Psalms

O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

1Thank the LORD, because he is good. His faithful love never ends.

2Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

2Let the people the LORD has rescued say so. He bought them back from the power of the enemy.

3And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

3He gathered them home from many lands, from the east and the west, from the north and the south.

4They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

4Some wandered through empty desert land. They could not find a city to live in.

5Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

5They were hungry and thirsty. They felt their strength draining away.

6Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from everything pressing in on them.

7And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

7He led them along a straight road until they reached a city where they could live.

8Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

8If only people would thank the LORD for his goodness and for the wonderful things he does for them!

9For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

9He gives the thirsty all they need. He fills hungry people with good things.

10Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

10Some sat in darkness, in the deep shadow of death. They were prisoners, suffering and locked in iron chains.

11Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

11This happened because they had turned against what God said. They had brushed aside the advice of the Most High God.

Note"Contemned" is an old word that means despised or treated as worthless. It is not the same as "condemned."

12Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.

12So he wore down their pride with hard labor. They stumbled and fell, and no one helped them.

13Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

13Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from everything pressing in on them.

14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

14He brought them out of the darkness and the deep shadow of death. He snapped their chains apart.

15Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

15If only people would thank the LORD for his goodness and for the wonderful things he does for them!

16For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

16He smashes gates made of bronze. He cuts through bars of iron.

17Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

17Some acted like fools. They broke God's law and did wrong, and their own sin brought them suffering.

18Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.

18They could not stand the sight of any food. They came close to the gates of death.

NoteIn the KJV, "meat" means food of any kind, not just meat from animals.

19Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.

19Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from everything pressing in on them.

20He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

20He sent out his word and healed them. He pulled them back from the grave.

21Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

21If only people would thank the LORD for his goodness and for the wonderful things he does for them!

22And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

22Let them bring him thank offerings. Let them tell what he has done, and be glad while they tell it.

23They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

23Others went out to sea in ships. They traded goods far out on the deep water.

24These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.

24They saw the works of the LORD. They saw the wonders he does far out at sea.

25For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

25He gave the command, and a storm wind rose up. It lifted the waves high.

26They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.

26The ships went up toward the sky, then dropped down into the deep. The sailors lost all their courage.

27They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end.

27They tipped back and forth and stumbled like drunk men. None of their skill could help them.

28Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

28Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of everything pressing in on them.

29He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

29He hushed the storm to a whisper. The waves of the sea went still.

30Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

30They were glad when the sea grew quiet. He guided them to the harbor they wanted to reach.

31Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

31If only people would thank the LORD for his goodness and for the wonderful things he does for them!

32Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

32Let them lift him high when the people gather. Let them praise him where the leaders meet.

33He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;

33He turns rivers into desert. He dries up the springs of water.

34A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

34He turns good farmland into salty, useless ground, because of the evil of the people who live there.

35He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

35He also turns desert into pools of water. He turns dry ground into flowing springs.

36And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;

36He settles hungry people there, and they build a city to live in.

37And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.

37They plant seed in the fields and set out vineyards, and they gather a large harvest.

38He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

38He blesses them, and their numbers grow fast. He does not let their herds get smaller.

NoteIn the KJV, "suffereth not" means "does not allow." It has nothing to do with pain.

39Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

39Later their numbers drop and they are pushed down by cruel treatment, hard times, and sorrow.

40He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.

40He treats proud rulers with scorn. He makes them wander in a wasteland with no road to follow.

41Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

41But he lifts poor people out of their suffering. He makes their families grow like flocks of sheep.

42The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

42Honest people see it and are glad. Everyone who does evil has nothing left to say.

43Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

43Anyone who is wise will think carefully about these things. Then they will understand the faithful love of the LORD.