< Psalms 107 >

1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, and his covenant faithfulness endures forever.
Give thanks to Yahweh, because he always does good [things for us] His faithful love [for us] lasts forever!
2 Let the redeemed of Yahweh speak out, those he has rescued from the hand of the enemy.
Those whom Yahweh has saved should tell others that he has rescued them from their enemies.
3 He has gathered them out of foreign lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
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 in the wilderness on a desert road and found no city in which to live.
Some of those [who returned from those countries] wandered in the desert; they were lost and had no homes to live in.
5 Because they were hungry and thirsty, they fainted from exhaustion.
They were hungry and thirsty, and they were very discouraged.
6 Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he rescued them out of their distress.
When they were in trouble, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from (being distressed/their difficulties).
7 He led them by a direct path so that they would go to a city to live in.
He led them along a straight road [where they walked safely] to cities [in Canaan] where they could live.
8 Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!
They should praise/thank Yahweh for loving them faithfully and for the wonderful things that he does for people.
9 For he satisfies the longings of those who are thirsty, and the desires of those who are hungry he fills up with good things.
He gives thirsty people plenty [of water] to drink, and he gives hungry people plenty of good things [to eat].
10 Some sat in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in affliction and chains.
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 This was because they had rebelled against God's word and rejected the instruction 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 He humbled their hearts through hardship; they stumbled and there was no one to help them up.
[That is why] their bodies were worn out from hard labor; when they fell down, there was no one who would help them.
13 Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
In their troubles, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
14 He brought them out of darkness and gloom and broke their bonds.
He broke the chains that were on their hands and feet; and brought them out of those very dark [prisons].
15 Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!
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 has broken the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
17 They were foolish in their rebellious ways and afflicted because of their sins.
Some of them foolishly rebelled [against God], so they suffered for their sins.
18 They lost their desire to eat any food, and they came close to the gates of death.
They did not want to eat any food, and they almost died.
19 Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
20 He sent his word and healed them, and he rescued them from their destruction.
When he commanded that they be healed, they were healed; he saved them from dying.
21 Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!
They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving them, and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
22 Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving and proclaim his deeds in singing.
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 Some travel on the sea in ships and do business overseas.
Some of them sailed in ships; they were selling things [in ports] throughout the world.
24 These saw the deeds of Yahweh and his wonders on the seas.
[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 commanded and aroused the windstorm that stirs up the seas.
He commanded the winds, and they became strong and (stirred up high waves/caused waves to rise high).
26 They reached up to the sky; they went down to the depths. Their lives melted away in distress.
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 swayed and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits' end.
They stumbled about and staggered like drunken men, and they did not know what to do.
28 Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their distresses.
29 He calmed the storm, and the waves were stilled.
He (calmed the storm/caused the wind to stop blowing), and he caused the waves to completely subside.
30 Then they rejoiced because the sea was calm, and he brought them to their desired harbor.
They were [very] glad when it became calm; and Yahweh brought them safely into a harbor.
31 Oh that people would praise Yahweh for his covenant faithfulness and for the amazing things he has done for humanity!
They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving [them], and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.
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 turns rivers into a wilderness, springs of water into dry land,
[Sometimes] Yahweh causes rivers [to become dry], [with the result that the land] becomes a desert, and springs of water become dry land.
34 and a fruitful land into a barren place because of the wickedness of its people.
[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 turns the wilderness into a pool of water and dry land into springs of water.
[But sometimes] he causes pools of water to appear in deserts, and he causes springs to flow in very dry ground.
36 He settles the hungry there, and they build a city to live in.
He brings hungry [people] into that land, to live there and build cities [there].
37 They build a city to plant fields in, to plant vineyards, and to bring in an abundant harvest.
They plant seeds in their fields, and they plant grapevines that produce big crops [of grapes].
38 He blesses them so they are very numerous. He does not let their cattle decrease in number.
He blesses the people, and the women give birth to many children, and they have large herds of cattle.
39 They were diminished and brought low by painful distress and suffering.
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 pours contempt on the leaders and causes them to wander in the wilderness, where there are no roads.
Yahweh shows contempt for the leaders who oppress them, and causes them to wander in deserts where there are no roads.
41 But he protects the needy from affliction and cares for his families like a flock.
But he rescues poor [people] from (being in misery/suffering), and causes their families [to increase in number] like flocks of sheep.
42 The upright will see this and rejoice, and all wickedness shuts its 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 should take note of these things and meditate on Yahweh's acts of covenant faithfulness.
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].

< Psalms 107 >