocks.
42 The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.
Those who live right will observe what is happening and be glad, but the wicked will be silenced.
43 Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of the LORD.
Those who are wise will pay attention to all this, and thoughtfully reflect on the Lord's trustworthy love.
