Psalms 107
1 BOOK FIFTH: Oh give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for unto eternity endureth his kindness.
Give thanks to Yahweh, because he always does good [things for us] His faithful love [for us] lasts forever!
2 Thus let the Lord's redeemed say, even those whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary;
Those whom Yahweh has saved should tell others that he has rescued them from their enemies.
3 And whom he hath gathered out of the [various] lands, 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 about in the wilderness, in the desert path; they could not find an inhabited city:
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 within them fainted.
They were hungry and thirsty, and they were very discouraged.
6 Then they cried unto the Lord when they were in distress, [and] out of their afflictions he delivered them.
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 on the right way, that they might go to an inhabited city.
He led them along a straight road [where they walked safely] to cities [in Canaan] where they could live.
8 They [therefore] shall give thanks unto the Lord for his kindness, and [proclaim] his wonders 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 satisfied the longing soul, and the hungry soul he filled 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 sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in misery and [fetters of] 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 have rebelled against the words of God, and have contemned 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 humbled with trouble their heart; 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 But when they cry unto the Lord when they are in distress, he saveth them out of their afflictions;
In their troubles, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
14 He bringeth them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and teareth their bands asunder.
He broke the chains that were on their hands and feet; and brought them out of those very dark [prisons].
15 They [therefore] shall give thanks unto the Lord for his kindness, and [proclaim] 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 hath broken the doors of copper, and the bolts of iron hath he hewn asunder.—
17 Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Some of them foolishly rebelled [against God], so they suffered for their sins.
18 All manner of food their soul abhorreth; and they draw near unto the gates of death;
They did not want to eat any food, and they almost died.
19 But when they cry unto the Lord when they are in distress, he saveth them out of their afflictions.
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 graves.
When he commanded that they be healed, they were healed; he saved them from dying.
21 They [therefore] shall give thanks unto the Lord for his kindness, and [proclaim] his wonders 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 They shall also sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and relate his deeds with 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 who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters; —
Some of them sailed in ships; they were selling things [in ports] throughout the world.
24 These have seen the works of the Lord, and his wonders on 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 he raised the stormy wind, which lifteth up its waves.
He commanded the winds, and they became strong and (stirred up high waves/caused waves to rise high).
26 They would mount up to heaven, they would go down to the depths: their soul was melted because of their danger.
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 would reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and all their wisdom was exhausted.
They stumbled about and staggered like drunken men, and they did not know what to do.
28 And they cried unto the Lord when they were in distress, and he brought them out of their afflictions.
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their distresses.
29 He calmed the storm into a whisper, and stilled were the waves of the sea.
He (calmed the storm/caused the wind to stop blowing), and he caused the waves to completely subside.
30 And they were rejoiced because they were silent: and then he guided them unto their desired haven.
They were [very] glad when it became calm; and Yahweh brought them safely into a harbor.
31 They [therefore] shall give thanks unto the Lord for his kindness, and [proclaim] his wonders 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 And they must exalt him in the congregation of the people, and in the assembly of the elders must they praise him.—
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 changeth rivers into a wilderness, and water-springs into parched 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 salty waste, for the wickedness of those 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 changeth the wilderness into a pool of water, and desert 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 causeth to dwell the hungry, that they may found an inhabited city;
He brings hungry [people] into that land, to live there and build cities [there].
37 And they sow fields, and plant vineyards, that they may yield the fruits of the [annual] product.
They plant seeds in their fields, and they plant grapevines that produce big crops [of grapes].
38 He also blesseth them, and they multiply greatly, and he suffereth not their cattle to diminish.
He blesses the people, and the women give birth to many children, and they have large herds of cattle.
39 They were also diminished and bowed low through oppression, misfortune, 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 [then] poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in a pathless wilderness.
Yahweh shows contempt for the leaders who oppress them, and causes them to wander in deserts where there are no roads.
41 And he exalteth the needy from misery, and maketh [his] 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 righteous shall see it, and rejoice; but all wickedness 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 Whoever is wise, let him observe these things, and let [all] understand the kindness 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].
