Psalms, chapter 107
Book V (Psalms 107.1—150.6)
Book V continues to announce God's kingship (Psalms 145; 146; 149). Although it gives less direct attention to Moses than Book IV does, it gives greater attention to the Law or “instruction” that Moses received from God. Psalm 119, the longest psalm, lies at the heart of Book V and praises the Law of the Lord. Psalms collected in David's memory appear near the beginning and end of Book V (Psalms 108–110; 138–145). This may suggest the hope that the kingdom of David and his descendants would be restored. But two psalms (144 and 149) appear to say that the duties and responsibilities of kingship belong to the whole people of God.
salm 107
The Lord Is Good to His People
1 Shout praises to the Lord!
He is good to us, and his love never fails.
2Everyone the Lord has rescued from trouble
should praise him,
3everyone he has brought from the east and the west,
the north and the south.
4Some of you were lost in the scorching desert,
far from a town.
5You were hungry and thirsty and about to give up.
6You were in serious trouble,
but you prayed to the Lord, and he rescued you.
7At once he brought you to a town.
8You should praise the Lord for his love
and for the wonderful things he does for all of us.
9To everyone who is thirsty, he gives something to drink;
to everyone who is hungry,
he gives good things to eat.
10Some of you were prisoners
suffering in deepest darkness and bound by chains,
11because you had rebelled against God Most High
and refused his advice.
12You were worn out from working like slaves,
and no one came to help.
13You were in serious trouble,
but you prayed to the Lord, and he rescued you.
14He brought you out of the deepest darkness
and broke your chains.
15You should praise the Lord for his love
and for the wonderful things he does for all of us.
16He breaks down bronze gates and shatters iron locks.
17Some of you had foolishly committed a lot of sins
and were in terrible pain.
18The very thought of food was disgusting to you,
and you were almost dead.
19You were in serious trouble,
but you prayed to the Lord, and he rescued you.
20By the power of his own word, he healed you
and saved you from destruction.
21You should praise the Lord for his love
and for the wonderful things he does for all of us.
22You should celebrate by offering sacrifices
and singing joyful songs to tell what he has done.
23Some of you made a living by sailing the mighty sea,
24and you saw the miracles the Lord performed there.
25At his command a storm arose, and waves covered the sea.
26You were tossed to the sky and to the ocean depths,
until things looked so bad that you lost your courage.
27You staggered like drunkards and gave up all hope.
28You were in serious trouble,
but you prayed to the Lord, and he rescued you.
29 He made the storm stop and the sea be quiet.
30You were happy because of this,
and he brought you to the port
where you wanted to go.
31You should praise the Lord for his love
and for the wonderful things he does for all of us.
32Honor the Lord when you and your leaders
meet to worship.
33If you start doing wrong,
the Lord will turn rivers into deserts,
34flowing streams into scorched land,
and fruitful fields into beds of salt.
35But the Lord can also turn deserts into lakes
and scorched land into flowing streams.
36If you are hungry, you can settle there and build a town.
37You can plant fields and vineyards
that produce a good harvest.
38The Lord will bless you with many children
and with herds of cattle.
39Sometimes you may be crushed by troubles and sorrows,
until only a few of you are left to survive.
40But the Lord will take revenge
on those who conquer you,
and he will make them wander across desert sands.
41When you are suffering and in need,
he will come to your rescue,
and your families will grow as fast as a herd of sheep.
42You will see this because you obey the Lord,
but everyone who is wicked will be silenced.
43Be wise! Remember this
and think about the kindness of the Lord.