1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever.' 2 So let the redeemed of the LORD say, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way; they found no city of habitation. 5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. 6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. 7 And He led them by a straight way, that they might go to a city of habitation. 8 Let them give thanks unto the LORD for His mercy, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For He hath satisfied the longing soul, and the hungry soul He hath filled with good. 10 Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron-- 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the Most High. 12 Therefore He humbled their heart with travail, they stumbled, and there was none to help-- 13 They cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bands in sunder. 15 Let them give thanks unto the LORD for His mercy, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For He hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. 17 Crazed because of the way of their transgression, and afflicted because of their iniquities-- 18 Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near unto the gates of death-- 19 They cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses; 20 He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their graves. 21 Let them give thanks unto the LORD for His mercy, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! 22 And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with singing. 23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters-- 24 These saw the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep; 25 For He commanded, and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves thereof; 26 They mounted up to the heaven, they went down to the deeps; their soul melted away because of trouble; 27 They reeled to and fro, and staggered like a drunken man, and all their wisdom was swallowed up-- 28 They cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distresses. 29 He made the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof were still. 30 Then were they glad because they were quiet, and He led them unto their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks unto the LORD for His mercy, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the seat of the elders. 33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and watersprings into a thirsty ground; 34 A fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 35 He turneth a wilderness into a pool of water, and a dry land into watersprings. 36 And there He maketh the hungry to dwell, and they establish a city of habitation; 37 And sow fields, and plant vineyards, which yield fruits of increase. 38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. 39 Again, they are minished and dwindle away through oppression of evil and sorrow. 40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the waste, where there is no way. 41 Yet setteth He the needy on high from affliction, and maketh his families like a flock. 42 The upright see it, and are glad; and all iniquity stoppeth her mouth. 43 Whoso is wise, let him observe these things, and let them consider the mercies of the LORD. | |