New International Version NIV
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
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O give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
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Let those whose cause the Lord has taken up say so, his people whom he has taken out of the hands of their haters;
3 those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
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Making them come together out of all the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
4 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle.
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They were wandering in the waste places; they saw no way to a resting-place.
5 They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away.
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Their souls became feeble for need of food and drink.
6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
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Then they sent up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gave them salvation out of all their troubles;
7 He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.
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Guiding them in the right way, so that they might come into the town of their resting-place.
8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
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Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
9 for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
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He gives its desire to the unresting soul, so that it is full of good things.
10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains,
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Those who were in the dark, in the black night, in chains of sorrow and iron;
11 because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High.
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Because they went against the words of God, and gave no thought to the laws of the Most High:
12 So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
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So that he made their hearts weighted down with grief; they were falling, and had no helper.
13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
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Then they sent up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gave them salvation out of all their troubles.
14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains.
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He took them out of the dark and the black night, and all their chains were broken.
15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
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Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.
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The doors of brass are broken by his arm, and the bands of iron are cut in two.
17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
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Foolish men, because of their sins, and because of their wrongdoing, are troubled;
18 They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.
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They are disgusted by all food, and they come near to the doors of death.
19 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
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Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles.
20 He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.
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He sent his word and made them well, and kept them safe from the underworld.
21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
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Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
22 Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.
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Let them make offerings of praise, giving news of his works with cries of joy.
23 Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters.
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Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in the great waters;
24 They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep.
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They see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.
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For at his word comes up the storm-wind, lifting high the waves.
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.
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The sailors go up to heaven, and down into the deep; their souls are wasted because of their trouble.
27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end.
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They are turned here and there, rolling like a man who is full of wine; and all their wisdom comes to nothing.
28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
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Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.
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He makes the storm into a calm, so that the waves are at peace.
30 They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.
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Then they are glad, because the sea is quiet, and he takes them to the harbour of their desire.
31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
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Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.
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Let them give glory to him in the meeting of the people, and praise among the chiefs.
33 He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground,
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He makes rivers into waste places, and springs of water into a dry land;
34 and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
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He makes a fertile country into a salt waste, because of the sins of those who are living there.
35 He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs;
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He makes a waste land into a place of water, and a dry land into water-springs.
36 there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle.
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And there he gives the poor a resting-place, so that they may make themselves a town;
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest;
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And put seed in the fields and make vine-gardens, to give them fruit.
38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish.
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He gives them his blessing so that they are increased greatly, and their cattle do not become less.
39 Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
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And when they are made low, and crushed by trouble and sorrow,
40 he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste.
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He puts an end to the pride of kings, and sends them wandering in the waste lands where there is no way.
41 But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks.
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But he puts the poor man on high from his troubles, and gives him families like a flock.
42 The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths.
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The upright see it and are glad: the mouth of the sinner is stopped.
43 Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the LORD.
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Let the wise give thought to these things, and see the mercies of the Lord.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.