Psalm 107:33–42

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^107:33He turned⁴³ streams into a desert,

springs of water into arid land,

^107:34and a fruitful land into a barren place,⁴⁴

because of the sin of its inhabitants.

^107:35As for his people,⁴⁵ he turned⁴⁶ a desert into a pool of water,

and a dry land into springs of water.

^107:36He allowed the hungry to settle there,

and they established a city in which to live.

^107:37They cultivated⁴⁷ fields,

and planted vineyards,

which yielded a harvest of fruit.⁴⁸

^107:38He blessed⁴⁹ them so that they became very numerous.

He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number.⁵⁰

^107:39As for their enemies,⁵¹ they decreased in number and were beaten down,

because of painful distress⁵² and suffering.

^107:40He would pour⁵³ contempt upon princes,

and he made them wander in a wasteland with no road.

^107:41Yet he protected⁵⁴ the needy from oppression,

and cared for his families like a flock of sheep.

^107:42When the godly see this, they rejoice,

and every sinner⁵⁵ shuts his mouth.

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Footnotes

43 The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. (The use of prefixed forms with vav [ו] consecutive in vv. 36–37 favor this.) The psalmist may return to the theme of God’s intervention for the exiles (see vv. 4–22, especially vv. 4–9). However, many regard vv. 33–41 as a hymnic description which generalizes about God’s activities among men. In this case it would be preferable to use the English present tense throughout (cf. , ).
44 Heb “a salty land.”
45 The words “As for his people” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. The psalmist contrasts God’s judgment on his enemies with his blessing of his people. See the note on the word “enemies” in v. for further discussion.
46 The verbal form appears to be a preterite, which is most naturally taken as narrational. See the note on the word “turned” in v. .
47 Heb “sowed seed in.”
48 Heb “fruit [as] produce.”
49 “Bless” here carries the nuance “endue with sexual potency, make fertile.” See Gen 1:28, where the statement “he blessed them” directly precedes the command “be fruitful and populate the earth” (see also 1:22). The verb “bless” carries this same nuance in Gen 17:16 (where God’s blessing of Sarai imparts to her the capacity to bear a child); 48:16 (where God’s blessing of Joseph’s sons is closely associated with their having numerous descendants); and Deut 7:13 (where God’s blessing is associated with fertility in general, including numerous descendants). See also Gen 49:25 (where Jacob uses the noun derivative in referring to “blessings of the breast and womb,” an obvious reference to fertility) and Gen 27:27 (where the verb is used of a field to which God has given the capacity to produce vegetation).
50 The verbal form in this line appears to be an imperfect, which may be taken as customary (drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame) or as generalizing (in which case one should use the English present tense, understanding a move from narrative to present reality).
51 The words “As for their enemies” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. Without such clarification, one might think that v. 39 refers to those just mentioned in v. 38 as objects of divine blessing, which would contradict the point just emphasized by the psalmist. The structure of vv. 33–42 is paneled (A-B-A-B). In vv. 33–34 the psalmist describes God’s judgment upon his enemies (perhaps those who had enslaved his people). In vv. 35–38 he contrasts this judgment with the divine blessing poured out on God’s people. (See the note on the word “people” in v. .) In vv. 39–40 he contrasts this blessing with the judgment experienced by enemies, before returning in vv. 41–42 to the blessing experienced by God’s people.
52 Heb “from the oppression of calamity.”
53 The active participle is understood as past durative here, drawing attention to typical action in a past time frame. However, it could be taken as generalizing (in which case one should translate using the English present tense), in which case the psalmist moves from narrative to present reality. Perhaps the participial form appears because the statement is lifted from Job 12:21.
54 Heb “set on high.”
55 Heb “all evil,” which stands metonymically for those who do evil.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

He turns rivers into a desert,

springs of water into thirsty ground,

a fruitful land into a salty waste,

because of the evil of its inhabitants.

He turns a desert into pools of water,

a parched land into springs of water.

And there he lets the hungry dwell,

and they establish a city to live in;

they sow fields and plant vineyards

and get a fruitful yield.

By his blessing they multiply greatly,

and he does not let their livestock diminish.

When they are diminished and brought low

through oppression, evil, and sorrow,

he pours contempt on princes

and makes them wander in trackless wastes;

but he raises up the needy out of affliction

and makes their families like flocks.

The upright see it and are glad,

and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

He turned rivers into a desert,

flowing springs into thirsty ground,

and fruitful land into a salt waste,

because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

He turned the desert into pools of water

and the parched ground into flowing springs;

there he brought the hungry to live,

and they founded a city where they could settle.

They sowed fields and planted vineyards

that yielded a fruitful harvest;

he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,

and he did not let their herds diminish.

Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled

by oppression, calamity and sorrow;

he who pours contempt on nobles

made them wander in a trackless waste.

But he lifted the needy out of their affliction

and increased their families like flocks.

The upright see and rejoice,

but all the wicked shut their mouths.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

He turns rivers into desert,

springs into thirsty ground,

and fruitful land into salty wasteland,

because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.

He turns a desert into a pool,

dry land into springs.

He causes the hungry to settle there,

and they establish a city where they can live.

They sow fields and plant vineyards

that yield a fruitful harvest.

He blesses them, and they multiply greatly;

he does not let their livestock decrease.

When they are diminished and are humbled

by cruel oppression and sorrow,

he pours contempt on nobles

and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.

But he lifts the needy out of their suffering

and makes their families multiply like flocks.

The upright see it and rejoice,

and all injustice shuts its mouth.

NLTNew Living Translation

He changes rivers into deserts,

and springs of water into dry, thirsty land.

He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands,

because of the wickedness of those who live there.

But he also turns deserts into pools of water,

the dry land into springs of water.

He brings the hungry to settle there

and to build their cities.

They sow their fields, plant their vineyards,

and harvest their bumper crops.

How he blesses them!

They raise large families there,

and their herds of livestock increase.

When they decrease in number and become impoverished

through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,

the Lord pours contempt on their princes,

causing them to wander in trackless wastelands.

But he rescues the poor from trouble

and increases their families like flocks of sheep.

The godly will see these things and be glad,

while the wicked are struck silent.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

He turns rivers into a wilderness

and springs of water into thirsty ground,

a fruitful land into a salty place,

because of the evil of its inhabitants.

He turns a wilderness into a pool of water

and a dry land into springs of water.

And he settles the hungry there,

so that they may establish a city to inhabit,

and sow fields and plant vineyards,

that they may yield fruit at harvest.

And he blesses them and they multiply greatly,

and he does not let their cattle become few.

When they become few and they are bent down

from the oppression of calamity and grief,

he pours contempt on princes

and causes them to wander in a trackless waste.

But he protects the needy from misery,

and he makes their families like a flock.

The upright see it and are glad,

and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

KJV 1900King James Version

He turneth rivers into a wilderness,

And the watersprings into dry ground;

A fruitful land into barrenness,

For the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

He turneth the wilderness into a standing water,

And dry ground into watersprings.

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.

He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly;

And suffereth not 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.

Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction,

And maketh him families like a flock.

The righteous shall see it, and rejoice:

And all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

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