Psalms 107
1 Thank the Lord, for he is good! His trustworthy love continues forever!
Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, and his covenant faithfulness endures forever.
2 Let those the Lord has saved say that they are saved; those he has rescued from the power of the enemy.
Let the redeemed of Yahweh speak out, those he has rescued from the hand of the enemy.
3 He has gathered them together from distant lands, from the east and the west, the north and the south.
He has gathered them out of foreign lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
4 They wandered in the desert wilderness, unable to find a way to a city where they could live.
They wandered in the wilderness on a desert road and found no city in which to live.
5 Hungry and thirsty, they became very discouraged.
Because they were hungry and thirsty, they fainted from exhaustion.
6 Then they cried out to the Lord to help them in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.
Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he rescued them out of their distress.
7 He led them along a straight way to a city where they could live.
He led them by a direct path so that they would go to a city to live in.
8 Let them praise the Lord for his trustworthy love, and for all the wonderful things he does for people.
Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!
9 For he gives drink to those who are thirsty, and food to those who are hungry.
For he satisfies the longings of those who are thirsty, and the desires of those who are hungry he fills up with good things.
10 Some sat in complete darkness, prisoners of misery and bound with iron chains,
Some sat in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in affliction and chains.
11 for they had rebelled against what God had said; they had rejected the guidance of the Most High.
This was because they had rebelled against God's word and rejected the instruction of the Most High.
12 So he humbled their pride with the troubles of life; they tripped over and no one was there to stop them falling.
He humbled their hearts through hardship; they stumbled and there was no one to help them up.
13 Then they called out to the Lord for help in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.
Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
14 He brought them out of complete darkness, he broke their chains to pieces.
He brought them out of darkness and gloom and broke their bonds.
15 Let them praise the Lord for his trustworthy love, and for all the wonderful things he does for people.
Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!
16 For he breaks down the bronze doors, and cuts through the iron bars.
For he has broken the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
17 They were stupid because they rebelled; they suffered for their sins.
They were foolish in their rebellious ways and afflicted because of their sins.
18 They didn't want to eat; they were at death's door.
They lost their desire to eat any food, and they came close to the gates of death.
19 Then they called out to the Lord for help in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.
Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
20 He gave the command and he healed them; he saved them from the grave.
He sent his word and healed them, and he rescued them from their destruction.
21 Let them praise the Lord for his trustworthy love, and for all the wonderful things he does for people.
Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!
22 Let them present thank offerings and sing with joy about what he has done.
Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving and proclaim his deeds in singing.
23 Those who set sail in ships, crossing the seas to earn their living,
Some travel on the sea in ships and do business overseas.
24 they have seen the Lord's incredible power at work—the wonderful things he did in the deepest oceans.
These saw the deeds of Yahweh and his wonders on the seas.
25 He only had to speak to cause a stormy wind that stirred up towering waves,
For he commanded and aroused the windstorm that stirs up the seas.
26 lifting the ships high in the air and then plunging them down. The sailors were so terrified that their courage melted away.
They reached up to the sky; they went down to the depths. Their lives melted away in distress.
27 They staggered around, falling from side to side like drunks—all their seamanship skills were useless.
They swayed and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits' end.
28 Then they cried out to the Lord to help them in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.
Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He calmed the storm, the waves were quiet.
He calmed the storm, and the waves were stilled.
30 The sailors were so happy when it all calmed down, and he brought them to the harbor they wanted.
Then they rejoiced because the sea was calm, and he brought them to their desired harbor.
31 Let them praise the Lord for his trustworthy love, and for all the wonderful things he does for people.
Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!
32 Let them say how wonderful he is in front of the whole congregation and the elders.
Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.
33 He dries up rivers and turns the land into a desert; the water springs stop flowing and the earth turns dry and dusty.
He turns rivers into a wilderness, springs of water into dry land,
34 Fruitful ground becomes a salty wasteland because of the wickedness of those living there.
and a fruitful land into a barren place because of the wickedness of its people.
35 But he also turns around and makes pools of water in the desert, and makes water springs flow in a dry and dusty land.
He turns the wilderness into a pool of water and dry land into springs of water.
36 He brings hungry people to live there—a place they can build their cities.
He settles the hungry there, and they build a city to live in.
37 They sow their fields and plant their vineyards, producing a good harvest.
They build a city to plant fields in, to plant vineyards, and to bring in an abundant harvest.
38 He takes care of them, and their numbers increase dramatically—their cattle too!
He blesses them so they are very numerous. He does not let their cattle decrease in number.
39 When they become few, brought low by oppression, misery, and sorrow,
They were diminished and brought low by painful distress and suffering.
40 He pours out his contempt on their leaders, making them wander, lost in the wilderness.
He pours contempt on the leaders and causes them to wander in the wilderness, where there are no roads.
41 But he lifts the poor out of their troubles, and makes their families as big as flocks.
But he protects the needy from affliction and cares for his families like a flock.
42 Those who live right will observe what is happening and be glad, but the wicked will be silenced.
The upright will see this and rejoice, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
43 Those who are wise will pay attention to all this, and thoughtfully reflect on the Lord's trustworthy love.
Whoever is wise should take note of these things and meditate on Yahweh's acts of covenant faithfulness.
