Psalms 107

₁“Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good;

his love is eternal!”

₂Repeat these words in praise to the LORD,

all you whom he has saved.

He has rescued you from your enemies

₃and has brought you back from foreign countries,

from east and west, from north and south.

₄Some wandered in the trackless desert

and could not find their way to a city to live in.

₅They were hungry and thirsty

and had given up all hope.

₆Then in their trouble they called to the LORD,

and he saved them from their distress.

₇He led them by a straight road

to a city where they could live.

₈They must thank the LORD for his constant love,

for the wonderful things he did for them.

₉He satisfies those who are thirsty

and fills the hungry with good things.

₁₀Some were living in gloom and darkness,

prisoners suffering in chains,

₁₁because they had rebelled against the commands of Almighty God

and had rejected his instructions.

₁₂They were worn out from hard work;

they would fall down, and no one would help.

₁₃Then in their trouble they called to the LORD,

and he saved them from their distress.

₁₄He brought them out of their gloom and darkness

and broke their chains in pieces.

₁₅They must thank the LORD for his constant love,

for the wonderful things he did for them.

₁₆He breaks down doors of bronze

and smashes iron bars.

₁₇Some were fools, suffering because of their sins

and because of their evil;

₁₈they couldn't stand the sight of food

and were close to death.

₁₉Then in their trouble they called to the LORD,

and he saved them from their distress.

₂₀He healed them with his command

and saved them from the grave.

₂₁They must thank the LORD for his constant love,

for the wonderful things he did for them.

₂₂They must thank him with sacrifices,

and with songs of joy must tell all that he has done.

₂₃Some sailed over the ocean in ships,

earning their living on the seas.

₂₄They saw what the LORD can do,

his wonderful acts on the seas.

₂₅He commanded, and a mighty wind began to blow

and stirred up the waves.

₂₆The ships were lifted high in the air

and plunged down into the depths.

In such danger the sailors lost their courage;

₂₇they stumbled and staggered like drunken men —

all their skill was useless.

₂₈Then in their trouble they called to the LORD,

and he saved them from their distress.

₂₉He calmed the raging storm,

and the waves became quiet.

₃₀They were glad because of the calm,

and he brought them safe to the port they wanted.

₃₁They must thank the LORD for his constant love,

for the wonderful things he did for them.

₃₂They must proclaim his greatness in the assembly of the people

and praise him before the council of the leaders.

₃₃The LORD made rivers dry up completely

and stopped springs from flowing.

₃₄He made rich soil become a salty wilderness

because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

₃₅He changed deserts into pools of water

and dry land into flowing springs.

₃₆He let hungry people settle there,

and they built a city to live in.

₃₇They sowed the fields and planted grapevines

and reaped an abundant harvest.

₃₈He blessed his people, and they had many children;

he kept their herds of cattle from decreasing.

₃₉When God's people were defeated and humiliated

by cruel oppression and suffering,

₄₀he showed contempt for their oppressors

and made them wander in trackless deserts.

₄₁But he rescued the needy from their misery

and made their families increase like flocks.

₄₂The righteous see this and are glad,

but all the wicked are put to silence.

₄₃May those who are wise think about these things;

may they consider the LORD's constant love.