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BOOK FIVE

Psalms 107–150

Psalm 107

Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good,
    for His mercy endures forever!

Let the redeemed of the Lord speak out,
    whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
and gathered them from the lands,
    from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

They wandered in the wilderness on a deserted path;
    they found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty,
    their soul fainted in them.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble,
    and He delivered them out of their distresses.
He led them on a level road,
    that they might go to a city to live in.
Let them praise the Lord for His goodness
    and for His wonderful works to the people!
For He satisfies the longing soul
    and fills the hungry soul with goodness.

10 Some sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    being prisoners in affliction and irons,
11 because they rebelled against the words of God
    and rejected the counsel of the Most High.
12 Therefore He brought down their hearts with hard labor;
    they fell down, and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble,
    and He delivered them out of their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death
    and broke apart their bonds.
15 Let them praise the Lord for His goodness
    and for His wonderful works to the people!
16 For He has broken the gates of bronze
    and cut the bars of iron in two.

17 Some were fools because of their transgressions,
    and because of their iniquities they are afflicted.
18 They loathed all manner of food,
    and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble,
    and He saved them out of their distress.
20 He sent His word and healed them
    and delivered them from their destruction.
21 Let them praise the Lord for His goodness
    and for His wonderful works to the people!
22 And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving
    and declare His works with rejoicing.

23 Some went down to the sea in ships,
    to do business in the vast waters;
24 they saw the works of the Lord
    and His wonders in the deep water.
25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
    which lifts up the sea waves.
26 The sailors went up to the sky, they came down to the depths;
    their strength melted because of the great danger.
27 They reeled to and fro and staggered like drunken men,
    and were completely confused.
28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
    and He saved them out of their distress.
29 He made the storm calm,
    and the sea waves were still.
30 They were glad because the waters were quiet,
    so He brought them to their desired harbor.
31 Let them praise the Lord for His goodness
    and for His wonderful works to the people!
32 Let them exalt Him in the congregation of the people,
    and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

33 He turns rivers into a desert,
    water springs into dry ground,
34 a fruitful land into salty wasteland,
    because of the wickedness of those living there.
35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
    a parched ground into springs of water.
36 There He makes the hungry dwell,
    and they prepare a city to live in;
37 they sow fields and plant vineyards,
    and yield a fruitful harvest.
38 He blesses them, so that they are greatly multiplied,
    and He does not let their livestock decrease.

39 But when they are diminished and brought down
    through oppression, affliction, and sorrow,
40 He pours contempt upon princes,
    and causes them to wander in a wilderness with no road;
41 yet He raises up the poor from affliction
    and cares for their families like flocks of sheep.
42 The righteous shall see it and rejoice,
    and all evil people shall stop their mouth.

43 Whoever is wise let him observe these things;
    let them consider the lovingkindness 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