Psalms 107

The psalmist calls the redeemed to give thanks, recounting four portraits of human distress — wanderers in the desert, prisoners in darkness, fools near death, and sailors in a storm — each delivered by crying out to the LORD. The refrain repeats: let them praise the LORD for His mercy and His wonderful works for mankind.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.	Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His mercy endures forever.
2	Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;	Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story — those He redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
3	And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.	those He gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
4	They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.	Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle.
5	Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.	They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away.
6	Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.	Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress.
7	And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.	He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.
8	Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!	Let them give thanks to the LORD for His mercy and His wonderful works for mankind,
9	For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.	for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
10	Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;	Some sat in darkness and deep shadow, prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11	Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:	because they had rebelled against God's commands and despised the counsel of the Most High.
12	Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.	So He subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled and there was no one to help.
13	Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.	Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
14	He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.	He brought them out of darkness and deep shadow and broke away their chains.
15	Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!	Let them give thanks to the LORD for His mercy and His wonderful works for mankind,
16	For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.	for He breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.
17	Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.	Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
18	Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.	They loathed all food and drew near to the gates of death.
19	Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.	Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
20	He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.	He sent out His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave.
21	Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!	Let them give thanks to the LORD for His mercy and His wonderful works for mankind.
22	And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.	Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and tell of His works with songs of joy.
23	They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;	Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24	These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.	They saw the works of the LORD, His wonderful deeds in the deep.
25	For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.	For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.
26	They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.	They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.
27	They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.	They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits' end.
28	Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.	Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress.
29	He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.	He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.
30	Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.	They were glad when it grew calm, and He guided them to their desired haven.
31	Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!	Let them give thanks to the LORD for His mercy and His wonderful works for mankind.
32	Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.	Let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.
33	He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;	He turns rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground,
34	A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.	and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who live there.
35	He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.	He turns the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs;
36	And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;	there He brings the hungry to live, and they found a city where they could settle.
37	And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.	They sow fields and plant vineyards that yield a fruitful harvest.
38	He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.	He blesses them and their numbers grow greatly, and He does not let their herds diminish.
39	Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.	Then their numbers decreased and they were humbled by oppression, calamity, and sorrow;
40	He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.	he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste.
41	Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.	But He lifted the needy out of their affliction and made their families like flocks of sheep.
42	The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.	The upright see and rejoice, while all the wicked shut their mouths.
43	Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.	Whoever is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.