107:10 They sat in utter darkness, 1
bound in painful iron chains, 2
107:11 because they had rebelled against God’s commands, 3
and rejected the instructions of the sovereign king. 4
107:12 So he used suffering to humble them; 5
they stumbled and no one helped them up.
107:13 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:14 He brought them out of the utter darkness, 6
and tore off their shackles.
107:15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 7
107:16 For he shattered the bronze gates,
and hacked through the iron bars. 8
107:17 They acted like fools in their rebellious ways, 9
and suffered because of their sins.
107:18 They lost their appetite for all food, 10
and they drew near the gates of death.
107:19 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:20 He sent them an assuring word 11 and healed them;
he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped. 12
107:21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 13
107:22 Let them present thank offerings,
and loudly proclaim what he has done! 14
107:23 15 Some traveled on 16 the sea in ships,
and carried cargo over the vast waters. 17
107:24 They witnessed the acts of the Lord,
his amazing feats on the deep water.
107:25 He gave the order for a windstorm, 18
and it stirred up the waves of the sea. 19
107:26 They 20 reached up to the sky,
then dropped into the depths.
The sailors’ strength 21 left them 22 because the danger was so great. 23
107:27 They swayed 24 and staggered like a drunk,
and all their skill proved ineffective. 25
107:28 They cried out to the Lord in their distress;
he delivered them from their troubles.
107:29 He calmed the storm, 26
and the waves 27 grew silent.
107:30 The sailors 28 rejoiced because the waves 29 grew quiet,
and he led them to the harbor 30 they desired.
107:31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his loyal love,
and for the amazing things he has done for people! 31
107:32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people!
Let them praise him in the place where the leaders preside! 32
107:33 He turned 33 streams into a desert,
springs of water into arid land,
107:34 and a fruitful land into a barren place, 34
because of the sin of its inhabitants.
107:35 As for his people, 35 he turned 36 a desert into a pool of water,
and a dry land into springs of water.
107:36 He allowed the hungry to settle there,
and they established a city in which to live.
107:37 They cultivated 37 fields,
and planted vineyards,
which yielded a harvest of fruit. 38
107:38 He blessed 39 them so that they became very numerous.
He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number. 40
107:39 As for their enemies, 41 they decreased in number and were beaten down,
because of painful distress 42 and suffering.
107:40 He would pour 43 contempt upon princes,
and he made them wander in a wasteland with no road.
107:41 Yet he protected 44 the needy from oppression,
and cared for his families like a flock of sheep.
107:42 When the godly see this, they rejoice,
and every sinner 45 shuts his mouth.
107:43 Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things!
Let them consider the Lord’s acts of loyal love!