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Book 5: Psalms 107–150

God Saves from Many Dangers

107 Thank the Lord because he is good.
    His ·love [loyalty] continues forever.
That is what those whom the Lord has ·saved [redeemed] should say.
    He has ·saved [redeemed] them from the ·enemy [foe]
and has gathered them from other lands,
    from east and west, north and south [Is. 51:11; C perhaps after the Babylonian exile].

Some people had wandered in the ·desert lands [L wilderness, wasteland].
    They found no way to a city in which to live.
They were hungry and thirsty,
    and they were ·discouraged [faint].
In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
    and he ·saved [rescued; protected] them from their troubles [vv. 13, 19, 28].
He led them on a straight road
    to a city where they could live.
Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
    and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 15, 21, 31].
He satisfies the thirsty
    and fills ·up [L with good things] the hungry [Is. 58:10–11; Jer. 31:25; Luke 1:53].

10 Some sat in ·gloom [darkness] and ·darkness [deep darkness];
    they were prisoners ·suffering [afflicted] in ·chains [irons].
11 They had ·turned [rebelled] against the words of God
    and had ·refused [rejected] the advice of God Most High.
12 So he ·broke their pride by [L made their hearts cower with] hard work.
    They stumbled, and no one helped.
13 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
    and he ·saved them from [gave them victory over] their troubles [vv. 6, 19, 28].
14 He brought them out of their ·gloom [darkness] and ·darkness [deep darkness]
    and ·broke [burst] their chains.
15 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
    and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 8, 21, 31].
16 He ·breaks down [shatters] bronze gates
    and cuts apart iron bars.

17 Some ·fools turned against God [L became fools in the way of transgression]
    and ·suffered [were afflicted] ·for the evil they did [L because of their guilt].
18 ·They refused to eat anything [L Their appetite loathed any food],
    so they ·almost died [L approached the gates of death].
19 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
    and he ·saved them [gave them victory] from their troubles [vv. 6, 13, 28].
20 God ·gave the command [L sent forth his word] and healed them,
    so they were ·saved [rescued] from ·dying [destruction; or their pits].
21 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
    and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 8, 15, 31].
22 Let them offer ·sacrifices to thank him [thanksgiving offerings].
    With joy they should ·tell [recount] what he has done.

23 Others went out to sea in ships
    and did ·business [work] on the ·great oceans [L many waters].
24 They saw what the Lord could do,
    the ·miracles [worderful works] he did in the deep oceans.
25 He spoke, and a ·storm [L stormy wind] ·came [L stood] up,
    which ·blew [raised] up high waves.
26 ·The ships [L They] ·were tossed as high as [L went up to] the ·sky [heavens] and fell low to the depths.
    ·The storm was so bad that they lost their courage [L Their life/soul melted in evil/trouble].
27 They ·stumbled [reeled; leapt] and ·fell [tottered; staggered] like people who were drunk.
    ·They did not know what to do [L All their wisdom was confused].
28 In their ·misery [distress] they cried out to the Lord,
    and he ·saved [L brought them out] them from their troubles [vv. 6, 13, 19].
29 He ·stilled [quieted] the storm
    and ·calmed [hushed] the waves.
30 They were happy that it was quiet,
    and God guided them to the ·port [harbor] they wanted.
31 Let them ·give thanks to [praise] the Lord for his ·love [loyalty]
    and for the ·miracles [wonderful works] he does for people [vv. 8, 15, 21].
32 Let them ·praise his greatness [exalt him] in the ·meeting [assembly] of the people;
    let them praise him in the meeting of the elders.

33 He ·changed [turned; L set] rivers into a ·desert [wilderness]
    and springs of water into ·dry [parched; thirsty] ground.
34 He made ·fertile [fruitful] land salty
    because the people there did evil [Gen. 19].
35 He ·changed [turned; L set] the ·desert [wilderness] into pools of water
    and ·dry [parched] ground into springs of water.
36 He had the hungry settle there
    so they could ·build [establish] a city in which to live.
37 They ·planted seeds in the fields and vineyards [L sowed fields and planted vineyards],
    and they had a ·good harvest [fruitful crop].
38 God blessed them, and they ·grew in number [multiplied greatly].
    Their cattle did not ·become fewer [diminish].

39 Because of ·disaster [oppression], ·troubles [evil], and sadness,
    ·their families [L they] ·grew smaller [diminished] and ·weaker [were brought low].
40 He ·showed he was displeased with [L poured contempt on] their ·leaders [princes]
    and made them wander in a pathless ·desert [waste].
41 But he lifted the ·poor [needy] out of their suffering
    and ·made their families grow [L set their clans] like flocks of sheep.
42 ·Good people [The upright/virtuous] see this and are happy,
    but the wicked ·say nothing [L shuts their mouths].

43 Whoever is wise will ·remember [keep; guard] these things
and will ·think about [consider] the ·love [loyalty] of the Lord.

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