1 O give thanks untoThis notable sentence was in the beginning used as the foot or tenor of the song, which was often repeated.the LORD, for [he is] good: for his mercy [endureth] for ever.
2 Let theAs was true in the Jews, so there is not one of God's elect who does not feel his help in their necessity.redeemed of the LORD say [so], whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the East and from the West, from the North and from the South.
4 When they wandered in the desert and wildernesse out of the waie, and founde no citie to dwell in,
5 He shows that there is no affliction so grievous out of which God will not deliver us, and also exhorts them who are delivered to be mindful of so great a benefit.Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
6 Then they cried vnto the Lorde in their trouble, & he deliuered them from their distresse,
7 And led them forth by the right way, that they might goe to a citie of habitation.
8 Let them therefore confesse before ye Lorde his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull woorkes before the sonnes of men.
9 For he satisfied the thirstie soule, and filled the hungrie soule with goodnesse.
10 They that dwell in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death, being bounde in miserie and yron,
11 Because theyThen the true way to obey God is to follow his express commandment: also by this all are exhorted to descend into themselves as none are punished but for their sins.rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
12 When he humbled their heart with heauines, then they fell downe and there was no helper.
13 Then theyHe shows that the reason God punishes us extremely is because we can be brought to him by no other means.cried unto the LORD in their trouble, [and] he saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkenes, and out of the shadowe of death, and brake their bandes asunder.
15 Let them therefore cofesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull woorkes before the sonnes of men.
16 For he hath broken theWhen there seems to man's judgment no recovery, but all things are brought to despair, then God chiefly shows his mighty power.gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
17 They who have no fear of God, by his sharp rods are brought to call on him, and so find mercy.Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
18 Their soule abhorreth al meat, and they are brought to deaths doore.
19 Then they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble, and he deliuereth them from their distresse.
20 By healing them he declares his good will toward them.He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered [them] from theirMeaning their diseases, which had almost brought them to the grave and corruption.destructions.
21 Let them therefore cofesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, & his wonderful workes before the sonnes of men,
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices ofPraise and confession of God's benefits are the true sacrifices of the godly.thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
23 They that go down to theHe shows by the sea what care God has over man, for when he delivers them from the great danger of the sea, he delivers them as it were from a thousand deaths.sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
24 They see the woorkes of the Lorde, and his wonders in the deepe.
25 For he commaundeth and raiseth the stormie winde, and it lifteth vp the waues thereof.
26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul isTheir fear and danger is so great.melted because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, andWhen their art and means fail them, they are compelled to confess that only God's providence preserves them.are at their wits' end.
28 Then they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresse.
29 He turneth the storme to calme, so that the waues thereof are still.
30 Then are they glad because they beThough before every drop seemed to fight one against the other, yet at his command they are as still as if they were frozen.quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
31 Let them therfore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse, and his wonderfull woorkes before the sonnes of men.
32 Let them exalt him also in theThis great benefit should not only be considered particularly, but magnified in all places and assemblies.congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
33 He turneth the floodes into a wildernesse, and the springs of waters into drinesse,
34 And a fruitfull land into barrennes for the wickednes of them that dwell therein.
35 HeFor the love that he bears to his Church, he changes the order of nature for their convenience.turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
36 And there he placeth the hungrie, and they builde a citie to dwell in,
37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits ofContinual increase and yearly.increase.
38 For he blesseth them, & they multiplie exceedingly, and he diminisheth not their cattell.
39 As God by his providence exalts man, so he also humbles them by afflictions to know themselves.Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
40 He pourethFor their wickedness and tyranny he causes the people and subjects to contemn them.contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, [where there is] no way.
41 Yet he raiseth vp the poore out of miserie, and maketh him families like a flocke of sheepe.
42 TheThey whose faith is lightened by God's spirit, will rejoice to see God's judgments against the wicked and ungodly.righteous shall see [it], and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43 Who is wise that hee may obserue these things? for they shall vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord.
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