Psalmody

Psalm 106

Antiphon

Let us thank the Lord for his mercy.

'O give thanks to the Lord for he is good;
for his love endures for ever.'

Let them say this, the Lord's redeemed,
whom he redeemed from the hand of the foe

and gathered from far-off lands,
from east and west, north and south.

Some wandered in the desert, in the wilderness,
finding no way to a city they could dwell in.

Hungry they were and thirsty;
their soul was fainting within them.

Then they cried to the lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress

and he led them along the right way,
to reach a city they could dwell in.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
for the wonders he does for men.

For he satisfies the thirsty soul;
he fills the hungry with good things.

Some lay in darkness and in gloom,
prisoners in misery and chains,

having defied the words of god
and spurned the counsels of the Most High.

He crushed their spirit with toil;
the stumbled; there was no one to help.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress.

He led them forth from darkness and gloom
and broke their chains to pieces.

Let them thank the Lord for his goodness,
for the wonders he does for men;

for he bursts the gates of bronze
and shatters the iron bars.

Some were sick on account of their sins
and afflicted on account of their guilt

They had a loathing for every food;
they cam close to the gates of death.

Then they cried to the lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress.

He sent forth his word to heal them
and saved their life from the grave.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
for the wonders he does for men.

Let them offer a sacrifice of thanks
and tell of his deeds with rejoicing.

Some sailed to the sea in ships
to trade on the might waters.

These men have seen the Lord's deeds,
the wonders he does in the deep.

For he spoke : he summoned the gale,
tossing the waves of the sea

up to heaven and back into the deep;
their soul melted away in their distress.

They staggered, reeled like drunken men,
for all their skill was gone.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need
and he rescued them from their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper :
all the waves of the sea were hushed.

They rejoiced because of the calm
and he led them to the haven they desired.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
the wonders he does for men.

Let them exalt him in the gathering of the people
and praise him in the meeting of the elders.

He changes streams into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,

fruitful land into a salty waste,
for the wickedness of those who live there.

but he changes desert into streams,
thirsty ground into springs of water.

There he settles the hungry
and they build a city to dwell in.

They sow fields and plant their vines;
these yield crops for the harvest.

He blesses them; they grow in numbers.
He does not let their herds decrease.

He pours contempt upon princes,
makes then wander in trackless wastes.

They diminish, are reduced to nothing
by oppression, evil and sorrow.

But he raises the needy from distress;
makes families numerous as a flock.

The upright see it and rejoice
but all who do wrong are silenced.

Whoever is wise, let him heed these things
and consider the love of the Lord.