Psalms 107

1 Alleluia. Confess to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy is with every generation.

Give thanks to the Lord for his goodness for his kindness endures forever.

2 Let those who have been redeemed by the Lord say so: those whom he redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered from the regions,

Let this be the song of the ransomed, whom the Lord has redeemed from distress,

3 from the rising of the sun and its setting, from the north and from the sea.

gathering them from all lands, east, west, north, and south.

4 They wandered into solitude in a waterless place. They did not find the way of the city to be their dwelling place.

In the wastes of the desert some wandered, finding no way to a city inhabited.

5 They were hungry, and they were thirsty. Their soul fainted within them.

Full of hunger and thirst, their spirit failed.

6 And they cried out to the Lord in tribulation, and he rescued them in their necessity.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distresses,

7 And he led them in the right way, so that they might go forth to a city of habitation.

guiding them straight on the way, till they reached an inhabited city.

8 Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men.

Let them thank the Lord for his kindness, for his wonderful deeds for people;

9 For he has satisfied the empty soul, and he has satisfied the hungry soul with good things:

for the thirsty he satisfies, and the hungry he fills with good things.

10 those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, shackled by extreme poverty and by iron.

Some sat in darkness and gloom prisoners in irons and misery,

11 For they exasperated the eloquence of God, and they irritated the deliberation of the Most High.

for rebelling against God’s word, and spurning the Most High’s counsel.

12 And their heart was brought low with hardships. They were weakened, and there was no one to help them.

Their heart was bowed with toil; there was no one to help when they stumbled.

13 And they cried out to the Lord in their tribulation, and he freed them from their distress.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distresses.

14 And he led them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and he broke apart their chains.

Out of darkness and gloom he brought them, and burst their chains.

15 Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men.

Let them praise the Lord for his kindness, for his wonderful deeds for people.

16 For he has crushed the gates of brass and broken the iron bars.

For he shattered the gates of bronze, and broke bars of iron.

17 He has taken them up, from the way of their iniquity. For they were brought low, because of their injustices.

Some were sick from their wicked ways, and suffering because of their sins.

18 Their soul abhorred all food, and they drew near even to the gates of death.

All manner of food they hated; they had come to the gates of death.

19 And they cried out to the Lord in their tribulation, and he delivered them in their necessity.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distresses.

20 He sent his word, and he healed them, and he rescued them from their utter destruction.

He sent his word and healed them, and delivered their life from the pit.

21 Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men.

Let them praise the Lord for his kindness, for his wonderful deeds for people.

22 And let them offer sacrifice with the sacrifice of praise, and let them announce his works in exultation.

Let them offer to him thankofferings, and with joy tell what things he has done.

23 Those who descend to the sea in ships, making their livelihood in the great waters:

Some crossed the sea in ships, doing business in great waters.

24 these have seen the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep.

They have seen what the Lord can do, and his wonderful deeds on the deep.

25 He spoke: and a windstorm stood up, and its waves were exalted.

At his command rose a tempest, which lifted the waves on high.

26 They ascend even to the heavens, and they descend even to the abyss. Their soul will waste away in distress.

Up to heaven they went, down to the depths; their courage failed them.

27 They were troubled, and they moved like a drunkard, and all their wisdom was consumed.

They staggered and reeled like drunkards; all their skills useless.

28 And they cried out to the Lord in their tribulation, and he led them out of their distress.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distresses.

29 And he replaced the storm with a breeze, and its waves were stilled.

He stilled the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.

30 And they were joyful that it was stilled, and he led them into the haven that they desired.

They were glad, because it was quiet; they were led to the haven they longed for.

31 Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men.

Let them praise the Lord, for his kindness, for his wonderful deeds for people.

32 And let them exalt him in the Church of the people, and praise him in the chair of the elders.

Where the people assemble, extol him, and praise him in council of elders.

33 He has placed rivers in the desert and sources of water in dry places,

He turns streams into a wilderness, springs of water into thirsty land,

34 a fruit-bearing land in the midst of brine, before the malice of those who dwell in it.

fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the sin of the people.

35 He has placed a desert in the midst of pools of waters, and a land without water in the midst of sources of water.

A desert he makes pools of water, a land of drought into springs of water.

36 And he has gathered the hungry together there, and they constructed a city of habitation.

He settles the hungry therein, they establish a city to live in.

37 And they sowed fields and planted vineyards, and they produced the fruit of nativity.

They sow fields and plant vineyards, which furnish a fruitful yield.

38 And he blessed them, and they were multiplied exceedingly. And he did not diminish their beasts of burden.

By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he lets not their cattle decrease.

39 And they became few, and they were afflicted by the tribulation of evils and of sorrow.

Yet when they are bowed and diminished by oppression, misfortune, or sorrow,

40 Contempt was poured over their leaders, and he caused them to wander in an impassable place, and not on the way.

he pours contempt upon princes, and on trackless wastes leads them astray

41 And he helped the poor out of destitution, and he stationed families like sheep.

He lifts the poor out of misery, and makes families fruitful as flocks.

42 The upright will see, and they will rejoice. And every iniquity will block its mouth.

At this sight shall the upright be glad, and all wicked mouths shall be stopped.

43 Who is wise and will keep these things? And who will understand the mercies of the Lord?

Let those who are wise observe this, and consider the love of the Lord