Psalms 107
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Give thanks to Yahweh, because he always does good [things for us] His faithful love [for us] lasts forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy
Those whom Yahweh has saved should tell others that he has rescued them from their enemies.
3 and gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
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 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no path to a city in which to dwell.
Some of those [who returned from those countries] wandered in the desert; they were lost and had no homes to live in.
5 They were hungry and thirsty; their soul fainted within them.
They were hungry and thirsty, and they were very discouraged.
6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress.
When they were in trouble, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from (being distressed/their difficulties).
7 He led them on a straight path to reach a city where they could live.
He led them along a straight road [where they walked safely] to cities [in Canaan] where they could live.
8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
They should praise/thank Yahweh for loving them faithfully and for the wonderful things that he does for people.
9 For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
He gives thirsty people plenty [of water] to drink, and he gives hungry people plenty of good things [to eat].
10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains,
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 because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.
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 He humbled their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
[That is why] their bodies were worn out from hard labor; when they fell down, there was no one who would help them.
13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
In their troubles, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke away their chains.
He broke the chains that were on their hands and feet; and brought them out of those very dark [prisons].
15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
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 For He has broken down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
17 Fools, in their rebellious ways, and through their iniquities, suffered affliction.
Some of them foolishly rebelled [against God], so they suffered for their sins.
18 They loathed all food and drew near to the gates of death.
They did not want to eat any food, and they almost died.
19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
20 He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the Pit.
When he commanded that they be healed, they were healed; he saved them from dying.
21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving them, and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare His works with rejoicing.
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 Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade on the mighty waters.
Some of them sailed in ships; they were selling things [in ports] throughout the world.
24 They saw the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep.
[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 For He spoke and raised a tempest that lifted the waves of the sea.
He commanded the winds, and they became strong and (stirred up high waves/caused waves to rise high).
26 They mounted up to the heavens, then sunk to the depths; their courage melted in their anguish.
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 They reeled and staggered like drunkards, and all their skill was useless.
They stumbled about and staggered like drunken men, and they did not know what to do.
28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress.
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their distresses.
29 He calmed the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
He (calmed the storm/caused the wind to stop blowing), and he caused the waves to completely subside.
30 They rejoiced in the silence, and He guided them to the harbor they desired.
They were [very] glad when it became calm; and Yahweh brought them safely into a harbor.
31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving [them], and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
32 Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise Him in the council of the elders.
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 He turns rivers into deserts, springs of water into thirsty ground,
[Sometimes] Yahweh causes rivers [to become dry], [with the result that the land] becomes a desert, and springs of water become dry land.
34 and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers.
[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 He turns a desert into pools of water and a dry land into flowing springs.
[But sometimes] he causes pools of water to appear in deserts, and he causes springs to flow in very dry ground.
36 He causes the hungry to settle there, that they may establish a city in which to dwell.
He brings hungry [people] into that land, to live there and build cities [there].
37 They sow fields and plant vineyards that yield a fruitful harvest.
They plant seeds in their fields, and they plant grapevines that produce big crops [of grapes].
38 He blesses them, and they multiply greatly; He does not let their herds diminish.
He blesses the people, and the women give birth to many children, and they have large herds of cattle.
39 When they are decreased and humbled by oppression, evil, and sorrow,
When the number of people becomes smaller and they have been humiliated [by their enemies] by being oppressed and caused to suffer [DOU],
40 He pours out contempt on the nobles and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
Yahweh shows contempt for the leaders who oppress them, and causes them to wander in deserts where there are no roads.
41 But He lifts the needy from affliction and increases their families like flocks.
But he rescues poor [people] from (being in misery/suffering), and causes their families [to increase in number] like flocks of sheep.
42 The upright see and rejoice, and all iniquity shuts its mouth.
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 Let him who is wise pay heed to these things and consider the loving devotion of the LORD.
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].
