The Book of Psalms

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- Chapter 107 -

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell it

(Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25)

Alleluia. Confess to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy is with every generation.

Let those who have been redeemed by the Lord say so: those whom he redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered from the regions,

from the rising of the sun and its setting, from the north and from the sea.

They wandered into solitude in a waterless place. They did not find the way of the city to be their dwelling place.

They were hungry, and they were thirsty. Their soul fainted within them.

And they cried out to the Lord in tribulation, and he rescued them in their necessity.

And he led them in the right way, so that they might go forth to a city of habitation.(a)

Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men.

For he has satisfied the empty soul, and he has satisfied the hungry soul with good things:

those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, shackled by extreme poverty and by iron.

For they exasperated the eloquence of God, and they irritated the deliberation of the Most High.

And their heart was brought low with hardships. They were weakened, and there was no one to help them.

And they cried out to the Lord in their tribulation, and he freed them from their distress.

And he led them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and he broke apart their chains.

Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men.

For he has crushed the gates of brass and broken the iron bars.

He has taken them up, from the way of their iniquity. For they were brought low, because of their injustices.

Their soul abhorred all food, and they drew near even to the gates of death.

And they cried out to the Lord in their tribulation, and he delivered them in their necessity.

He sent his word, and he healed them, and he rescued them from their utter destruction.

Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men.

And let them offer sacrifice with the sacrifice of praise, and let them announce his works in exultation.

Those who descend to the sea in ships, making their livelihood in the great waters:

these have seen the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep.

He spoke: and a windstorm stood up, and its waves were exalted.

They ascend even to the heavens, and they descend even to the abyss. Their soul will waste away in distress.

They were troubled, and they moved like a drunkard, and all their wisdom was consumed.

And they cried out to the Lord in their tribulation, and he led them out of their distress.

And he replaced the storm with a breeze, and its waves were stilled.

And they were joyful that it was stilled, and he led them into the haven that they desired.

Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men.

And let them exalt him in the Church of the people, and praise him in the chair of the elders.

He has placed rivers in the desert and sources of water in dry places,

a fruit-bearing land in the midst of brine, before the malice of those who dwell in it.(b)

He has placed a desert in the midst of pools of waters, and a land without water in the midst of sources of water.

And he has gathered the hungry together there, and they constructed a city of habitation.

And they sowed fields and planted vineyards, and they produced the fruit of nativity.

And he blessed them, and they were multiplied exceedingly. And he did not diminish their beasts of burden.

And they became few, and they were afflicted by the tribulation of evils and of sorrow.

Contempt was poured over their leaders, and he caused them to wander in an impassable place, and not on the way.

And he helped the poor out of destitution, and he stationed families like sheep.

The upright will see, and they will rejoice. And every iniquity will block its mouth.

Who is wise and will keep these things? And who will understand the mercies of the Lord?

Footnotes

(a)106:7 Or, ‘on a straight path.’ The phrase ‘civitatem habitationis’ refers to a livable city, unlike the cities of the unbelievers, which are places of desolation for those who believe.(Conte)

(b)106:34 The fruitful land in the midst of brine symbolizes the faithful living in the midst of persons of malice.(Conte)

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell it

(Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25)

Give thanks to the LORD,(a) for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

Let the redeemed by the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary,

and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way. They found no city to live in.

Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

He led them also by a straight way, that they might go to a city to live in.

Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron,

because they rebelled against the words of God,(b) and condemned the counsel of the Most High.

Therefore he brought down their heart with labor. They fell down, and there was no one to help.

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke away their chains.

Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

For he has broken the gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron.

Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience, and because of their iniquities.

Their soul abhors all kinds of food. They draw near to the gates of death.

Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble, and he saves them out of their distresses.

He sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them from their graves.

Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his deeds with singing.

Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters,

these see the LORD’s deeds, and his wonders in the deep.

For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves.

They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts away because of trouble.

They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.

Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress.

He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still.

Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to their desired haven.

Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds for the children of men!

Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people, and praise him in the seat of the elders.

He turns rivers into a desert, water springs into a thirsty ground,

and a fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it.

He turns a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into water springs.

There he makes the hungry live, that they may prepare a city to live in,

sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase.

He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly. He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease.

Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.

He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste.

Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock.

The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.

Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of the LORD.

Footnotes

(a)107:1 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

(b)107:11 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).