Psalms, 107

BOOK FIVE

(Psalms 107 – 150)

¹ O give thanks to Jehovah, YOU people, for he is good; For his loving-kindness^*1 is to time indefinite.

² Let the reclaimed ones of Jehovah say so, Whom he has reclaimed from the hand of the adversary,

³ And whom he has collected together even from the lands, From the sunrise and from the sunset, From the north and from the south.^*1

⁴ They wandered about in the wilderness, in the desert; They did not find any way to a city of habitation.

⁵ They were hungry, also thirsty; Their very soul within them began to faint away.

⁶ And they kept crying out to Jehovah in their distress; Out of the stresses upon them he proceeded to deliver them,

⁷ And to have them walk in the right way, So as to come to a city of habitation.

⁸ O let people give thanks to Jehovah for his loving-kindness And for his wonderful works to the sons of men.^*1

⁹ For he has satisfied the dried-out soul; And the hungry soul he has filled with good things.

¹⁰ There were those dwelling in darkness and deep shadow, Prisoners in affliction and irons.

¹¹ For they had behaved rebelliously against the sayings of God;^*1 And the counsel of the Most High they had disrespected.

¹² So with trouble he proceeded to subdue their heart; They stumbled, and there was no one helping.

¹³ And they began calling to Jehovah for help in their distress; Out of the stresses upon them he as usual saved them.

¹⁴ He went bringing them out from darkness and deep shadow, And tearing even their bands apart.

¹⁵ O let people give thanks to Jehovah for his loving-kindness And for his wonderful works to the sons of men.

¹⁶ For he has broken the doors of copper, And he has cut down even the bars of iron.

¹⁷ Those who were foolish, due to the way of their transgression And due to their errors, finally caused themselves affliction.

¹⁸ Their soul got to detest even every sort of food, And they were arriving at the gates of death.

¹⁹ And they began calling to Jehovah for help in their distress; Out of the stresses upon them he as usual saved them.

²⁰ He proceeded to send his word and heal them And to provide [them] escape out of their pits.^*1

²¹ O let people give thanks to Jehovah for his loving-kindness And for his wonderful works to the sons of men.^*1

²² And let them offer^*1 the sacrifices of thanksgiving And declare his works with a joyful cry.

²³ Those going down to the sea in the ships, Doing business on vast^*1 waters,

²⁴ They are the ones that have seen the works of Jehovah And his wonderful works in the depths;

²⁵ How he says [the word] and causes a tempestuous wind^*1 to arise, So that it lifts up its waves.

²⁶ They go up to the heavens, They go down to the bottoms.^*1 Because of the calamity their very soul finds itself melting.

²⁷ They reel and move unsteadily like a drunken man, And even all their wisdom proves confused.

²⁸ And they begin crying out to Jehovah in their distress, And out of the stresses upon them he brings them forth.

²⁹ He causes the windstorm to stand at a calm, So that the waves of the sea^*1 keep quiet.

³⁰ And they rejoice because these become still, And he leads them to the haven of their delight.

³¹ O let people give thanks to Jehovah for his loving-kindness And for his wonderful works to the sons of men.^*1

³² And let them extol him in the congregation^*1 of the people; And in the seat of the elderly men let them praise him.

³³ He converts rivers into a wilderness, And the outflows of water into thirsty ground,

³⁴ Fruitful land into salt country, Owing to the badness of those dwelling in it.

³⁵ He converts a wilderness into a reedy pool of water, And the land of a waterless region into outflows of water.

³⁶ And there he causes the hungry ones to dwell, So that they firmly establish a city of habitation.

³⁷ And they sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield fruitful crops.

³⁸ And he blesses them so that they become very many; And he does not let their cattle become few.

³⁹ Again they become few and crouch down Owing to restraint, calamity and grief.

⁴⁰ He is pouring out contempt upon nobles, So that he makes them wander about in a featureless place, where there is no way.

⁴¹ But he protects^*1 the poor one from affliction And converts him into families just like a flock.

⁴² The upright ones see and rejoice; But as for all unrighteousness, it has to shut its mouth.

⁴³ Who is wise? He will both observe these things And show himself attentive toward Jehovah’s acts of loving-kindness.