Psalm 107

BOOK FIVE (Psalms 107–150)Psalm 107

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.2 Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out!
Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.3 For he has gathered the exiles from many lands,
from east and west,
from north and south.4 Some wandered in the wilderness,
lost and homeless.5 Hungry and thirsty,
they nearly died.6 “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he rescued them from their distress.7 He led them straight to safety,
to a city where they could live.8 Let them praise the LORD for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.9 For he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.10 Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom,
imprisoned in iron chains of misery.11 They rebelled against the words of God,
scorning the counsel of the Most High.12 That is why he broke them with hard labor;
they fell, and no one was there to help them.13 “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.14 He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom;
he snapped their chains.15 Let them praise the LORD for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.16 For he broke down their prison gates of bronze;
he cut apart their bars of iron.17 Some were fools; they rebelled
and suffered for their sins.18 They couldn’t stand the thought of food,
and they were knocking on death’s door.19 “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.20 He sent out his word and healed them,
snatching them from the door of death.21 Let them praise the LORD for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.22 Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.23 Some went off to sea in ships,
plying the trade routes of the world.24 They, too, observed the LORD’s power in action,
his impressive works on the deepest seas.25 He spoke, and the winds rose,
stirring up the waves.26 Their ships were tossed to the heavens
and plunged again to the depths;
the sailors cringed in terror.27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards
and were at their wits’ end.28 “LORD, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.29 He calmed the storm to a whisper
and stilled the waves.30 What a blessing was that stillness
as he brought them safely into harbor!31 Let them praise the LORD for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.32 Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation
and before the leaders of the nation.33 He changes rivers into deserts,
and springs of water into dry, thirsty land.34 He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands,
because of the wickedness of those who live there.35 But he also turns deserts into pools of water,
the dry land into springs of water.36 He brings the hungry to settle there
and to build their cities.37 They sow their fields, plant their vineyards,
and harvest their bumper crops.38 How he blesses them!
They raise large families there,
and their herds of livestock increase.39 When they decrease in number and become impoverished
through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,40 the LORD pours contempt on their princes,
causing them to wander in trackless wastelands.41 But he rescues the poor from trouble
and increases their families like flocks of sheep.42 The godly will see these things and be glad,
while the wicked are struck silent.43 Those who are wise will take all this to heart;
they will see in our history the faithful 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].