Axial Commons
Hebrew / JewishChristianity
O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Plain English · paraphraseGive thanks to the Lord, because he is good. His mercy lasts forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
Plain English · paraphraseThey wandered through the desert alone; they found no city to live in.
Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
Plain English · paraphraseThen they called to the Lord in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distresses.
And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
Plain English · paraphraseHe led them along the right path, so they could go to a city where people live.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Plain English · paraphraseOh, may people praise the LORD for his goodness and for the amazing things he does for humanity!
For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
Plain English · paraphraseBecause they rebelled against the words of God and looked down on the advice of the Most High:
Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
Plain English · paraphraseSo he wore their hearts down with hard work. They fell, and no one helped them.
Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
Plain English · paraphraseThen they called to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Plain English · paraphraseOh, may people praise the LORD for his goodness and for the amazing things he does for humanity!
For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
Plain English · paraphraseHe has broken the bronze gates and cut the iron bars in two.
Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Plain English · paraphraseFools are troubled because of their sins and their evil deeds.
Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
Plain English · paraphraseTheir soul hates all kinds of food; they are close to the gates of death.
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
Plain English · paraphraseThen they call to the Lord in their trouble, and he saves them from their distresses.
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Plain English · paraphraseOh, may people praise the LORD for his goodness and for the amazing things he does for humanity!
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Plain English · paraphraseAnd let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell about his works with joy.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Plain English · paraphraseHe gives the order, and the stormy wind rises, lifting up the waves.
They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end.
Plain English · paraphraseThey sway back and forth, stumbling like a drunkard, and are at their wit's end.
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Plain English · paraphraseThen they call to the Lord in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distresses.
He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Plain English · paraphraseHe makes the storm calm, so that its waves are still.
Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Plain English · paraphraseThen they are glad because they are quiet; so he brings them to their desired haven.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Plain English · paraphraseOh, may people praise the LORD for his goodness and for the amazing things he does for humanity!
Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
Plain English · paraphraseHe turns rivers into a wasteland and water springs into dry ground;
A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
Plain English · paraphraseA productive land into emptiness, because of the evil of those who live there.
He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
Plain English · paraphraseHe turns the desert into a pool of water, and dry ground into flowing springs.
And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
Plain English · paraphraseAnd plow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may produce fruit for increase.
He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
Plain English · paraphraseHe blesses them, so that they multiply greatly, and he does not allow their cattle to decrease.
Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
Plain English · paraphraseHe pours contempt on rulers and makes them wander in the wilderness, where there is no path.
Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
Plain English · paraphraseBut he lifts the poor up from suffering and gives him a family like a flock.
The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
Plain English · paraphraseThe righteous will see it and be glad. All wickedness will shut its mouth.
Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
Plain English · paraphraseWhoever is wise and wants to pay attention to these things will understand the kindness of the Lord.
O god, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory.
Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
Plain English · paraphraseI will praise you, Lord, among the people. I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds.
Plain English · paraphraseYour mercy is very great, reaching higher than the heavens. Your truth extends up to the clouds.
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth;
Plain English · paraphraseBe exalted, God, above the heavens. Let your glory be above all the earth.
That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.
Plain English · paraphraseLet your beloved be saved. Use your right hand and answer me.
God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;
Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph.
Plain English · paraphraseMoab is my washpot. Over Edom I will cast out my shoe. Over Philistia I will triumph.
Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?
Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts?
Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
Plain English · paraphraseBecause of God, we will be strong. He will crush our enemies.
Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
Plain English · paraphraseThey surrounded me with hateful words and attacked me without reason.
For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
Plain English · paraphraseBecause of my love, they are my enemies. But I give myself to prayer.
And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
Plain English · paraphrasePut a wicked man in charge of him, and let Satan stand at his right side.
When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
Plain English · paraphraseWhen he is judged, let him be condemned. Let his prayer become sin.
Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.
Plain English · paraphraseLet his children be constantly wandering, begging, and searching for food from their ruined homes.
Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.
Plain English · paraphraseLet the cheat take everything he has; let outsiders take the fruit of his work.
Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.
Plain English · paraphraseLet no one show mercy to him. Let no one support his fatherless children.
Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
Plain English · paraphraseLet his descendants be destroyed, and in the next generation, let their name be erased.
Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
Plain English · paraphraseLet his father's wrongdoing be remembered by the Lord. Let his mother's sin not be erased.
Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
Plain English · paraphraseLet them be before the Lord continually, so that he may cut off their memory from the earth.
Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
Plain English · paraphraseBecause he would not show mercy, but chased after the poor and needy man, to kill the broken-hearted.
As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.
Plain English · paraphraseAs he loved cursing, let it come to him. As he did not delight in blessing, let it be far from him.
As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
Plain English · paraphraseAs he wrapped himself in curses like they were his clothing, let them enter his body like water, and like oil into his bones.
Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.
Plain English · paraphraseLet it be for him like the garment that covers him, and like a belt with which he is always tied.
Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.
Plain English · paraphraseLet this be the reward that the Lord gives to my enemies, and to those who speak evil against me.
But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
Plain English · paraphraseI am poor and in need, and my heart is broken inside me.
I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.
My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.
Plain English · paraphraseMy knees are weak from fasting, and my body is wasting away.
I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.
Plain English · paraphraseI also became a disgrace to them. When they looked at me, they shook their heads.
Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:
Plain English · paraphraseHelp me, Lord my God. Save me because of your mercy.
That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, LORD, hast done it.
Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
Plain English · paraphraseLet them curse, but you bless. When they rise up, let them be put to shame, but let your servant rejoice.
Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
Plain English · paraphraseLet my enemies be covered in shame, and let them wrap themselves in their own disgrace, like a cloak.
I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.
Plain English · paraphraseI will praise the Lord greatly with my mouth; yes, I will praise him in the presence of many people.
For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.
The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Plain English · paraphraseThe LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet."
The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
Plain English · paraphraseThe LORD will send the rod of your strength from Zion. Rule over your enemies.
Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
Plain English · paraphraseThe Lord has promised and will not change his mind: You are a priest forever, following the order of Melchizedek.
The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
Plain English · paraphraseThe Lord at your right hand will strike down kings on the day of his anger.
He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
Plain English · paraphraseHe will judge the nations. He will fill the places with dead bodies. He will wound the heads of many countries.
He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
Plain English · paraphraseHe will drink from the stream along the path. Therefore, he will raise his head.
Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
Plain English · paraphrasePraise the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of those who do what is right, and in the gathering of people.
The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
Plain English · paraphraseHis work is honorable and glorious. His righteousness lasts forever.
He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
Plain English · paraphraseHe has given food to those who honor him. He will always remember his covenant.
He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
Plain English · paraphraseHe has shown his people the power of his works, so that he may give them the inheritance of the nations.