1Praise God, for he is good: for still his mercies lasting be. 2Let God’s redeem’d say so, whom he from th’ en’my’s hand did free; | 3And gather’d them out of the lands, from north, south, east, and west. 4They stray’d in desert’s pathless way, no city found to rest. | 5For thirst and hunger in them faints 6their soul. When straits them press, They cry unto the Lord, and he them frees from their distress. | 7Them also in a way to walk that right is he did guide, That they might to a city go, wherein they might abide. | 8O that men to the Lord would give praise for his goodness then, And for his works of wonder done unto the sons of men! | 9For he the soul that longing is doth fully satisfy; With goodness he the hungry soul doth fill abundantly. | 10Such as shut up in darkness deep, and in death’s shade abide, Whom strongly hath affliction bound, and irons fast have ty’d: | 11Because against the words of God they wrought rebelliously, And they the counsel did contemn of him that is most High: | 12Their heart he did bring down with grief, they fell, no help could have. 13In trouble then they cry’d to God, he them from straits did save. | 14He out of darkness did them bring, and from death’s shade them take; These bands, wherewith they had been bound, asunder quite he brake. | 15O that men to the Lord would give praise for his goodness then, And for his works of wonder done unto the sons of men! | 16Because the mighty gates of brass in pieces he did tear, By him in sunder also cut the bars of iron were. | 17Fools, for their sin, and their offence, do sore affliction bear; 18All kind of meat their soul abhors; they to death’s gates draw near. | 19In grief they cry to God; he saves them from their miseries. 20He sends his word, them heals, and them from their destructions frees. | 21O that men to the Lord would give praise for his goodness then, And for his works of wonder done unto the sons of men! | 22And let them sacrifice to him off ‘rings of thankfulness; And let them shew abroad his works in songs of joyfulness. | 23Who go to sea in ships, and in great waters trading be, 24Within the deep these men God’s works and his great wonders see. | 25For he commands, and forth in haste the stormy tempest flies, Which makes the sea with rolling waves aloft to swell and rise. | 26They mount to heav’n, then to the depths they do go down again; Their soul doth faint and melt away with trouble and with pain. | 27They reel and stagger like one drunk, at their wit’s end they be: 28Then they to God in trouble cry, who them from straits doth free. | 29The storm is chang’d into a calm at his command and will; So that the waves, which rag’d before, now quiet are and still. | 30Then are they glad, because at rest and quiet now they be: So to the haven he them brings, which they desir’d to see. | 31O that men to the Lord would give praise for his goodness then, And for his works of wonder done unto the sons of men! | 32Among the people gathered let them exalt his name; Among assembled elders spread his most renowned fame. | 33He to dry land turns water-springs, and floods to wilderness; 34For sins of those that dwell therein, fat land to barrenness. | 35The burnt and parched wilderness to water-pools he brings; The ground that was dry’d up before he turns to water-springs: | 36And there, for dwelling, he a place doth to the hungry give, That they a city may prepare commodiously to live. | 37There sow they fields, and vineyards plant, to yield fruits of increase. 38His blessing makes them multiply, lets not their beasts decrease. | 39Again they are diminished, and very low brought down, Through sorrow and affliction, and great oppression. | 40He upon princes pours contempt, and causeth them to stray, And wander in a wilderness, wherein there is no way. | 41Yet setteth he the poor on high from all his miseries, And he, much like unto a flock, doth make him families. | 42They that are righteous shall rejoice, when they the same shall see; And, as ashamed, stop her mouth shall all iniquity. | 43Whoso is wise, and will these things observe, and them record, Ev’n they shall understand the love and kindness of the Lord. | |