Psalm 107
1 "Danket Jahwe, denn er ist gütig; / Ewig währt ja seine Huld!"
Give thanks to Yahweh, because he always does good [things for us] His faithful love [for us] lasts forever!
2 So sollen sprechen Jahwes Erlöste, / Die er erlöst hat aus Feindeshand,
Those whom Yahweh has saved should tell others that he has rescued them from their enemies.
3 Und die er gesammelt aus vielen Landen: / Von Ost und West, von Nord und Süd.
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 Sie irrten vom Weg in der Wüste und Öde, / Eine Stadt als Wohnsitz fanden sie nicht.
Some of those [who returned from those countries] wandered in the desert; they were lost and had no homes to live in.
5 Sie litten Hunger und Durst: / Ihre Seele verzagte in ihnen.
They were hungry and thirsty, and they were very discouraged.
6 Da schrien sie zu Jahwe in ihrer Not: / Der riß sie heraus aus ihren Ängsten.
When they were in trouble, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from (being distressed/their difficulties).
7 Er führte sie auf ebnem Weg, / Daß sie kamen in eine wohnliche Stadt.
He led them along a straight road [where they walked safely] to cities [in Canaan] where they could live.
8 Nun sollen sie Jahwe danken für seine Huld / Und für seine Wunder zum Segen der Menschen.
They should praise/thank Yahweh for loving them faithfully and for the wonderful things that he does for people.
9 Er hat ja die lechzende Seele gesättigt / Und die hungrige Seele mit Gutem gefüllt.
He gives thirsty people plenty [of water] to drink, and he gives hungry people plenty of good things [to eat].
10 Sie wohnten in Dunkel und Todesschatten, / Gefangen in Elend und Eisenbanden.
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 Denn sie hatten Jahwes Worten getrotzt / Und den Rat des Höchsten verachtet.
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 Drum beugte er auch durch Mühsal ihr Herz: / Nun sanken sie hin ohne Helfer.
[That is why] their bodies were worn out from hard labor; when they fell down, there was no one who would help them.
13 Da schrien sie zu Jahwe in ihrer Not: / Der machte sie frei aus ihren Ängsten.
In their troubles, they called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
14 Er ließ sie aus Dunkel und Todesschatten, / Und ihre Fesseln zersprengte er.
He broke the chains that were on their hands and feet; and brought them out of those very dark [prisons].
15 Nun sollen sie Jahwe danken für seine Huld / Und für seine Wunder zum Segen der Menschen.
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 Denn er hat zerbrochen Türen von Erz / Und eiserne Riegel zerschlagen.
17 Gottlose mußten ob sündigen Wandels / Und ob Übertretungen leiden:
Some of them foolishly rebelled [against God], so they suffered for their sins.
18 Jegliche Speise verabscheuten sie, / Und sie waren schon nahe den Pforten des Todes.
They did not want to eat any food, and they almost died.
19 Da schrien sie zu Jahwe in ihrer Not / Der machte sie frei aus ihren Ängsten.
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their being distressed.
20 Er sandte sein Wort und heilte sie / Und ließ sie entrinnen aus ihren Gruben.
When he commanded that they be healed, they were healed; he saved them from dying.
21 Nun sollen sie Jahwe danken für seine Huld / Und für seine Wunder zum Segen der Menschen.
They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving them, and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
22 Sie sollen bringen Opfer des Danks, / Seine Taten erzählen mit Jubel.
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 Die mit Schiffen das Meer befuhren, / Ihren Handel trieben in großen Gewässern,
Some of them sailed in ships; they were selling things [in ports] throughout the world.
24 Sie haben Jahwes Werk geschaut / Und seine Wunder im Meeresstrudel.
[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 Auf sein Wort brauste ein Sturmwind daher, / Der türmte empor die Wogen des Meers.
He commanded the winds, and they became strong and (stirred up high waves/caused waves to rise high).
26 Sie stiegen himmelan, bald fuhren sie in die Tiefe: / Ihre Seel verging in Weh.
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 Sie schwankten und wankten wie Trunkne, / Und all ihre Weisheit war dahin.
They stumbled about and staggered like drunken men, and they did not know what to do.
28 Da schrien sie zu Jahwe in ihrer Not, / Der führte sie aus ihren Ängsten.
In their troubles, they [also] called out to Yahweh, and he rescued them from their distresses.
29 Er dämpfte den Sturm zum Säuseln, / Und stille schwiegen des Meeres Wogen.
He (calmed the storm/caused the wind to stop blowing), and he caused the waves to completely subside.
30 Da wurden sie froh, daß es ruhig geworden; / Er führte sie dann zum ersehnten Hafen.
They were [very] glad when it became calm; and Yahweh brought them safely into a harbor.
31 Nun sollen sie Jahwe danken für seine Huld / Und für seine Wunder zum Segen der Menschen.
They [also] should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving [them], and for [all] the wonderful things that he does for people.
32 Ja sie sollen ihn preisen in der Gemeinde / Und im Ältestenrate ihn loben.
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 Er machte auch Ströme zur Wüste / Und Wasserquellen zu dürrem 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 Fruchtbares Feld zur salzigen Steppe / Wegen der Bosheit seiner Bewohner.
[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 Er wandelte Wüsten in Wasserteiche / Und dürres Land in Wasserquellen.
[But sometimes] he causes pools of water to appear in deserts, and he causes springs to flow in very dry ground.
36 Dort machte er Hungrige seßhaft: / Sie bauten sich eine Wohnstadt.
He brings hungry [people] into that land, to live there and build cities [there].
37 Sie besäten Äcker, pflanzten Weingärten / Und gewannen Ertrag an Frucht.
They plant seeds in their fields, and they plant grapevines that produce big crops [of grapes].
38 Gott segnete sie: sie mehrten sich sehr, / Auch ihr Vieh ließ sich nicht vermindern.
He blesses the people, and the women give birth to many children, and they have large herds of cattle.
39 Doch manchmal nahmen sie ab und sanken dahin / Durch den Druck von Unglück und Kummer.
When the number of people becomes smaller and they have been humiliated [by their enemies] by being oppressed and caused to suffer [DOU],
40 Aber er, "der auf Fürsten Verachtung gießt / Und in wegloser Öde sie irren läßt" —
Yahweh shows contempt for the leaders who oppress them, and causes them to wander in deserts where there are no roads.
41 Er hob die Armen aus Elend hervor / Und mehrte ihre Sippen wie Herden.
But he rescues poor [people] from (being in misery/suffering), and causes their families [to increase in number] like flocks of sheep.
42 Redliche sollen das sehn mit Freuden, / Doch alle Frevler müssen verstummen.
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 Wer weise ist, der beachte dies / Und verstehe die Gnaden Jahwes!
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].
