Psalms 107
1 Alleluia. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy [endures] for ever.
Give thanks to Yahweh, because he always does good [things for us] His faithful love [for us] lasts forever!
2 Let them say [so] who have been redeemed by the Lord, 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 them out of the countries, from the east, and west, and 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 They wandered in the wilderness in a dry land; they found no way to a city of habitation.
Some of those [who returned from those countries] wandered in the desert; they were lost and had no homes to live in.
5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
They were hungry and thirsty, and they were very discouraged.
6 Then they cried to the Lord in their affliction, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
When they were in trouble, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from (being distressed/their difficulties).
7 And he guided them into a straight path, that they might go to a city of habitation.
He led them along a straight road [where they walked safely] to cities [in Canaan] where they could live.
8 Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonderful works to the children 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 empty soul, and fills the hungry [soul] with good things,
He gives thirsty people plenty [of water] to drink, and he gives hungry people plenty of good things [to eat].
10 [even] them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, fettered in poverty and iron;
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 provoked 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 So their heart was brought low with troubles; they were weak, and there was no helper.
[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 to the Lord in their affliction, and he saved them out of their distresses.
In their troubles, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
14 And he brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bonds asunder.
He broke the chains that were on their hands and feet; and brought them out of those very dark [prisons].
15 Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonders to the children 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 broke to pieces the brazen gates, and crushed the iron bars.
17 He helped them out of the way of their iniquity; for they were brought low because of their iniquities.
Some of them foolishly rebelled [against God], so they suffered for their sins.
18 Their soul abhorred all meat; and they drew near to the gates of death.
They did not want to eat any food, and they almost died.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their affliction, and he saved them out of their distresses.
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them out of their destructions.
When he commanded that they be healed, they were healed; he saved them from dying.
21 Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonderful works to the children of men.
They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving them, and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
22 And let them offer to him the sacrifice of praise, and proclaim this works with exultation.
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 They that go down to the sea in ships, doing business in many waters;
Some of them sailed in ships; they were selling things [in ports] throughout the world.
24 these [men] have seen 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 He speaks, and the stormy wind arises, and its waves are lifted up.
He commanded the winds, and they became strong and (stirred up high waves/caused waves to rise high).
26 They go up to the heavens, and go down to the depths; their soul melts because of troubles.
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 are troubled, they stagger as a drunkard, and all their wisdom is swallowed up.
They stumbled about and staggered like drunken men, and they did not know what to do.
28 Then they cry to the Lord in their affliction, and he brings them out of their distresses.
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their distresses.
29 And he commands the storm, and it is calmed into a gentle breeze, and its waves are still.
He (calmed the storm/caused the wind to stop blowing), and he caused the waves to completely subside.
30 And they are glad, because they are quiet; and he guides them to their desire haven.
They were [very] glad when it became calm; and Yahweh brought them safely into a harbor.
31 Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonderful works to the children 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 congregation of the people, and praise him in the seat 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 a desert, and streams of water into a dry land;
[Sometimes] Yahweh causes rivers [to become dry], [with the result that the land] becomes a desert, and springs of water become dry land.
34 a fruitful land into saltness, for the wickedness of them that dwell in it.
[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 wilderness into pools of water, and a dry land into streams of water.
[But sometimes] he causes pools of water to appear in deserts, and he causes springs to flow in very dry ground.
36 And there he causes the hungry to dwell, and they establish for themselves cities of habitation.
He brings hungry [people] into that land, to live there and build cities [there].
37 And they sow fields, and plant vineyards, and they yield fruit of increase.
They plant seeds in their fields, and they plant grapevines that produce big crops [of grapes].
38 And he blesses them, and they multiply exceedingly, and he diminishes not the number of their cattle.
He blesses the people, and the women give birth to many children, and they have large herds of cattle.
39 Again they become few, and are brought low, by the pressure of evils and pain.
When the number of people becomes smaller and they have been humiliated [by their enemies] by being oppressed and caused to suffer [DOU],
40 Contempt is poured upon their princes, and he causes them to wander in a desert and trackless land.
Yahweh shows contempt for the leaders who oppress them, and causes them to wander in deserts where there are no roads.
41 But he helps the poor out of poverty, and makes [him] families as a flock.
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 shall see and rejoice; and all iniquity shall stop her 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 Who is wise, and will observe these things, and understand the mercies 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].
