Psalm 107

God takes care of his people

1 Thank the Lord because he is good.

His faithful love for his people continues for ever.

2 Everyone that the Lord has rescued

should tell others.

Tell them how he has rescued you

from the enemy's power.

3 He brought his people from foreign countries.

He brought them together from the east and the west,

from the north, and from the south.

4 Some of them travelled through the wilderness

on a road that went nowhere.

They did not find any city to live in.

5 They were hungry and thirsty.

They were very weak and nearly dead.

6 Because of their trouble,

they called to the Lord for help.

He rescued them from their troubles.

7 He led them along a straight road,

to arrive at a city where they could live.

8 So God's people should thank the Lord

because of his faithful love.

They should thank him for the great things

that he does for people.

9 He gives drink to people who are thirsty.

He gives plenty of good things to hungry people.

10 Some people sat in a completely dark place.

Iron chains held them as prisoners,

and they were very sad.

11 They had refused to obey God's commands.

They did not accept the teaching of the Most High God.

12 Because of that, God caused them to become weak

from very hard work.

When they fell down,

nobody would help them to stand up.

13 Because of their trouble,

they called to the Lord for help.

He rescued them from their troubles.

14 He took them out of the completely dark place.

He broke away the chains that held them.

15 So they should thank the Lord

because of his faithful love.

They should thank him for the great things

that he does for people.

16 He broke bronze gates into pieces

and he cut through iron bars.

17 Some people became fools

and they turned against God.

They suffered because of their sins.

18 They did not want to eat any food,

so they nearly died.

19 Because of their trouble,

they called to the Lord for help.

He rescued them from their troubles.

20 He sent his word to them

and he made them well again.

He rescued them from the deep hole of death.

21 So they should thank the Lord

because of his faithful love.

They should thank him for the great things

that he does for people.

22 They should offer sacrifices to thank God.

They should sing aloud

to tell about what he has done.

23 Some people were traders

who travelled far across the sea in ships.

24 They saw the great things that the Lord did,

even in the middle of the deep seas.

25 He would command a storm to come,

so that the wind caused big waves to rise up.

26 The waves threw the ships up high in the air,

then dropped them deep down.

The danger made the sailors afraid,

and they thought that they would die.

27 Like drunk people, they could not stand or walk properly.

They did not know what to do!

28 Because of their trouble,

they called to the Lord for help.

He rescued them from their troubles.

29 He caused the storm to stop,

so that the waves became quiet.

30 The sailors were happy when it became quiet.

God led them safely to the port,

where they wanted to go.

31 So they should thank the Lord

because of his faithful love.

They should thank him for the great things

that he does for people.

32 They should praise the Lord

when they meet together.

They should praise him

at the meeting of their leaders.

33-34 In places where people are wicked,

God makes the streams and rivers become dry,

so that the land becomes a desert.

He makes good land

become a salty wilderness.

35 But for his people, he changes deserts

to become pools of water.

He makes springs of water in dry land.

36 He lets hungry people live there safely.

They can build a city for themselves.

37 They plant crops in their fields,

and they plant vines to grow grapes.

They have plenty of food to eat.

38 He blesses them,

so that they have many children.

Their animals also grow in number.

39 But they may become weak and few in number,

because of cruel enemies who give them trouble.

40 Then God causes the enemy's leaders to become ashamed.

He makes them travel on roads that go nowhere.

41 But for people who are poor and weak,

he rescues them from their trouble.

He gives them many children,

so that they have big families.

42 Good people see what God has done,

and it makes them happy.

Wicked people have nothing to say!

43  Wise people should think about these things.

They should understand the Lord's faithful love for his people.