BOOK FIVE
(Psalms 107–150)
In Praise of God's Goodness
1 “Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good;
his love is eternal!”
2 Repeat these words in praise to the Lord,
all you whom he has saved.
He has rescued you from your enemies
3 and has brought you back from foreign countries,
from east and west, from north and south.
4 Some wandered in the trackless desert
and could not find their way to a city to live in.
5 They were hungry and thirsty
and had given up all hope.
6 Then in their trouble they called to the Lord,
and he saved them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight road
to a city where they could live.
8 They must thank the Lord for his constant love,
for the wonderful things he did for them.
9 He satisfies those who are thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.
10 Some were living in gloom and darkness,
prisoners suffering in chains,
11 because they had rebelled against the commands of Almighty God
and had rejected his instructions.
12 They were worn out from hard work;
they would fall down, and no one would help.
13 Then in their trouble they called to the Lord,
and he saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of their gloom and darkness
and broke their chains in pieces.
15 They must thank the Lord for his constant love,
for the wonderful things he did for them.
16 He breaks down doors of bronze
and smashes iron bars.
17 Some were fools, suffering because of their sins
and because of their evil;
18 they couldn't stand the sight of food
and were close to death.
19 Then in their trouble they called to the Lord,
and he saved them from their distress.
20 He healed them with his command
and saved them from the grave.
21 They must thank the Lord for his constant love,
for the wonderful things he did for them.
22 They must thank him with sacrifices,
and with songs of joy must tell all that he has done.
23 Some sailed over the ocean in ships,
earning their living on the seas.
24 They saw what the Lord can do,
his wonderful acts on the seas.
25 He commanded, and a mighty wind began to blow
and stirred up the waves.
26 The ships were lifted high in the air
and plunged down into the depths.
In such danger the sailors lost their courage;
27 they stumbled and staggered like drunks—
all their skill was useless.
28 Then in their trouble they called to the Lord,
and he saved them from their distress.
29 He calmed the raging storm,
and the waves became quiet.
30 They were glad because of the calm,
and he brought them safe to the port they wanted.
31 They must thank the Lord for his constant love,
for the wonderful things he did for them.
32 They must proclaim his greatness in the assembly of the people
and praise him before the council of the leaders.
33 The Lord made rivers dry up completely
and stopped springs from flowing.
34 He made rich soil become a salty wasteland
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He changed deserts into pools of water
and dry land into flowing springs.
36 He let hungry people settle there,
and they built a city to live in.
37 They sowed the fields and planted grapevines
and reaped an abundant harvest.
38 He blessed his people, and they had many children;
he kept their herds of cattle from decreasing.
39 When God's people were defeated and humiliated
by cruel oppression and suffering,
40 he showed contempt for their oppressors
and made them wander in trackless deserts.
41 But he rescued the needy from their misery
and made their families increase like flocks.
42 The righteous see this and are glad,
but all the wicked are put to silence.
43 May those who are wise think about these things;
may they consider the Lord's constant love.
PIEKTĀ GRĀMATA
Izglābto pateicība
1 Teiciet Kungu, jo viņš ir labs,
jo viņa žēlastība uz mūžiem! –
2 tā lai saka Kunga izpirktie,
kurus viņš izpircis no naidnieka rokas
3 un sapulcējis no zemju zemēm,
no austrumiem un rietumiem,
no ziemeļiem un no jūras puses.
4 Tie klīda tuksnesī, kur ceļš zūd,
tie neatrada pilsētu, kur apmesties,
5 izsalkuši, izslāpuši – viņu dvaša pagura krūtīs.
6 Tie brēca uz Kungu savās mokās,
no spaidiem viņš tos glāba.
7 Viņš tos veda pa taisnu ceļu,
līdz tie atrada pilsētu, kur apmesties.
8 Lai tie pateicas Kungam par viņa žēlastību,
brīnumiem, ko viņš sūta cilvēku dēliem,
9 jo viņš dod padzerties izslāpušā mutei
un izsalkušā muti piepilda gardumiem!
10 Kas mita tumsā un nāves ēnā, gūstīti postā un dzelzīs,
11 jo tie dumpojās pret Dievu
un Visuaugstā padomu noniecināja,
12 un viņš tos nomāca grūtā darbā,
tie ļodzījās, bet palīga nebija;
13 viņi sauca Kungu savās mokās,
un viņš glāba tos no spaidiem.
14 Viņš izveda tos no tumsas un nāves ēnas
un sarāva to pinekļus.
15 Lai tie pateicas Kungam par viņa žēlastību,
par brīnumiem, ko viņš sūta cilvēku dēliem, –
16 ka viņš sadauzīja vara durvis
un dzelzs aizšaujamos salauzīja!
17 Nejēgas, kuri iet grēka ceļus,
sasirga savu pārkāpumu dēļ, –
18 ik ēdiens tiem derdzās,
tie nonāca pie nāves vārtiem!
19 Tie sauca Kungu savās mokās,
no spaidiem viņš tos glāba,
20 sūtīja savu vārdu un dziedēja viņus,
izpestīja ikvienu no viņa bedres!
21 Lai tie pateicas Kungam par viņa žēlastību,
brīnumiem, ko viņš sūta cilvēku dēliem,
22 lai upurē pateicības upurus
un slavē viņa darbus gaviļu dziesmās!
23 Kas jūrā brauc ar kuģiem,
kas nopūlas uz lieliem ūdeņiem,
24 tie ir redzējuši Kunga darbus
un viņa brīnumus jūras dzelmē.
25 Viņš teica, un sacēlās viesulis
un saslēja jūras viļņus.
26 Vienus uznesa debesīs, otrus nonesa dziļumos,
trešo sirdis izbīlī kusa,
27 tie klupa un meimuroja kā apdzērušies,
visa to prasme bija pagalam.
28 Tad tie brēca uz Kungu savās mokās –
no spaidiem viņš izveda tos.
29 Viņš lika viesulim norimt, un nostāja viļņi;
30 šie priecājās, ka nu šiem miers,
viņš vadīja tos uz kāroto ostu.
31 Lai tie pateicas Kungam par viņa žēlastību,
brīnumiem, ko viņš sūta cilvēku dēliem, –
32 lai cildina viņu tautas sapulcē
un vecajo saietā lai slavē viņu!
33 Viņš par tuksnesi dara upes
un ūdens avotus par kalšņām,
34 auglīgu zemi par sāls laukiem –
to ļaunuma dēļ, kuri tur mīt!
35 Viņš dara tuksnesi par ūdens dīķi
un izkaltušu zemi par avoksnāju,
36 viņš nomitina tur izsalkušos,
tie dibina pilsētu, kur apmesties,
37 tie apsēj laukus un stāda vīnadārzus,
un dabū bagātu ievākumu.
38 Viņš tos svētī, un tie ļoti vairojas,
un to lopus viņš nelaiž mazumā.
39 Bet šie iet mazumā un top pazemoti
spaidos, nelaimē un likstās –
40 viņš izsmieklu izlej pār augstmaņiem,
tuksnesī noved, kur ceļa nav!
41 Bet sērdieņus viņš glābj no posta,
kā avju pulkus vairo to saimes,
42 sirdsskaidrie to redz un priecājas,
un netaisnībai aizbāzta rīkle!
43 Kas gudrs, lai iegaumē šo,
lai apdomā Kunga žēlsirdību!
