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Book Five

Psalm 107

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has delivered from the hand of the adversary,

And gathered them out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the [Red] Sea in the south.

Some wandered in the wilderness in a solitary desert track; they found no city for habitation.

Hungry and thirsty, they fainted; their lives were near to being extinguished.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.

He led them forth by the straight and right way, that they might go to a city where they could establish their homes.

Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!

For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good.

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and in irons,(A)

11 Because they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

12 Therefore He bowed down their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled and fell down, and there was none to help.

13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke apart the bonds that held them.(B)

15 Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!

16 For He has broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron apart.

17 Some are fools [made ill] because of the way of their transgressions and are afflicted because of their iniquities.

18 They loathe every kind of food, and they draw near to the gates of death.

19 Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivers them out of their distresses.

20 He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction.(C)

21 Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!(D)

22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and rehearse His deeds with shouts of joy and singing!

23 Some go down to the sea and travel over it in ships to do business in great waters;

24 These see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.

25 For He commands and raises up the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.

26 [Those aboard] mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the deeps; their courage melts away because of their plight.

27 They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits’ end [all their wisdom has come to nothing].

28 Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses.

29 He hushes the storm to a calm and to a gentle whisper, so that the waves of the sea are still.(E)

30 Then the men are glad because of the calm, and He brings them to their desired haven.

31 Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!

32 Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people and praise Him in the company of the elders.

33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, water springs into a thirsty ground,(F)

34 A fruitful land into a barren, salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it.(G)

35 He turns a wilderness into a pool of water and a dry ground into water springs;(H)

36 And there He makes the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation,

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

38 He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and allows not their cattle to decrease.

39 When they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,

40 He pours contempt upon princes and causes them to wander in waste places where there is no road.

41 Yet He raises the poor and needy from affliction and makes their families like a flock.

42 The upright shall see it and be glad, but all iniquity shall shut its mouth.

43 Whoso is wise [if there be any truly wise] will observe and heed these things; and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness 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