New International Version | NET Bible |
1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. | 1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, and his loyal love endures! |
2Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story-- those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, | 2Let those delivered by the LORD speak out, those whom he delivered from the power of the enemy, |
3those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. | 3and gathered from foreign lands, from east and west, from north and south. |
4Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. | 4They wandered through the wilderness on a desert road; they found no city in which to live. |
5They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. | 5They were hungry and thirsty; they fainted from exhaustion. |
6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. | 6They cried out to the LORD in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. |
7He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. | 7He led them on a level road, that they might find a city in which to live. |
8Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, | 8Let them give thanks to the LORD for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people! |
9for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. | 9For he has satisfied those who thirst, and those who hunger he has filled with food. |
10Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, | 10They sat in utter darkness, bound in painful iron chains, |
11because they rebelled against God's commands and despised the plans of the Most High. | 11because they had rebelled against God's commands, and rejected the instructions of the sovereign king. |
12So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. | 12So he used suffering to humble them; they stumbled and no one helped them up. |
13Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. | 13They cried out to the LORD in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. |
14He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. | 14He brought them out of the utter darkness, and tore off their shackles. |
15Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, | 15Let them give thanks to the LORD for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people! |
16for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron. | 16For he shattered the bronze gates, and hacked through the iron bars. |
17Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. | 17They acted like fools in their rebellious ways, and suffered because of their sins. |
18They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. | 18They lost their appetite for all food, and they drew near the gates of death. |
19Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. | 19They cried out to the LORD in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. |
20He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. | 20He sent them an assuring word and healed them; he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped. |
21Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. | 21Let them give thanks to the LORD for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people! |
22Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy. | 22Let them present thank offerings, and loudly proclaim what he has done! |
23Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. | 23Some traveled on the sea in ships, and carried cargo over the vast waters. |
24They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep. | 24They witnessed the acts of the LORD, his amazing feats on the deep water. |
25For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. | 25He gave the order for a windstorm, and it stirred up the waves of the sea. |
26They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. | 26They reached up to the sky, then dropped into the depths. The sailors' strength left them because the danger was so great. |
27They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits' end. | 27They swayed and staggered like a drunk, and all their skill proved ineffective. |
28Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. | 28They cried out to the LORD in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. |
29He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. | 29He calmed the storm, and the waves grew silent. |
30They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. | 30The sailors rejoiced because the waves grew quiet, and he led them to the harbor they desired. |
31Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. | 31Let them give thanks to the LORD for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people! |
32Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders. | 32Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people! Let them praise him in the place where the leaders preside! |
33He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, | 33He turned streams into a desert, springs of water into arid land, |
34and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there. | 34and a fruitful land into a barren place, because of the sin of its inhabitants. |
35He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; | 35As for his people, he turned a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into springs of water. |
36there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle. | 36He allowed the hungry to settle there, and they established a city in which to live. |
37They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; | 37They cultivated fields, and planted vineyards, which yielded a harvest of fruit. |
38he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish. | 38He blessed them so that they became very numerous. He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number. |
39Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow; | 39As for their enemies, they decreased in number and were beaten down, because of painful distress and suffering. |
40he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste. | 40He would pour contempt upon princes, and he made them wander in a wasteland with no road. |
41But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks. | 41Yet he protected the needy from oppression, and cared for his families like a flock of sheep. |
42The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths. | 42When the godly see this, they rejoice, and every sinner shuts his mouth. |
43Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the LORD. | 43Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things! Let them consider the LORD's acts of loyal love! |
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