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Book 5

Psalms 107—150

God Saves from Many Dangers

107 Thank the Lord because he is good.
    His love continues forever.
That is what the people the Lord has saved should say.
    They are the ones he has saved from the enemy.
He has gathered them from other lands,
    from east and west, north and south.

Some people had wandered in the desert lands.
    They found no city to live in.
They were hungry and thirsty.
    They were discouraged.
In their misery they cried out to the Lord.
    And he saved them from their troubles.
He led them on a straight road
    to a city where they could live.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his love
    and for the miracles he does for people.
He satisfies the thirsty.
    He fills up the hungry.

10 Some sat in gloom and darkness.
    They were prisoners suffering in chains.
11 They had turned against the words of God.
    They had refused the advice of God Most High.
12 So he broke their pride by hard work.
    They stumbled, and no one helped.
13 In their misery they cried out to the Lord.
    And he saved them from their troubles.
14 He brought them out of their gloom and darkness.
    He broke their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his love
    and for the miracles he does for people.
16 He breaks down bronze gates.
    And he cuts apart iron bars.

17 Some became fools who turned against God.
    They suffered for the evil they did.
18 They refused to eat anything.
    So they almost died.
19 In their misery they cried out to the Lord.
    And he saved them from their troubles.
20 God gave the command and healed them.
    So they were saved from dying.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his love
    and for the miracles he does for people.
22 Let them offer sacrifices to thank him.
    With joy they should tell what he has done.

23 Others went out to sea in ships.
    They did business on the great oceans.
24 They saw what the Lord could do.
    They saw the miracles he did.
25 He spoke, and a storm came up.
    It blew up high waves.
26 The ships tossed as high as the sky and fell low in the waves.
    The storm was so bad the men lost their courage.
27 They stumbled and fell like men who were drunk.
    They did not know what to do.
28 In their misery they cried out to the Lord.
    And he saved them from their troubles.
29 He made the storm be still.
    He calmed the waves.
30 They were happy that it was quiet.
    And God guided them to the port they wanted.
31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his love
    and for the miracles he does for people.
32 Let them praise his greatness in the meeting of the people.
    They should praise him in the meeting of the elders.

33 He changed rivers into a desert,
    and springs of water into dry ground.
34 He made fertile land salty
    because the people there did evil.
35 He changed the desert into pools of water
    and dry ground into springs of water.
36 He had the hungry settle there.
    They built a city to live in.
37 They planted seeds in the fields and vineyards.
    And they had a good harvest.
38 God blessed them, and they grew in number.
    Their cattle did not become fewer.

39 Because of disaster, troubles and sadness,
    their families grew smaller and weaker.
40 He showed he was displeased with their important men.
    He made them wander in a pathless desert.
41 But he lifted the poor out of their suffering.
    And he made their families grow like flocks of sheep.
42 Good people see this and are happy.
    But the wicked say nothing.

43 Whoever is wise will remember these things.
    He will think about the love of the Lord.

BOOK V

Psalms 107–150

Psalm 107

Give thanks to the Lord,(A) for he is good;(B)
    his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed(C) of the Lord tell their story—
    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered(D) from the lands,
    from east and west, from north and south.[a]

Some wandered in desert(E) wastelands,
    finding no way to a city(F) where they could settle.
They were hungry(G) and thirsty,(H)
    and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out(I) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way(J)
    to a city(K) where they could settle.
Let them give thanks(L) to the Lord for his unfailing love(M)
    and his wonderful deeds(N) for mankind,
for he satisfies(O) the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.(P)

10 Some sat in darkness,(Q) in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering(R) in iron chains,(S)
11 because they rebelled(T) against God’s commands
    and despised(U) the plans(V) of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.(W)
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(X) from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness,(Y) the utter darkness,(Z)
    and broke away their chains.(AA)
15 Let them give thanks(AB) to the Lord for his unfailing love(AC)
    and his wonderful deeds(AD) for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

17 Some became fools(AE) through their rebellious ways(AF)
    and suffered affliction(AG) because of their iniquities.
18 They loathed all food(AH)
    and drew near the gates of death.(AI)
19 Then they cried(AJ) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(AK) from their distress.
20 He sent out his word(AL) and healed them;(AM)
    he rescued(AN) them from the grave.(AO)
21 Let them give thanks(AP) to the Lord for his unfailing love(AQ)
    and his wonderful deeds(AR) for mankind.
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings(AS)
    and tell of his works(AT) with songs of joy.(AU)

23 Some went out on the sea(AV) in ships;(AW)
    they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the Lord,(AX)
    his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke(AY) and stirred up a tempest(AZ)
    that lifted high the waves.(BA)
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
    in their peril(BB) their courage melted(BC) away.
27 They reeled(BD) and staggered like drunkards;
    they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried(BE) out to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he brought them out of their distress.(BF)
29 He stilled the storm(BG) to a whisper;
    the waves(BH) of the sea[b] were hushed.(BI)
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
    and he guided them(BJ) to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks(BK) to the Lord for his unfailing love(BL)
    and his wonderful deeds(BM) for mankind.
32 Let them exalt(BN) him in the assembly(BO) of the people
    and praise him in the council of the elders.

33 He turned rivers into a desert,(BP)
    flowing springs(BQ) into thirsty ground,
34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,(BR)
    because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He turned the desert into pools of water(BS)
    and the parched ground into flowing springs;(BT)
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
    and they founded a city where they could settle.
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards(BU)
    that yielded a fruitful harvest;
38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,(BV)
    and he did not let their herds diminish.(BW)

39 Then their numbers decreased,(BX) and they were humbled(BY)
    by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
40 he who pours contempt on nobles(BZ)
    made them wander in a trackless waste.(CA)
41 But he lifted the needy(CB) out of their affliction
    and increased their families like flocks.(CC)
42 The upright see and rejoice,(CD)
    but all the wicked shut their mouths.(CE)

43 Let the one who is wise(CF) heed these things
    and ponder the loving deeds(CG) of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:3 Hebrew north and the sea
  2. Psalm 107:29 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text / their waves