Psalms 107
1 Give thanks to Yahweh, because he always does good [things for us] His faithful love [for us] lasts forever!
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
2 Those whom Yahweh has saved should tell others that he has rescued them from their enemies.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy
3 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.
and gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
4 Some of those [who returned from those countries] wandered in the desert; they were lost and had no homes to live in.
Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no path to a city in which to dwell.
5 They were hungry and thirsty, and they were very discouraged.
They were hungry and thirsty; their soul fainted within them.
6 When they were in trouble, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from (being distressed/their difficulties).
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them along a straight road [where they walked safely] to cities [in Canaan] where they could live.
He led them on a straight path to reach a city where they could live.
8 They should praise/thank Yahweh for loving them faithfully and for the wonderful things that he does for people.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
9 He gives thirsty people plenty [of water] to drink, and he gives hungry people plenty of good things [to eat].
For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
10 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].
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains,
11 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.
because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.
12 [That is why] their bodies were worn out from hard labor; when they fell down, there was no one who would help them.
He humbled their hearts with hard labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13 In their troubles, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
14 He broke the chains that were on their hands and feet; and brought them out of those very dark [prisons].
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke away their chains.
15 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.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
For He has broken down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
17 Some of them foolishly rebelled [against God], so they suffered for their sins.
Fools, in their rebellious ways, and through their iniquities, suffered affliction.
18 They did not want to eat any food, and they almost died.
They loathed all food and drew near to the gates of death.
19 In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
20 When he commanded that they be healed, they were healed; he saved them from dying.
He sent forth His word and healed them; He rescued them from the Pit.
21 They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving them, and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
22 They should give offerings to him to show that they are thankful, and they should sing joyfully about the miracles that he has performed.
Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare His works with rejoicing.
23 Some of them sailed in ships; they were selling things [in ports] throughout the world.
Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade on the mighty waters.
24 [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.
They saw the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep.
25 He commanded the winds, and they became strong and (stirred up high waves/caused waves to rise high).
For He spoke and raised a tempest that lifted the waves of the sea.
26 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.
They mounted up to the heavens, then sunk to the depths; their courage melted in their anguish.
27 They stumbled about and staggered like drunken men, and they did not know what to do.
They reeled and staggered like drunkards, and all their skill was useless.
28 In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their distresses.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress.
29 He (calmed the storm/caused the wind to stop blowing), and he caused the waves to completely subside.
He calmed the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 They were [very] glad when it became calm; and Yahweh brought them safely into a harbor.
They rejoiced in the silence, and He guided them to the harbor they desired.
31 They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving [them], and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for His loving devotion and His wonders to the sons of men.
32 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].
Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise Him in the council of the elders.
33 [Sometimes] Yahweh causes rivers [to become dry], [with the result that the land] becomes a desert, and springs of water become dry land.
He turns rivers into deserts, springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 [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.
and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers.
35 [But sometimes] he causes pools of water to appear in deserts, and he causes springs to flow in very dry ground.
He turns a desert into pools of water and a dry land into flowing springs.
36 He brings hungry [people] into that land, to live there and build cities [there].
He causes the hungry to settle there, that they may establish a city in which to dwell.
37 They plant seeds in their fields, and they plant grapevines that produce big crops [of grapes].
They sow fields and plant vineyards that yield a fruitful harvest.
38 He blesses the people, and the women give birth to many children, and they have large herds of cattle.
He blesses them, and they multiply greatly; He does not let their herds diminish.
39 When the number of people becomes smaller and they have been humiliated [by their enemies] by being oppressed and caused to suffer [DOU],
When they are decreased and humbled by oppression, evil, and sorrow,
40 Yahweh shows contempt for the leaders who oppress them, and causes them to wander in deserts where there are no roads.
He pours out contempt on the nobles and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
41 But he rescues poor [people] from (being in misery/suffering), and causes their families [to increase in number] like flocks of sheep.
But He lifts the needy from affliction and increases their families like flocks.
42 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.
The upright see and rejoice, and all iniquity shuts its mouth.
43 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].
Let him who is wise pay heed to these things and consider the loving devotion of the LORD.
