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

BOOK 5

107 Give thanks to Yahweh,[a] for he is good,
    for his loving kindness endures forever.
Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so,
    whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary,
    and gathered out of the lands,
    from the east and from the west,
    from the north and from the south.

They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way.
    They found no city to live in.
Hungry and thirsty,
    their soul fainted in them.
Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble,
    and he delivered them out of their distresses,
he led them also by a straight way,
    that they might go to a city to live in.
Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,
    for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

For he satisfies the longing soul.
    He fills the hungry soul with good.

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    being bound in affliction and iron,
11     because they rebelled against the words of God,[b]
    and condemned the counsel of the Most High.
12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labor.
    They fell down, and there was no one to help.
13 Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble,
    and he saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
    and broke away their chains.
15 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,
    for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

16 For he has broken the gates of bronze,
    and cut through bars of iron.

17 Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience,
    and because of their iniquities.
18 Their soul abhors all kinds of food.
    They draw near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble,
    he saves them out of their distresses.
20 He sends his word, and heals them,
    and delivers them from their graves.
21 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,
    for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

22 Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
    and declare his deeds with singing.

23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
    who do business in great waters;
24     These see Yahweh’s deeds,
    and his wonders in the deep.
25 For he commands, and raises the stormy wind,
    which lifts up its waves.
26 They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths.
    Their soul melts away because of trouble.
27 They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man,
    and are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble,
    and he brings them out of their distress.
29 He makes the storm a calm,
    so that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because it is calm,
    so he brings them to their desired haven.
31 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness,
    for his wonderful deeds for the children of men!

32 Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people,
    and praise him in the seat of the elders.

33 He turns rivers into a desert,
    water springs into a thirsty ground,
34     and a fruitful land into a salt waste,
    for the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35 He turns a desert into a pool of water,
    and a dry land into water springs.
36 There he makes the hungry live,
    that they may prepare a city to live in,
37     sow fields, plant vineyards,
    and reap the fruits of increase.
38 He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly.
    He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease.
39 Again, they are diminished and bowed down
    through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.
40 He pours contempt on princes,
    and causes them to wander in a trackless waste.
41 Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction,
    and increases their families like a flock.
42 The upright will see it, and be glad.
    All the wicked will shut their mouths.
43 Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things.
    They will consider the loving kindnesses of Yahweh.

Footnotes

  1. 107:1 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.
  2. 107:11 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).