Psalm CVII

Give thanks to God, for he is good,
His mercies everlasting be:

Let God's redeemed ones say so,
Whom from their foes hands he set free.

And gathered them out of the lands,
From North and South, from East and West,

In pathless desart wandred they,
And found no City where to rest.

Hungry and thirsty, their souls saint
When want and streights do them oppress,

They in their trouble cry to God,
He saves them out of their distress.

He led them forth by the right way,
And in the desart did them guide;
That they might to a City go,
Where quietly they might abide.

O that all men would praise the Lord
For his great goodness to us shewn,
And for the wondrous works which he
For us, the sons of men, hath done.

He satisfies the longing soul,
The hungry soul with good is fill'd:

Such as in darkness and death's shade
Do sit, in painful Irons held.

Because against the words of God
They often sin'd rebelliously;
And the just Counsels did contemn
Of him that's over all most high.

Their hearts with labour he brought down,
And they from man no help could have;

They in their trouble cry'd to God,
From their distress he did them save.

From darkness and the shade of death
He in compassion did them take;
And their afflicting Captive bonds
In pity he asunder brake.

O that all men would praise the Lord
For his great goodness to us shewn;
And for the wondrous works which he
For us, the sons of men, hath done.

For the enthralling gates of brass
In pieces he for them did tear
And by his hands the Iron bands
Asunder also broken were.

Fools for their own transgressions,
And for their sins afflicted are:

Their soul abhors all sorts of meat,
They to the gates of death draw near.

They in their trouble cry to God,
From their distress he doth them save;

He sent his Word, and healed them,
From danger he deliverance gave.

O that all men would praise the Lord
For his great goodness to us shewn!
And for the wondrous works which he
For us, the sons of men, hath done.

And let them sacrifice to him
The sacrifice of thankfulness;
And his great works declare to all,
And with singing their joy express.

They that in ships go to the Sea,
And in great waters business do;

These see the dreadful works of God,
And in the deep his wonders view.

He doth but give out his Command,
And powerful stormy winds do rise;
Which makes the Sea in waves to rage,
And to mount up toward the skies.

Passengers toss'd up as to heav'n,
And to the deep cast down again;
Their troubled Soul in them doth melt,
While fear doth keep their hearts in pain.

They reel and stagger to and fro,
Tost about like to drunken men,
And in this their distress and fear,
All their own wit doth fail them then:

They in their trouble cry to God,
And he from their distress them saves,

He makes the storm become a calm,
And presently doth still the waves.

Then they with gladness do rejoice,
Because their danger seemeth past;
And unto their desired port,
He safely bringeth them at last.

O that all men would praise the Lord,
For the great goodness he hath shown;
And for the wondrous works which he
For us the Sons of Men hath done.

And when the people congregate,
Let them his Name in triumph raise;
And in the Elders assemblies,
Let all there celebrate his praise.

To Desarts he the Rivers turns,
And water springs into dry ground,

A fruitful land to barrenness,
When wickedness doth there abound.

He desarts turns to water-pools,
And dry ground into water springs:

And there he makes the hungry dwell,
And them to build a City brings:

To sow the fields and plant vineyards
Which may yield them fruit of increase.

He blesseth them; they multiply
Their flocks preserveth from decrease.

But yet in this unconstant state
They are diminished again;
And for their sins they are brought low;
Opprest, afflicted, and in pain.

On Princes he doth pour contempt;
And wandring causeth them to stay
In desart places for their sin,
Where desolate they find no way:

Yet setteth he the poor on high,
From their contempt and miseries;
And like to great increasing flocks,
Giveth them prosperous families.

All this the righteous shall perceive;
And shall rejoice these things to see,
And the mouth of iniquity,
Shall ever stopt and silent be.

Who so is wise, and will these things
Observe, and in their minds record,
They shall well understand and taste
The loving kindness of the Lord.