Add parallel Print Page Options

Book 5

(Psalms 107-150)

107 Praise the Lord, because he is good!
    His faithful love will last forever!
Everyone the Lord has saved should repeat that word of thanks.
    Praise him, all who have been rescued from the enemy.
He gathered his people together from many different countries.
    He brought them from east and west, north and south.[a]

Some of them wandered in the dry desert.
    They were looking for a place to live,
    but they could not find a city.
They were hungry and thirsty
    and growing weak.
Then they called to the Lord for help,
    and he saved them from their troubles.
He led them straight to the city where they would live.
Thank the Lord for his faithful love
    and for the amazing things he does for people.
He satisfies those who are thirsty.
    He fills those who are hungry with good things.

10 Some of God’s people were prisoners,
    locked behind bars in dark prisons.
11 That was because they had fought against what God said.
    They refused to listen to the advice of God Most High.
12 God made life hard for those people
    because of what they did.
They stumbled and fell,
    and there was no one to help them.
13 They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help,
    and he saved them from their troubles.
14 He took them out of their dark prisons.
    He broke the ropes that held them.
15 Thank the Lord for his faithful love
    and for the amazing things he does for people.
16 He breaks down their bronze gates.
    He shatters their iron bars.

17 Some people became fools and turned against God,
    and they suffered for the evil they did.
18 They became so sick that they refused to eat,
    so they almost died.
19 They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help,
    and he saved them from their troubles.
20 He gave the command and healed them,
    so they were saved from the grave.
21 Thank the Lord for his faithful love
    and for the amazing things he does for people.
22 Offer sacrifices of thanks to him.
    Sing with joy about all that he has done.

23 Some sailed the sea in ships.
    Their work carried them across the water.
24 They saw what the Lord can do.
    They saw the amazing things he did at sea.
25 He gave the command, and a strong wind began to blow.
    The waves became higher and higher.
26 The waves lifted them high into the sky
    and dropped them into the deep sea.
    The storm was so dangerous that the men lost their courage.
27 They were stumbling and falling like someone who is drunk.
    Their skill as sailors was useless.
28 They were in trouble, so they called to the Lord for help,
    and he saved them from their troubles.
29 He stopped the storm
    and calmed the waves.
30 The sailors were happy that the sea became calm,
    and he led them safely to where they wanted to go.
31 Thank the Lord for his faithful love
    and for the amazing things he does for people.
32 Praise God in the great assembly.
    Praise him when the older leaders meet together.

33 He changed rivers into a desert.
    He stopped springs from flowing.
34 He made the fertile land become salty,
    because the people living there did such evil things.
35 He changed the desert into a land with pools of water.
    He caused springs to flow from dry ground.
36 He led the hungry to that good land,
    and they built a city to live in.
37 They planted seeds in their fields and grapes in their vineyards,
    and they had a good harvest.
38 God blessed them with many children
    and plenty of animals.
39 But because of disaster and troubles,
    their families became small and weak.
40 God shames even great leaders
    and makes them wander through empty deserts.
41 But he rescues the poor from their misery.
    He makes their families large like flocks of sheep.
42 Good people see this and are happy.
    But the wicked see it and don’t know what to say.
43 Whoever is wise will remember these things
    and begin to understand the Lord’s faithful love.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:3 south Or “the Sea.” This might refer to all the coastal areas around the Mediterranean Sea.

BOOK V

Psalms 107–150

Psalm 107

Give thanks to the Lord,(A) for he is good;(B)
    his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed(C) of the Lord tell their story—
    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered(D) from the lands,
    from east and west, from north and south.[a]

Some wandered in desert(E) wastelands,
    finding no way to a city(F) where they could settle.
They were hungry(G) and thirsty,(H)
    and their lives ebbed away.
Then they cried out(I) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way(J)
    to a city(K) where they could settle.
Let them give thanks(L) to the Lord for his unfailing love(M)
    and his wonderful deeds(N) for mankind,
for he satisfies(O) the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.(P)

10 Some sat in darkness,(Q) in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering(R) in iron chains,(S)
11 because they rebelled(T) against God’s commands
    and despised(U) the plans(V) of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.(W)
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(X) from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness,(Y) the utter darkness,(Z)
    and broke away their chains.(AA)
15 Let them give thanks(AB) to the Lord for his unfailing love(AC)
    and his wonderful deeds(AD) for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

17 Some became fools(AE) through their rebellious ways(AF)
    and suffered affliction(AG) because of their iniquities.
18 They loathed all food(AH)
    and drew near the gates of death.(AI)
19 Then they cried(AJ) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them(AK) from their distress.
20 He sent out his word(AL) and healed them;(AM)
    he rescued(AN) them from the grave.(AO)
21 Let them give thanks(AP) to the Lord for his unfailing love(AQ)
    and his wonderful deeds(AR) for mankind.
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings(AS)
    and tell of his works(AT) with songs of joy.(AU)

23 Some went out on the sea(AV) in ships;(AW)
    they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the Lord,(AX)
    his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke(AY) and stirred up a tempest(AZ)
    that lifted high the waves.(BA)
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
    in their peril(BB) their courage melted(BC) away.
27 They reeled(BD) and staggered like drunkards;
    they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried(BE) out to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he brought them out of their distress.(BF)
29 He stilled the storm(BG) to a whisper;
    the waves(BH) of the sea[b] were hushed.(BI)
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
    and he guided them(BJ) to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks(BK) to the Lord for his unfailing love(BL)
    and his wonderful deeds(BM) for mankind.
32 Let them exalt(BN) him in the assembly(BO) of the people
    and praise him in the council of the elders.

33 He turned rivers into a desert,(BP)
    flowing springs(BQ) into thirsty ground,
34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,(BR)
    because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He turned the desert into pools of water(BS)
    and the parched ground into flowing springs;(BT)
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
    and they founded a city where they could settle.
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards(BU)
    that yielded a fruitful harvest;
38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,(BV)
    and he did not let their herds diminish.(BW)

39 Then their numbers decreased,(BX) and they were humbled(BY)
    by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
40 he who pours contempt on nobles(BZ)
    made them wander in a trackless waste.(CA)
41 But he lifted the needy(CB) out of their affliction
    and increased their families like flocks.(CC)
42 The upright see and rejoice,(CD)
    but all the wicked shut their mouths.(CE)

43 Let the one who is wise(CF) heed these things
    and ponder the loving deeds(CG) of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:3 Hebrew north and the sea
  2. Psalm 107:29 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text / their waves