BOOK 5

⁴ They ^(F)wandered in the wilderness in a ^[b]desert region;
They did not find a way to ^[c]an inhabited ^(G)city.
⁵ They were hungry ^[d]and thirsty;
Their ^(H)souls felt weak within them.
⁶ Then they ^(I)cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
He saved them from their distresses.
⁷ He also had them walk on a ^[e](J)straight way,
To go to ^[f](K)an inhabited city.
^8 (L)They shall give thanks to the Lord for His mercy,
And for His ^[g]wonders to the sons of mankind!
⁹ For He has ^(M)satisfied the ^[h]thirsty soul,
And He has filled the ^(N)hungry soul with what is good.

¹⁰ There were those who ^(O)lived in darkness and in ^[i]the shadow of death,
^(P)Prisoners in misery and ^[j]chains,
¹¹ Because they had ^(Q)rebelled against the words of God
And ^(R)rejected the ^(S)plan of the Most High.
¹² Therefore He humbled their heart with labor;
They stumbled and there was ^(T)no one to help.
¹³ Then they ^(U)cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
He saved them from their distresses.
¹⁴ He ^(V)brought them out of darkness and ^[k]the shadow of death
And ^(W)broke their bands apart.
^15 (X)They shall give thanks to the Lord for His mercy,
And for His ^[l]wonders to the sons of mankind!
¹⁶ For He has ^(Y)shattered gates of bronze
And cut off bars of iron.

¹⁷ Fools, because of ^[m]their rebellious way,
And ^(Z)because of their guilty deeds, were afflicted.
¹⁸ Their ^(AA)souls loathed all kinds of food,
And they ^(AB)came close to the ^(AC)gates of death.
¹⁹ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
He saved them from their distresses.
²⁰ He ^(AD)sent His word and ^(AE)healed them,
And ^(AF)saved them from their ^[n]destruction.
^21 (AG)They shall give thanks to the Lord for His mercy,
And for His ^[o]wonders to the sons of mankind!
²² They shall also offer ^(AH)sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And ^(AI)tell of His works with joyful singing.

²³ Those who ^(AJ)go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters;
²⁴ They have seen the works of the Lord,
And His ^[p]wonders in the deep.
²⁵ For He ^(AK)spoke and raised a ^(AL)stormy wind,
Which ^(AM)lifted the waves ^[q]of the sea.
²⁶ They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;
Their soul ^(AN)melted away in their misery.
²⁷ They reeled and ^(AO)staggered like a drunken person,
And ^[r]were at their wits’ end.
²⁸ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.
²⁹ He ^(AP)caused the storm to be still,
So that the waves ^[s]of the sea were hushed.
³⁰ Then they were glad because they were quiet,
So He guided them to their desired harbor.
^31 (AQ)They shall give thanks to the Lord for His mercy,
And for His ^[t](AR)wonders to the sons of mankind!
³² They shall also ^(AS)exalt Him ^(AT)in the congregation of the people,
And ^(AU)praise Him at the seat of the elders.

³³ He ^(AV)turns rivers into a ^[u]wilderness,
And springs of water into a thirsty ground;
³⁴ And a ^(AW)fruitful land into a ^(AX)salt waste,
Because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
³⁵ He ^(AY)turns a ^[v]wilderness into a pool of water,
And a dry land into springs of water;
³⁶ And He has the hungry live there,
So that they may establish ^[w](AZ)an inhabited city,
³⁷ And sow fields and ^(BA)plant vineyards,
And ^[x]gather a fruitful harvest.
³⁸ He also blesses them and they ^(BB)multiply greatly,
And He ^(BC)does not let their cattle decrease.

³⁹ When they ^(BD)become few and ^(BE)lowly
Because of oppression, misery, and sorrow,
⁴⁰ He ^(BF)pours contempt upon noblemen
And ^(BG)makes them wander ^(BH)in a pathless wasteland.
⁴¹ But He ^(BI)sets the needy ^[y]securely on high, away from affliction,
And ^(BJ)makes his families like a flock.
⁴² The ^(BK)upright see it and are glad;
But all ^(BL)injustice shuts its mouth.
⁴³ Who is ^(BM)wise? He is to pay attention to these things,
And consider the ^(BN)mercy of the Lord.