Friday 17th June 2022

Psalm 107

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Many Troubles

¹ O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
   for his steadfast love endures for ever.
² Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
   those he redeemed from trouble
³ and gathered in from the lands,
   from the east and from the west,
   from the north and from the south.^*

⁴ Some wandered in desert wastes,
   finding no way to an inhabited town;
⁵ hungry and thirsty,
   their soul fainted within them.
⁶ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
   and he delivered them from their distress;
⁷ he led them by a straight way,
   until they reached an inhabited town.
⁸ Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
   for his wonderful works to humankind.
⁹ For he satisfies the thirsty,
   and the hungry he fills with good things.

¹⁰ Some sat in darkness and in gloom,
   prisoners in misery and in irons,
¹¹ for they had rebelled against the words of God,
   and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
¹² Their hearts were bowed down with hard labour;
   they fell down, with no one to help.
¹³ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
   and he saved them from their distress;
¹⁴ he brought them out of darkness and gloom,
   and broke their bonds asunder.
¹⁵ Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
   for his wonderful works to humankind.
¹⁶ For he shatters the doors of bronze,
   and cuts in two the bars of iron.

¹⁷ Some were sick^* through their sinful ways,
   and because of their iniquities endured affliction;
¹⁸ they loathed any kind of food,
   and they drew near to the gates of death.
¹⁹ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
   and he saved them from their distress;
²⁰ he sent out his word and healed them,
   and delivered them from destruction.
²¹ Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
   for his wonderful works to humankind.
²² And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
   and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.

²³ Some went down to the sea in ships,
   doing business on the mighty waters;
²⁴ they saw the deeds of the Lord,
   his wondrous works in the deep.
²⁵ For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
   which lifted up the waves of the sea.
²⁶ They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths;
   their courage melted away in their calamity;
²⁷ they reeled and staggered like drunkards,
   and were at their wits’ end.
²⁸ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
   and he brought them out from their distress;
²⁹ he made the storm be still,
   and the waves of the sea were hushed.
³⁰ Then they were glad because they had quiet,
   and he brought them to their desired haven.
³¹ Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
   for his wonderful works to humankind.
³² Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
   and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

³³ He turns rivers into a desert,
   springs of water into thirsty ground,
³⁴ a fruitful land into a salty waste,
   because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.
³⁵ He turns a desert into pools of water,
   a parched land into springs of water.
³⁶ And there he lets the hungry live,
   and they establish a town to live in;
³⁷ they sow fields, and plant vineyards,
   and get a fruitful yield.
³⁸ By his blessing they multiply greatly,
   and he does not let their cattle decrease.

³⁹ When they are diminished and brought low
   through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
⁴⁰ he pours contempt on princes
   and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
⁴¹ but he raises up the needy out of distress,
   and makes their families like flocks.
⁴² The upright see it and are glad;
   and all wickedness stops its mouth.
⁴³ Let those who are wise give heed to these things,
   and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

NRSV