Psalm 107

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say this—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.

4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.

5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.

6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.

7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.

8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,

9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.

10 Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,

11 for they had rebelled against the words of God
and despised the counsel of the Most High.

12 So he subjected them to bitter labor;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.

13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.

14 He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom
and broke away their chains.

15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,

16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.

17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways
and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.

18 They loathed all food
and drew near the gates of death.

19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.

20 He sent forth his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.

21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men.

22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.

23 Others went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.

24 They saw the works of the Lord,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.

25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.

26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.

27 They reeled and staggered like drunken men;
they were at their wits' end.

28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.

29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.

30 They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.

31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men.

32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders.

33 He turned rivers into a desert,
flowing springs into thirsty ground,

34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

35 He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs;

36 there he brought the hungry to live,
and they founded a city where they could settle.

37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards
that yielded a fruitful harvest;

38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and he did not let their herds diminish.

39 Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by oppression, calamity and sorrow;

40 he who pours contempt on nobles
made them wander in a trackless waste.

41 But he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and increased their families like flocks.

42 The upright see and rejoice,
but all the wicked shut their mouths.

43 Whoever is wise, let him heed these things
and consider the great love of the Lord.

PSALMS 107

BOOK V

(Psalms 107–150)

The [Lord] Is Good //to His People

1  t Shout praises to the [Lord]!
He is good to us,
and his love never fails.

2 Everyone the [Lord] has rescued
from trouble
should praise him,

3 everyone he has brought
from the east and the west,
the north and the south.t

4 Some of you were lost
in the scorching desert,
far from a town.

5 You were hungry and thirsty
and about to give up.

6 You were in serious trouble,
but you prayed to the [Lord],
and he rescued you.

7 At once he brought you
to a town.

8 You should praise the [Lord]
for his love
and for the wonderful things
he does for all of us.

9 To everyone who is thirsty,
he gives something to drink;
to everyone who is hungry,
he gives good things to eat.

10 Some of you were prisoners
suffering in deepest darkness
and bound by chains,

11 because you had rebelled
against God Most High
and refused his advice.

12 You were worn out
from working like slaves,
and no one came to help.

13 You were in serious trouble,
but you prayed to the [Lord],
and he rescued you.

14 He brought you out
of the deepest darkness
and broke your chains.

15 You should praise the [Lord]
for his love
and for the wonderful things
he does for all of us.

16 He breaks down bronze gates
and shatters iron locks.

17 Some of you had foolishly
committed a lot of sins
and were in terrible pain.

18 The very thought of food
was disgusting to you,
and you were almost dead.

19 You were in serious trouble,
but you prayed to the [Lord],
and he rescued you.

20 By the power of his own word,
he healed you and saved you
from destruction.

21 You should praise the [Lord]
for his love
and for the wonderful things
he does for all of us.

22 You should celebrate
by offering sacrifices
and singing joyful songs
to tell what he has done.

23 Some of you made a living
by sailing the mighty sea,

24 and you saw the miracles
the [Lord] performed there.

25 At his command a storm arose,
and waves covered the sea.

26 You were tossed to the sky
and to the ocean depths,
until things looked so bad
that you lost your courage.

27 You staggered like drunkards
and gave up all hope.

28 You were in serious trouble,
but you prayed to the [Lord],
and he rescued you.

29 He made the storm stop
and the sea be quiet.

30 You were happy because of this,
and he brought you to the port
where you wanted to go.

31 You should praise the [Lord]
for his love
and for the wonderful things
he does for all of us.

32 Honor the [Lord]
when you and your leaders
meet to worship.

33 If you start doing wrong,
the [Lord] will turn rivers
into deserts,

34  t flowing streams
into scorched land,
and fruitful fields
into beds of salt.

35 But the [Lord] can also turn
deserts into lakes
and scorched land
into flowing streams.

36 If you are hungry,
you can settle there
and build a town.

37 You can plant fields
and vineyards that produce
a good harvest.

38 The [Lord] will bless you
with many children
and with herds of cattle.

39 Sometimes you may be crushed
by troubles and sorrows,
until only a few of you
are left to survive.

40 But the [Lord] will take revenge
on those who conquer you,
and he will make them wander
across desert sands.

41 When you are suffering
and in need,
he will come to your rescue,
and your families will grow
as fast as a herd of sheep.

42 You will see this because
you obey the [Lord],
but everyone who is wicked
will be silenced.

43 Be wise! Remember this
and think about the kindness
of the [Lord].