Psalmen 107
1 Brengt Jahweh dank, want Hij is goed, En zijn genade duurt eeuwig!
Give thanks to Yahweh, because he always does good [things for us] His faithful love [for us] lasts forever!
2 Zo moeten getuigen, die door Jahweh verlost zijn, En door Hem uit de nood zijn gered;
Those whom Yahweh has saved should tell others that he has rescued them from their enemies.
3 Die Hij van alle kant hierheen heeft gebracht, Van oost en west, van noord en zuid.
He has gathered [those of you] who were [(exiled/taken forcefully)] to many lands; [he has gathered you together from] the east and the west, from the north and from the south.
4 Sommigen doolden in woestijn en wildernis rond, Zonder de weg naar hun woonplaats te vinden;
Some of those [who returned from those countries] wandered in the desert; they were lost and had no homes to live in.
5 Ze leden honger en dorst, En hun leven verkwijnde.
They were hungry and thirsty, and they were very discouraged.
6 Maar ze riepen Jahweh aan in hun nood, En Hij verloste hen van hun angsten:
When they were in trouble, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from (being distressed/their difficulties).
7 Hij bracht ze weer op de veilige weg, Zodat ze hun woonplaats bereikten.
He led them along a straight road [where they walked safely] to cities [in Canaan] where they could live.
8 Laat ze Jahweh voor zijn goedheid dan danken, En voor zijn wonderen voor de kinderen der mensen:
They should praise/thank Yahweh for loving them faithfully and for the wonderful things that he does for people.
9 Want den dorstige heeft Hij gelaafd, Den hongerige heeft Hij verzadigd!
He gives thirsty people plenty [of water] to drink, and he gives hungry people plenty of good things [to eat].
10 Anderen zaten in duister en donker, In ellende en boeien gekluisterd;
Some of them were in very dark [HEN] (places [in Babylonia/other countries]); they were prisoners, suffering because of chains [fastened to their hands and feet].
11 Want ze hadden zich tegen Gods geboden verzet, En de vermaning van den Allerhoogste veracht;
They were in prison because they had (rebelled against/not obeyed) the message of God; they were there because they had despised the advice given by God, who is greater than all other gods.
12 Zo was door rampspoed de moed hun ontzonken, En reddeloos stortten ze neer.
[That is why] their bodies were worn out from hard labor; when they fell down, there was no one who would help them.
13 Maar ze riepen Jahweh aan in hun nood, En Hij verloste hen van hun angsten:
In their troubles, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
14 Hij haalde ze uit het duister en donker, En verbrak hun boeien.
He broke the chains that were on their hands and feet; and brought them out of those very dark [prisons].
15 Laat ze Jahweh voor zijn goedheid dan danken, En voor zijn wonderen voor de kinderen der mensen:
He broke down the [prison] gates that were made of bronze, and cut through the [prison] bars that were made of iron. [So they also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving [them], and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
16 Want metalen poorten heeft Hij verbrijzeld, Ijzeren grendels in stukken geslagen!
17 Anderen werden ziek door hun zondige wandel, Hadden smarten te lijden om hun schuld;
Some of them foolishly rebelled [against God], so they suffered for their sins.
18 Alle voedsel begon hun te walgen, En ze stonden al dicht bij de poorten des doods.
They did not want to eat any food, and they almost died.
19 Maar ze riepen Jahweh aan in hun nood, En Hij verloste hen van hun angsten.
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
20 Hij sprak: en ze werden genezen, En Hij ontrukte hen weer aan het graf.
When he commanded that they be healed, they were healed; he saved them from dying.
21 Laat ze Jahweh voor zijn goedheid dan danken, En voor zijn wonderen voor de kinderen der mensen:
They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving them, and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
22 Laat ze dankoffers brengen, En jubelend zijn werken vermelden!
They should give offerings to him to show that they are thankful, and they should sing joyfully about the miracles that he has performed.
23 Anderen staken op schepen in zee, Om handel te drijven op de onmetelijke wateren.
Some of them sailed in ships; they were selling things [in ports] throughout the world.
24 Ook zij hebben Jahweh’s werken aanschouwd, In de kolken zijn wonderen.
[As they were sailing], they also saw the miracles that Yahweh performed, the wonderful things that he did [when they were] on very deep seas.
25 Hij sprak: en er stak een stormwind op, Die zwiepte de golven omhoog;
He commanded the winds, and they became strong and (stirred up high waves/caused waves to rise high).
26 Ze vlogen op naar de hemel, ploften neer in de diepten, En vergingen van angst;
The ships [in which they were sailing] were tossed high in the air, and [then] they sank into the (troughs/low places) [between the high waves]; then the sailors were terrified.
27 Ze rolden en tuimelden, als waren ze dronken, En al hun zeemanschap was tevergeefs.
They stumbled about and staggered like drunken men, and they did not know what to do.
28 Maar ze riepen Jahweh aan in hun nood, En Hij verloste hen van hun angsten:
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their distresses.
29 Hij bedaarde de storm tot een bries, En de golven legden zich neer;
He (calmed the storm/caused the wind to stop blowing), and he caused the waves to completely subside.
30 Wat waren ze blij, toen het kalm was geworden, En Hij hen naar de verbeide haven geleidde!
They were [very] glad when it became calm; and Yahweh brought them safely into a harbor.
31 Laat ze Jahweh voor zijn goedheid dan danken, En voor zijn wonderen voor de kinderen der mensen:
They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving [them], and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
32 Hem in de volksgemeente roemen, Hem in de raad der oudsten prijzen!
They should praise him among the [Israeli] people when they have gathered together, and they should praise him in front of the leaders [of the country].
33 Rivieren maakt Hij tot steppe, Waterbronnen tot dorstige grond;
[Sometimes] Yahweh causes rivers [to become dry], [with the result that the land] becomes a desert, and springs of water become dry land.
34 Vruchtbaar land tot zilte bodem, Om de boosheid van zijn bewoners.
[Sometimes] he causes land that has produced lots of crops to become salty wastelands, [with the result that they do not produce crops]. He does that because the people who live there are [very] wicked.
35 Maar van de steppe maakt Hij een vijver, Waterbronnen van het dorre land;
[But sometimes] he causes pools of water to appear in deserts, and he causes springs to flow in very dry ground.
36 Daar zet Hij de hongerigen neer, Om er zich een woonplaats te stichten.
He brings hungry [people] into that land, to live there and build cities [there].
37 Ze bezaaien hun akkers, beplanten hun gaarden, En oogsten hun vruchten.
They plant seeds in their fields, and they plant grapevines that produce big crops [of grapes].
38 Hij zegent hen: ze worden zeer talrijk, En Hij vermeerdert hun vee.
He blesses the people, and the women give birth to many children, and they have large herds of cattle.
39 En nemen ze af in getal, en gaan ze ten onder Door verdrukking, ellende en jammer:
When the number of people becomes smaller and they have been humiliated [by their enemies] by being oppressed and caused to suffer [DOU],
40 Dan geeft Hij de tyrannen prijs aan de schande, En laat ze door de wildernis dolen.
Yahweh shows contempt for the leaders who oppress them, and causes them to wander in deserts where there are no roads.
41 Maar den arme heft Hij uit de ellende weer op, En maakt zijn geslacht weer talrijk als kudden:
But he rescues poor [people] from (being in misery/suffering), and causes their families [to increase in number] like flocks of sheep.
42 De vromen zien het, en juichen; Maar wat boos is, zwijgt stil.
Godly/Righteous [people will (see/hear about)] these things, and they will rejoice, and wicked people [will hear about these things, too], [but] they will have nothing to say in reply.
43 Wie wijs is, neemt het ter harte, En beseft de goedheid van Jahweh!
Those who are wise should think carefully about those things; they should consider [all the things] that Yahweh [has done to show that he] faithfully loves [them].
