Psalms 107

1 “Give thanks to YHWH, For [He is] good, for His kindness [is] for all time”:

Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

2 Let the redeemed of YHWH say [so], Whom He redeemed from the hand of an adversary.

Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary,

3 And has gathered them from the lands, From east and from west, From north, and from the sea.

and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

4 They wandered in a wilderness, in a desert by the way, They have not found a city of habitation.

They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way. They found no city to live in.

5 Hungry—indeed—thirsty, Their soul becomes feeble in them,

Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

6 And they cry to YHWH in their adversity, He delivers them from their distress,

Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

7 And causes them to tread in a right way, To go to a city of habitation.

He led them also by a straight way, that they might go to a city to live in.

8 They confess to YHWH His kindness, And His wonders to the sons of men.

Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

9 For He has satisfied a longing soul, And has filled a hungry soul [with] goodness.

For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.

10 Inhabitants of dark places and death-shade, Prisoners of affliction and of iron,

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron,

11 Because they changed the saying of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High.

because they rebelled against the words of God, and condemned the counsel of the Most High.

12 And He humbles their heart with labor, They have been feeble, and there is no helper.

Therefore he brought down their heart with labor. They fell down, and there was no one to help.

13 And they cry to YHWH in their adversity, He saves them from their distresses.

Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

14 He brings them out from the dark place, And death-shade, And He draws away their bands.

He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke away their chains.

15 They confess to YHWH His kindness, And His wonders to the sons of men.

Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

16 For He has broken doors of bronze, And He has cut bars of iron.

For he has broken the gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron.

17 Fools, by means of their transgression, And by their iniquities, afflict themselves.

Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience, and because of their iniquities.

18 Their soul detests all food, And they come near to the gates of death,

Their soul abhors all kinds of food. They draw near to the gates of death.

19 And cry to YHWH in their adversity, He saves them from their distresses,

Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, and he saves them out of their distresses.

20 He sends His word and heals them, And delivers [them] from their destructions.

He sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them from their graves.

21 They confess to YHWH His kindness, And His wonders to the sons of men,

Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

22 And they sacrifice sacrifices of thanksgiving, And recount His works with singing.

Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his deeds with singing.

23 Those going down [to] the sea in ships, Doing business in many waters,

Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters,

24 They have seen the works of YHWH, And His wonders in the deep.

these see Yahweh’s deeds, and his wonders in the deep.

25 And He commands, and appoints a storm, And it lifts up its billows,

For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves.

26 They go up [to] the heavens, they go down [to] the depths, Their soul is melted in evil.

They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts away because of trouble.

27 They reel to and fro, and move as a drunkard, And all their wisdom is swallowed up.

They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.

28 And they cry to YHWH in their adversity, And He brings them out from their distresses.

Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress.

29 He calms a whirlwind, And their billows are hushed.

He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still.

30 And they rejoice because they are quiet, And He leads them to the haven of their desire.

Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to their desired haven.

31 They confess to YHWH His kindness, And His wonders to the sons of men,

Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds for the children of men!

32 And they exalt Him in [the] assembly of [the] people, And praise Him in [the] seat of [the] elderly.

Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people, and praise him in the seat of the elders.

33 He makes rivers become a wilderness, And fountains of waters become dry land.

He turns rivers into a desert, water springs into a thirsty ground,

34 A fruitful land becomes a barren place, For the wickedness of its inhabitants.

and a fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it.

35 He makes a wilderness become a pool of water, And a dry land become fountains of waters.

He turns a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into water springs.

36 And He causes the hungry to dwell there, And they prepare a city of habitation.

There he makes the hungry live, that they may prepare a city to live in,

37 And they sow fields, and plant vineyards, And they make fruits of increase.

sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase.

38 And He blesses them, and they multiply exceedingly, And He does not diminish their livestock.

He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly. He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease.

39 And they are diminished, and bow down, By restraint, evil, and sorrow.

Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.

40 He is pouring contempt on nobles, And causes them to wander in vacancy—no way.

He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste.

41 And sets the needy on high from affliction, And places families as a flock.

Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock.

42 The upright see and rejoice, And all perversity has shut her mouth.

The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.

43 Who [is] wise, and observes these? They understand the kind acts of YHWH!

Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of Yahweh.