Psalms

¹Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. ²Let the redeemed by the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary, ³and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. ⁴They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way. They found no city to live in. ⁵Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. ⁶Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. ⁷He led them also by a straight way, that they might go to a city to live in. ⁸Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men! ⁹For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good. ¹⁰Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron, ¹¹because they rebelled against the words of God, and condemned the counsel of the Most High. ¹²Therefore he brought down their heart with labor. They fell down, and there was no one to help. ¹³Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. ¹⁴He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke away their chains. ¹⁵Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men! ¹⁶For he has broken the gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron. ¹⁷Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience, and because of their iniquities. ¹⁸Their soul abhors all kinds of food. They draw near to the gates of death. ¹⁹Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble, and he saves them out of their distresses. ²⁰He sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them from their graves. ²¹Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men! ²²Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his deeds with singing. ²³Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters, ²⁴these see the LORD’s deeds, and his wonders in the deep. ²⁵For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves. ²⁶They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts away because of trouble. ²⁷They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. ²⁸Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress. ²⁹He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still. ³⁰Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to their desired haven. ³¹Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds for the children of men! ³²Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people, and praise him in the seat of the elders. ³³He turns rivers into a desert, water springs into a thirsty ground, ³⁴and a fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it. ³⁵He turns a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into water springs. ³⁶There he makes the hungry live, that they may prepare a city to live in, ³⁷sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase. ³⁸He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly. He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease. ³⁹Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow. ⁴⁰He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste. ⁴¹Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock. ⁴²The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths. ⁴³Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of the LORD.