BOOK FIVE

Psalms 107–150

Thanksgiving to the Lord for His Great Works of Deliverance

107 Oh, (A)give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His [a]mercy endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
And (B)gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.

They wandered in (C)the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
(D)Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
And He led them forth by the (E)right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
(F)Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For (G)He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

10 Those who (H)sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
(I)Bound[b] in affliction and irons—
11 Because they (J)rebelled against the words of God,
And [c]despised (K)the counsel of the Most High,
12 Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was (L)none to help.
13 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
14 (M)He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
16 For He has (N)broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.

17 Fools, (O)because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
18 (P)Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
And they (Q)drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
20 (R)He sent His word and (S)healed them,
And (T)delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
22 (U)Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And (V)declare His works with [d]rejoicing.

23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
24 They see the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.
25 For He commands and (W)raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
26 They mount up to the heavens,
They go down again to the depths;
(X)Their soul melts because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And [e]are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 (Y)He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven.
31 (Z)Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt Him also (AA)in the assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the company of the elders.

33 He (AB)turns rivers into a wilderness,
And the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A (AC)fruitful land into [f]barrenness,
For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35 (AD)He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
And dry land into watersprings.
36 There He makes the hungry dwell,
That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
37 And sow fields and plant vineyards,
That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
38 (AE)He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly;
And He does not let their cattle (AF)decrease.

39 When they are (AG)diminished and brought low
Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow,
40 (AH)He pours contempt on princes,
And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way;
41 (AI)Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction,
And (AJ)makes their families like a flock.
42 (AK)The righteous see it and rejoice,
And all (AL)iniquity stops its mouth.

43 (AM)Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 107:1 Heb. same as goodness, vv. 8, 15, 21, 31, and lovingkindness, v. 43
  2. Psalm 107:10 Prisoners
  3. Psalm 107:11 scorned
  4. Psalm 107:22 joyful singing
  5. Psalm 107:27 Lit. all their wisdom is swallowed up
  6. Psalm 107:34 Lit. a salty waste

107 O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy,

and gathered them 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 solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.

And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for habitation.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!

For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

10 They that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and irons,

11 because they rebelled against the words of God and contemned the counsel of the Most High,

12 therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down and there was none to help.

13 Then they cried unto the Lord 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 their bonds asunder.

15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!

16 For He hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron asunder.

17 Fools, because of their transgression and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death.

19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saveth them out of their distresses.

20 He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!

22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing!

23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters:

24 these see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.

25 For He commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble.

27 They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.

28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses.

29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

30 Then are they glad because they are quiet; so He bringeth them unto their desired haven.

31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!

32 Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders.

33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness and the watersprings into dry ground,

34 a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water and dry ground into watersprings;

36 and there He maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation,

37 and sow the fields and plant vineyards, which may yield fruitful increase.

38 He blesseth them also so that they are multiplied greatly, and alloweth not their cattle to decrease.

39 Again, they are diminished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way.

41 Yet setteth He the poor on high from affliction, and maketh their families like a flock.

42 The righteous shall see it and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

43 Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.