BOOK V

(Psalms 107–150)

Psalm 107

Thanksgiving for God’s Deliverance

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.(A)
Let the redeemed of the Lord proclaim
that he has redeemed them from the power of the foe(B)
and has gathered them from the lands—
from the east and the west,
from the north and the south.(C)

Some wandered in the desolate wilderness,
finding no way to a city where they could live.(D)
They were hungry and thirsty;
their spirits failed[a] within them.(E)
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
he rescued them from their distress.(F)
He led them by the right path
to go to a city where they could live.(G)
Let them give thanks to the Lord
for his faithful love
and his wondrous works for all humanity.(H)
For he has satisfied the thirsty
and filled the hungry with good things.(I)

10 Others sat in darkness and gloom[b]
prisoners in cruel chains(J)
11 because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the counsel of the Most High.(K)
12 He broke their spirits[c] with hard labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.(L)
13 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
he saved them from their distress.(M)
14 He brought them out of darkness and gloom
and broke their chains apart.(N)
15 Let them give thanks to the Lord
for his faithful love
and his wondrous works for all humanity.(O)
16 For he has broken down the bronze gates
and cut through the iron bars.(P)

17 Fools suffered affliction
because of their rebellious ways and their iniquities.(Q)
18 They loathed all food
and came near the gates of death.(R)
19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
he saved them from their distress.(S)
20 He sent his word and healed them;
he rescued them from their traps.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord
for his faithful love
and his wondrous works for all humanity.(T)
22 Let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices
and announce his works with shouts of joy.(U)

23 Others went to sea in ships,
conducting trade on the vast water.(V)
24 They saw the Lord’s works,
his wondrous works in the deep.(W)
25 He spoke and raised a stormy wind
that stirred up the waves of the sea.[d](X)
26 Rising up to the sky, sinking down to the depths,
their courage[e] melting away in anguish,(Y)
27 they reeled and staggered like a drunkard,
and all their skill was useless.(Z)
28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.(AA)
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.(AB)
30 They rejoiced when the waves grew quiet.
Then he guided them to the harbor they longed for.(AC)
31 Let them give thanks to the Lord
for his faithful love
and his wondrous works for all humanity.(AD)
32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders.(AE)

33 He turns rivers into desert,
springs into thirsty ground,(AF)
34 and fruitful land into salty wasteland,
because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.(AG)
35 He turns a desert into a pool,
dry land into springs.(AH)
36 He causes the hungry to settle there,
and they establish a city where they can live.(AI)
37 They sow fields and plant vineyards
that yield a fruitful harvest.(AJ)
38 He blesses them, and they multiply greatly;(AK)
he does not let their livestock decrease.(AL)

39 When they are diminished and are humbled
by cruel oppression and sorrow,(AM)
40 he pours contempt on nobles(AN)
and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.(AO)
41 But he lifts the needy out of their suffering(AP)
and makes their families multiply like flocks.(AQ)
42 The upright see it and rejoice,(AR)
and all injustice shuts its mouth.(AS)

43 Let whoever is wise pay attention to these things
and consider the Lord’s acts of faithful love.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. 107:5 Lit their soul fainted
  2. 107:10 Or the shadow of death, also in v. 14
  3. 107:12 Lit hearts
  4. 107:25 Lit of it
  5. 107:26 Lit souls

BOOK 5

The Lord Rescues People from Many Troubles.

107 (A)Give thanks to the Lord, for (B)He is good,
For His mercy is everlasting.
(C)The redeemed of the Lord shall say so,
Those whom He has (D)redeemed from the hand of the enemy
And (E)gathered from the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the [a]south.

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:3 Lit sea
  2. Psalm 107:4 Lit waste
  3. Psalm 107:4 Or a habitable city; lit a city of habitation
  4. Psalm 107:5 Lit also
  5. Psalm 107:7 Or level
  6. Psalm 107:7 Or a habitable city; lit a city of habitation
  7. Psalm 107:8 I.e., wonderful acts
  8. Psalm 107:9 Or parched
  9. Psalm 107:10 Or deep gloom
  10. Psalm 107:10 Lit irons
  11. Psalm 107:14 Or deep darkness
  12. Psalm 107:15 I.e., wonderful acts
  13. Psalm 107:17 Lit the way of their offense
  14. Psalm 107:20 Lit pits
  15. Psalm 107:21 I.e., wonderful acts
  16. Psalm 107:24 I.e., wonderful acts
  17. Psalm 107:25 Lit of it
  18. Psalm 107:27 Lit all their wisdom was swallowed up
  19. Psalm 107:29 Lit of it
  20. Psalm 107:31 I.e., wonderful acts
  21. Psalm 107:33 Or desert
  22. Psalm 107:35 Or desert
  23. Psalm 107:36 Or a habitable city; lit a city of habitation
  24. Psalm 107:37 Lit acquire fruits of yield
  25. Psalm 107:41 Lit in an inaccessibly high place