The LORD Rescues People from Many Troubles.

1Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,

For His mercy is everlasting.

2The redeemed of the LORD shall say so,

Those whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy

3And gathered from the lands,

From the east and from the west,

From the north and from the [a]south.

4They wandered in the wilderness in a [b]desert region;

They did not find a way to [c]an inhabited city.

5They were hungry [d]and thirsty;

Their souls felt weak within them.

6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;

He saved them from their distresses.

7He also had them walk on a [e]straight way,

To go to [f]an inhabited city.

8They shall give thanks to the LORD for His mercy,

And for His [g]wonders to the sons of mankind!

9For He has satisfied the [h]thirsty soul,

And He has filled the hungry soul with what is good.

10There were those who lived in darkness and in [i]the shadow of death,

Prisoners in misery and [j]chains,

11Because they had rebelled against the words of God

And rejected the plan of the Most High.

12Therefore He humbled their heart with labor;

They stumbled and there was no one to help.

13Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;

He saved them from their distresses.

14He brought them out of darkness and [k]the shadow of death

And broke their bands apart.

15They shall give thanks to the LORD for His mercy,

And for His [l]wonders to the sons of mankind!

16For He has shattered gates of bronze

And cut off bars of iron.

17Fools, because of [m]their rebellious way,

And because of their guilty deeds, were afflicted.

18Their souls loathed all kinds of food,

And they came close to the gates of death.

19Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;

He saved them from their distresses.

20He sent His word and healed them,

And saved them from their [n]destruction.

21They shall give thanks to the LORD for His mercy,

And for His [o]wonders to the sons of mankind!

22They shall also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,

And tell of His works with joyful singing.

23Those who go down to the sea in ships,

Who do business on great waters;

24They have seen the works of the LORD,

And His [p]wonders in the deep.

25For He spoke and raised a stormy wind,

Which lifted the waves [q]of the sea.

26They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;

Their soul melted away in their misery.

27They reeled and staggered like a drunken person,

And [r]were at their wits’ end.

28Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,

And He brought them out of their distresses.

29He caused the storm to be still,

So that the waves [s]of the sea were hushed.

30Then they were glad because they were quiet,

So He guided them to their desired harbor.

31They shall give thanks to the LORD for His mercy,

And for His [t]wonders to the sons of mankind!

32They shall also exalt Him in the congregation of the people,

And praise Him at the seat of the elders.

33He turns rivers into a [u]wilderness,

And springs of water into a thirsty ground;

34And a fruitful land into a salt waste,

Because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it.

35He turns a [v]wilderness into a pool of water,

And a dry land into springs of water;

36And He has the hungry live there,

So that they may establish [w]an inhabited city,

37And sow fields and plant vineyards,

And [x]gather a fruitful harvest.

38He also blesses them and they multiply greatly,

And He does not let their cattle decrease.

39When they become few and lowly

Because of oppression, misery, and sorrow,

40He pours contempt upon noblemen

And makes them wander in a pathless wasteland.

41But He sets the needy [y]securely on high, away from affliction,

And makes his families like a flock.

42The upright see it and are glad;

But all injustice shuts its mouth.

43Who is wise? He is to pay attention to these things,

And consider the mercy of the LORD.

[a] 3 Lit sea
[b] 4 Lit waste
[c] 4 Or a habitable city; lit a city of habitation
[d] 5 Lit also
[e] 7 Or level
[f] 7 Or a habitable city; lit a city of habitation
[g] 8 I.e., wonderful acts
[h] 9 Or parched
[i] 10 Or deep gloom
[j] 10 Lit irons
[k] 14 Or deep darkness
[l] 15 I.e., wonderful acts
[m] 17 Lit the way of their offense
[n] 20 Lit pits
[o] 21 I.e., wonderful acts
[p] 24 I.e., wonderful acts
[q] 25 Lit of it
[r] 27 Lit all their wisdom was swallowed up
[s] 29 Lit of it
[t] 31 I.e., wonderful acts
[u] 33 Or desert
[v] 35 Or desert
[w] 36 Or a habitable city; lit a city of habitation
[x] 37 Lit acquire fruits of yield
[y] 41 Lit in an inaccessibly high place