Psalms 107

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 "Give thanks to the LORD who is good, whose love endures forever!"	1 Al eluia! Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good, his faithful love lasts for ever.
2 Let that be the prayer of the LORD'S redeemed, those redeemed from the hand of the foe,	2 So let them say whom Yahweh redeemed, whom he redeemed from the power of their enemies,
3 Those gathered from foreign lands, from east and west, from north and south.	3 bringing them back from foreign lands, from east and west, north and south.
4 Some had lost their way in a barren desert; found no path toward a city to live in.	4 They were wandering in the desert, in the wastelands, could find no way to an inhabited city;
5 They were hungry and thirsty; their life was ebbing away.	5 they were hungry and thirsty, their life was ebbing away.
6 In their distress they cried to the LORD, who rescued them in their peril,	6 They cried out to Yahweh in their distress, he rescued them from their plight,
7 Guided them by a direct path so they reached a city to live in.	7 he set them on the road, straight to an inhabited city.
8 Let them thank the LORD for such kindness, such wondrous deeds for mere mortals.	8 Let them thank Yahweh for his faithful love, for his wonders for the children of Adam!
9 For he satisfied the thirsty, filled the hungry with good things.	9 He has fed the hungry to their hearts' content, filled the starving with good things.
10 Some lived in darkness and gloom, in prison, bound with chains,	10 Sojourners in gloom and shadow dark as death, fettered in misery and chains,
11 Because they rebelled against God's word, scorned the counsel of the Most High,	11 for defying the orders of Yahweh, for scorning the plan of the Most High-
12 Who humbled their hearts through hardship; they stumbled with no one to help.	12 he subdued their spirit by hard labour; if they fel there was no one to help.
13 In their distress they cried to the LORD, who saved them in their peril,	13 They cried out to Yahweh in their distress, he rescued them from their plight,
14 Led them forth from darkness and gloom and broke their chains asunder.	14 he brought them out from gloom and shadow dark as death, and shattered their chains.
15 Let them thank the LORD for such kindness, such wondrous deeds for mere mortals.	15 Let them thank Yahweh for his faithful love, for his wonders for the children of Adam!
16 For he broke down the gates of bronze and snapped the bars of iron.	16 He broke open gates of bronze and smashed iron bars.
17 Some fell sick from their wicked ways, afflicted because of their sins.	17 Fools for their rebellious ways, wretched because of their sins,
18 They loathed all manner of food; they were at the gates of death.	18 finding all food repugnant, brought close to the gates of death-
19 In their distress they cried to the LORD, who saved them in their peril,	19 they cried out to Yahweh in their distress; he rescued them from their plight,
20 Sent forth the word to heal them, snatched them from the grave.	20 he sent out his word and cured them, and rescued their life from the abyss.
21 Let them thank the LORD for such kindness, such wondrous deeds for mere mortals.	21 Let them thank Yahweh for his faithful love, for his wonders for the children of Adam!
22 Let them offer a sacrifice in thanks, declare his works with shouts of joy.	22 Let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and recount with shouts of joy what he has done!
23 Some went off to sea in ships, plied their trade on the deep waters.	23 Voyagers on the sea in ships, plying their trade on the great ocean,
24 They saw the works of the LORD, the wonders of God in the deep.	24 have seen the works of Yahweh, his wonders in the deep.
25 He spoke and roused a storm wind; it tossed the waves on high.	25 By his word he raised a storm-wind, lashing up towering waves.
26 They rose up to the heavens, sank to the depths; their hearts trembled at the danger.	26 Up to the sky then down to the depths! Their stomachs were turned to water;
27 They reeled, staggered like drunkards; their skill was of no avail.	27 they staggered and reeled like drunkards, and al their skill went under.
28 In their distress they cried to the LORD, who brought them out of their peril,	28 They cried out to Yahweh in their distress, he rescued them from their plight,
29 Hushed the storm to a murmur; the waves of the sea were stilled.	29 he reduced the storm to a calm, and al the waters subsided,
30 They rejoiced that the sea grew calm, that God brought them to the harbor they longed for.	30 and he brought them, overjoyed at the stillness, to the port where they were bound.
31 Let them thank the LORD for such kindness, such wondrous deeds for mere mortals.	31 Let them thank Yahweh for his faithful love, for his wonders for the children of Adam!
32 Let them praise him in the assembly of the people, give thanks in the council of the elders.	32 Let them extol him in the assembly of the people, and praise him in the council of elders.
33 God changed rivers into desert, springs of water into thirsty ground,	33 He has turned rivers into desert, bubbling springs into arid ground,
34 Fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the wickedness of its people.	34 fertile country into salt-flats, because the people living there were evil.
35 He changed the desert into pools of water, arid land into springs of water,	35 But he has turned desert into stretches of water, arid ground into bubbling springs,
36 And settled the hungry there; they built a city to live in.	36 and has given the hungry a home, where they have built themselves a city.
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards, brought in an abundant harvest.	37 There they sow fields and plant vines, and reap a harvest of their produce.
38 God blessed them, they became very many, and their livestock did not decrease.	38 He blesses them and their numbers increase, he keeps their cattle at full strength.
39 Where they were diminished and brought low through misery and cruel oppression,	39 Their numbers had fal en, they had grown weak, under pressure of disaster and hardship;
40 But he poured out contempt on princes, made them wander the trackless wastes,	40 he covered princes in contempt, left them to wander in trackless wastes.
41 While the poor were released from their affliction; their families increased like their flocks.	41 But the needy he raises from their misery, makes their families as numerous as sheep.
42 The upright saw this and rejoiced; all wickedness shut its mouth.	42 At the sight the honest rejoice, and the wicked have nothing to say.
43 Whoever is wise will take note of these things, will ponder the merciful deeds of the LORD.	43 Who is wise? Such a one should take this to heart, and come to understand Yahweh's faithful love.