Psalm 107

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endures for ever.

2 Let them say so who have been redeemed by the Lord, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

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

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a dry land; they found no way to a city of habitation.

5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

6 Then they cried to the Lord in their affliction, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

7 And he guided them into a straight path, that they might go to a city of habitation.

8 Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonderful works to the children of men.

9 For he satisfies the empty soul, and fills the hungry soul with good things,

10 even them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, fettered in poverty and iron;

11 because they rebelled against the words of God, and provoked the counsel of the Most High.

12 So their heart was brought low with troubles; they were weak, and there was no helper.

13 Then they cried to the Lord in their affliction, and he saved them out of their distresses.

14 And he brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bonds asunder.

15 Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonders to the children of men.

16 For he broke to pieces the brazen gates, and crushed the iron bars.

17 He helped them out of the way of their iniquity; for they were brought low because of their iniquities.

18 Their soul abhorred all meat; and they drew near to the gates of death.

19 Then they cried to the Lord in their affliction, and he saved them out of their distresses.

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

21 Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonderful works to the children of men.

22 And let them offer to him the sacrifice of praise, and proclaim this works with exultation.

23 They that go down to the sea in ships, doing business in many waters;

24 these men have seen the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.

25 He speaks, and the stormy wind arises, and its waves are lifted up.

26 They go up to the heavens, and go down to the depths; their soul melts because of troubles.

27 They are troubled, they stagger as a drunkard, and all their wisdom is swallowed up.

28 Then they cry to the Lord in their affliction, and he brings them out of their distresses.

29 And he commands the storm, and it is calmed into a gentle breeze, and its waves are still.

30 And they are glad, because they are quiet; and he guides them to their desire haven.

31 Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonderful works to the children of men.

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

33 He turns rivers into a desert, and streams of water into a dry land;

34 a fruitful land into saltness, for the wickedness of them that dwell in it.

35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water, and a dry land into streams of water.

36 And there he causes the hungry to dwell, and they establish for themselves cities of habitation.

37 And they sow fields, and plant vineyards, and they yield fruit of increase.

38 And he blesses them, and they multiply exceedingly, and he diminishes not the number of their cattle.

39 Again they become few, and are brought low, by the pressure of evils and pain.

40 Contempt is poured upon their princes, and he causes them to wander in a desert and trackless land.

41 But he helps the poor out of poverty, and makes him families as a flock.

42 The upright shall see and rejoice; and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

43 Who is wise, and will observe these things, and understand the mercies of the Lord?

Psalm 107 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 107

This psalm, from its style, and from its connection with the preceding psalms, seems to have been written by David. The two foregoing psalms respect the children of Israel; this is generally thought to concern all mankind, and its view to assert a general providence which attends all, in whatsoever condition and circumstance; and to encourage men in their distresses to cry unto the Lord. According to Kimchi, Aben Ezra, and others, four sorts of persons are mentioned, travellers through a wilderness, prisoners, sick persons, and such who use the seas; to which some add a fifth, husbandmen; these are instanced in, not to the exclusion of others, but from them it may be concluded that whatsoever state or condition persons may be in, they are known and taken notice of by the Lord, and are relieved by him when they call upon him. Some restrain the whole to the Israelites, as the Targum, R. Obadiah, Arama, and others, where they make any application; and others apply the psalm to New Testament times; and indeed, though the literal sense should be attended unto and preserved, yet it seems to be applicable to spiritual persons and things. The title of it in the Syriac version is pretty remarkable,

``it is said concerning Joab and Abiah the sons of Samuel, who recited the commandments of the Lord. God gathered the Jews out of captivity, and brought them out from Babylon. Also the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, gathered the Gentiles from the four corners of the world, by preaching to baptism.''