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In Praise of God's Goodness
1“Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good; his love is eternal!”
2Repeat these words in praise to the Lord, all you whom he has saved. He has rescued you from your enemies
3and has brought you back from foreign countries, from east and west, from north and south.
4Some wandered in the trackless desert and could not find their way to a city to live in.
5They were hungry and thirsty and had given up all hope.
6Then in their trouble they called to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress.
7He led them by a straight road to a city where they could live.
8They must thank the Lord for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them.
9He satisfies those who are thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
10Some were living in gloom and darkness, prisoners suffering in chains,
11because they had rebelled against the commands of Almighty God and had rejected his instructions.
12They were worn out from hard work; they would fall down, and no one would help.
13Then in their trouble they called to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress.
14He brought them out of their gloom and darkness and broke their chains in pieces.
15They must thank the Lord for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them.
16He breaks down doors of bronze and smashes iron bars.
17Some were fools, suffering because of their sins and because of their evil;
18they couldn't stand the sight of food and were close to death.
19Then in their trouble they called to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress.
20He healed them with his command and saved them from the grave.
21They must thank the Lord for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them.
22They must thank him with sacrifices, and with songs of joy must tell all that he has done.
23Some sailed over the ocean in ships, earning their living on the seas.
24They saw what the Lord can do, his wonderful acts on the seas.
25He commanded, and a mighty wind began to blow and stirred up the waves.
26The ships were lifted high in the air and plunged down into the depths. In such danger the sailors lost their courage;
27they stumbled and staggered like drunks— all their skill was useless.
28Then in their trouble they called to the Lord, and he saved them from their distress.
29He calmed the raging storm, and the waves became quiet.
30They were glad because of the calm, and he brought them safe to the port they wanted.
31They must thank the Lord for his constant love, for the wonderful things he did for them.
32They must proclaim his greatness in the assembly of the people and praise him before the council of the leaders.
33The Lord made rivers dry up completely and stopped springs from flowing.
34He made rich soil become a salty wasteland because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35He changed deserts into pools of water and dry land into flowing springs.
36He let hungry people settle there, and they built a city to live in.
37They sowed the fields and planted grapevines and reaped an abundant harvest.
38He blessed his people, and they had many children; he kept their herds of cattle from decreasing.
39When God's people were defeated and humiliated by cruel oppression and suffering,
40he showed contempt for their oppressors and made them wander in trackless deserts.
41But he rescued the needy from their misery and made their families increase like flocks.
42The righteous see this and are glad, but all the wicked are put to silence.
43May those who are wise think about these things; may they consider the Lord's constant love.