< Psalms 107 >
1 Give thanks to Yahweh, because he always does good [things for us] His faithful love [for us] lasts forever!
BOOK V 'O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever.'
2 Those whom Yahweh has saved should tell others that he has rescued them from their enemies.
So let the redeemed of the LORD say, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary;
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 them out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea.
4 Some of those [who returned from those countries] wandered in the desert; they were lost and had no homes to live in.
They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way; they found no city of habitation.
5 They were hungry and thirsty, and they were very discouraged.
Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
6 When they were in trouble, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from (being distressed/their difficulties).
Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.
7 He led them along a straight road [where they walked safely] to cities [in Canaan] where they could live.
And He led them by a straight way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
8 They should praise/thank Yahweh for loving them faithfully and for the wonderful things that he does for people.
Let them give thanks unto the LORD for His mercy, and for His wonderful works to the children 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 hath satisfied the longing soul, and the hungry soul He hath filled with good.
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].
Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron —
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 contemned 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.
Therefore He humbled their heart with travail, they stumbled, and there was none to help —
13 In their troubles, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
They cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.
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 their bands in sunder.
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 unto the LORD for His mercy, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
17 Some of them foolishly rebelled [against God], so they suffered for their sins.
Crazed because of the way of their transgression, and afflicted because of their iniquities —
18 They did not want to eat any food, and they almost died.
Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near unto the gates of death —
19 In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
They cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses;
20 When he commanded that they be healed, they were healed; he saved them from dying.
He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their graves.
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 unto the LORD for His mercy, and for His wonderful works to the children 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.
And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with singing.
23 Some of them sailed in ships; they were selling things [in ports] throughout the world.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great 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.
These 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 commanded, and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves thereof;
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 heaven, they went down to the deeps; their soul melted away because of trouble;
27 They stumbled about and staggered like drunken men, and they did not know what to do.
They reeled to and fro, and staggered like a drunken man, and all their wisdom was swallowed up —
28 In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their distresses.
They cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distresses.
29 He (calmed the storm/caused the wind to stop blowing), and he caused the waves to completely subside.
He made the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof were still.
30 They were [very] glad when it became calm; and Yahweh brought them safely into a harbor.
Then were they glad because they were quiet, and He led them unto their desired haven.
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 unto the LORD for His mercy, and for His wonderful works to the children 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 also in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the seat 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 turneth rivers into a wilderness, and watersprings into a 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.
A fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
35 [But sometimes] he causes pools of water to appear in deserts, and he causes springs to flow in very dry ground.
He turneth a wilderness into a pool of water, and a dry land into watersprings.
36 He brings hungry [people] into that land, to live there and build cities [there].
And there He maketh the hungry to dwell, and they establish a city of habitation;
37 They plant seeds in their fields, and they plant grapevines that produce big crops [of grapes].
And sow fields, and plant vineyards, which yield fruits of increase.
38 He blesses the people, and the women give birth to many children, and they have large herds of cattle.
He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
39 When the number of people becomes smaller and they have been humiliated [by their enemies] by being oppressed and caused to suffer [DOU],
Again, they are minished and dwindle away through oppression of 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 poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the waste, where there is no way.
41 But he rescues poor [people] from (being in misery/suffering), and causes their families [to increase in number] like flocks of sheep.
Yet setteth He the needy on high from affliction, and maketh his families like a flock.
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 it, and are glad; and all iniquity stoppeth her 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].
Whoso is wise, let him observe these things, and let them consider the mercies of the LORD.