Psalms 107
1 Give ye thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; for his loving-kindness [endureth] for ever.
Give thanks to Yahweh, because he always does good [things for us] His faithful love [for us] lasts forever!
2 Let the redeemed of Jehovah say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the oppressor,
Those whom Yahweh has saved should tell others that he has rescued them from their enemies.
3 And gathered out of the countries, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea.
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 desert way, they found no 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 unto Jehovah in their trouble, [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 led them forth by a right way, 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 give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous 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 hath satisfied the longing soul and filled the hungry soul with good.
He gives thirsty people plenty [of water] to drink, and he gives hungry people plenty of good things [to eat].
10 Such as inhabit darkness and the shadow of death, bound in affliction 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 had rebelled against the words of God, and had 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 And he bowed down their heart with labour; they stumbled, and there was none 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 unto Jehovah in their trouble, [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 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bands in sunder.
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 unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous works 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 hath broken the gates of bronze, and cut asunder the bars of iron.
17 Fools, because of their way of transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted;
Some of them foolishly rebelled [against God], so they suffered for their sins.
18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of food, and they draw near unto the gates of death:
They did not want to eat any food, and they almost died.
19 Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, [and] he saveth them out of their distresses;
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
20 He sendeth his word, and healeth them, and delivereth them from their destructions.
When he commanded that they be healed, they were healed; he saved them from dying.
21 Let them give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous 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 the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works in joyful song.
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, that do business in great waters,
Some of them sailed in ships; they were selling things [in ports] throughout the world.
24 These see the works of Jehovah, 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 speaketh, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof:
He commanded the winds, and they became strong and (stirred up high waves/caused waves to rise high).
26 They mount up to the heavens, they go down to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble;
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 reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and they are at their wits' end:
They stumbled about and staggered like drunken men, and they did not know what to do.
28 Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses;
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their distresses.
29 He maketh the storm a calm, and the waves thereof are still:
He (calmed the storm/caused the wind to stop blowing), and he caused the waves to completely subside.
30 And they rejoice because they are quiet; and he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
They were [very] glad when it became calm; and Yahweh brought them safely into a harbor.
31 Let them give thanks unto Jehovah for his loving-kindness, and for his wondrous 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 also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the session 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 maketh rivers into a wilderness, and water-springs into dry 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 A fruitful land into a plain of salt, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
[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 maketh the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into water-springs;
[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 maketh the hungry to dwell, and they establish a city of habitation;
He brings hungry [people] into that land, to live there and build cities [there].
37 And sow fields, and plant vineyards, which yield fruits of increase;
They plant seeds in their fields, and they plant grapevines that produce big crops [of grapes].
38 And he blesseth them, so that they are multiplied greatly; and he suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
He blesses the people, and the women give birth to many children, and they have large herds of cattle.
39 And they are diminished and brought low, through oppression, adversity, 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 poureth contempt upon nobles, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste;
Yahweh shows contempt for the leaders who oppress them, and causes them to wander in deserts where there are no roads.
41 But he secureth the needy one on high from affliction, and maketh [him] 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 shall see it, and rejoice; and all unrighteousness shall stop 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 Whoso is wise, let him observe these things, and let them understand the loving-kindnesses of Jehovah.
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].
