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1 Give thanks to Yahweh, because he always does good things for us!
His faithful love for us lasts forever!
2 Those whom Yahweh has saved should tell others
that he has rescued them from their enemies.
3 He has gathered those of you who were ◄exiled/taken forcefully► to many lands;
he has gathered you together from the east and the west,
from the north and from the south.
4 Some of those who returned from those countries wandered in the desert;
they were lost and had no homes to live in.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and they were very discouraged.
6 When they were in trouble, they called out to Yahweh,
and he rescued them from ◄being distressed/their difficulties►.
7 He led them along a straight road where they walked safely
to cities in Canaan where they could live.
8 They should praise/thank Yahweh for loving them faithfully
and for the wonderful things that he does for people.
9 He gives thirsty people plenty of water to drink,
and he gives hungry people plenty of good things to eat.
10 Some of them were in very dark [HEN] places in ◄ Babylonia/other countries►;
they were prisoners, suffering because of chains fastened to their hands and feet.
11 They were in prison because they had ◄rebelled against/not obeyed► the message of God;
they were there because they had despised the advice given by God,
who is greater than all other gods.
12 That is why their bodies were worn out from hard labor;
when they fell down, there was no one who would help them.
13 In their troubles, they called out to Yahweh,
and he rescued them from their being distressed.
14 He broke the chains that were on their hands and feet;
and brought them out of those very dark prisons.
15-16 He broke down the prison gates that were made of bronze,
and cut through the prison bars that were made of iron.
So they also should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving them,
and for all the wonderful things that he does for people.
17 Some of them foolishly rebelled against God,
so they suffered for their sins.
18 They did not want to eat any food,
and they almost died.
19 In their troubles, they also called out to Yahweh,
and he rescued them from their being distressed.
20 When he commanded that they be healed, they were healed;
he saved them from dying.
21 They also should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving them,
and for all the wonderful things that he does for people.
22 They should give offerings to him to show that they are thankful,
and they should sing joyfully about the miracles that he has performed.
23 Some of them sailed in ships;
they were selling things in ports throughout the world.
24 As they were sailing, they also saw the miracles that Yahweh performed,
the wonderful things that he did when they were on very deep seas.
25 He commanded the winds, and they became strong
and ◄stirred up high waves/caused waves to rise high►.
26 The ships in which they were sailing were tossed high in the air,
and then they sank into the ◄troughs/low places► between the high waves;
then the sailors cried out, being terrified.
27 They stumbled about and staggered like drunken men,
and they did not know what to do.
28 In their troubles, they also called out to Yahweh,
and he rescued them from their distresses.
29 He ◄calmed the storm/caused the wind to stop blowing►,
and he stilled/flattened the waves.
30 They were very glad when it became calm;
and Yahweh brought them safely into a harbor.
31 They also should praise/thank Yahweh for faithfully loving them,
and for all the wonderful things that he does for people.
32 They should praise him among the Israeli people when they have gathered together,
and they should praise him in front of the leaders of the country.
33 Sometimes Yahweh causes rivers to become dry,
with the result that the land becomes a desert,
and springs of water become dry land.
34 Sometimes he causes land that has produced lots of crops to become salty wastelands,
with the result that they do not produce crops.
He does that because the people who live there are very wicked.
35 But sometimes he causes pools of water to appear in deserts,
and he causes springs to flow in very dry ground.
36 He brings hungry people into that land, to live there and build cities there.
37 They plant seeds in their fields,
and they plant grapevines that produce big crops of grapes.
38 He blesses the people, and the women give birth to many children,
and they have large herds of cattle.
39 When the number of people becomes smaller and they have been humiliated by their enemies
by being oppressed and caused to suffer [DOU],
40 Yahweh shows contempt for the leaders who oppress them,
and causes them to wander in deserts where there are no roads.
41 But he rescues poor people from ◄being in misery/suffering►,
and causes their families to increase in number like flocks of sheep.
42 Godly/Righteous people will ◄see/hear about► these things, and they will rejoice,
and wicked people will hear about these things, too,
but they will have nothing to say against Yahweh in reply.
43 Those who are wise should think carefully about these things;
they should consider all the things that Yahweh has done to show that he faithfully loves them.
Note: The Old Testament in this translation is still being worked on, and is in draft form. Updates will be posted at eBible.org/t4t/.