Bible in Basic English
Those who were in the dark, in the black night, in chains of sorrow and iron;
Because they went against the words of God, and gave no thought to the laws of the Most High:
So that he made their hearts weighted down with grief; they were falling, and had no helper.
Then they sent up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gave them salvation out of all their troubles.
He took them out of the dark and the black night, and all their chains were broken.
Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
The doors of brass are broken by his arm, and the bands of iron are cut in two.
Foolish men, because of their sins, and because of their wrongdoing, are troubled;
They are disgusted by all food, and they come near to the doors of death.
Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles.
He sent his word and made them well, and kept them safe from the underworld.
Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
Let them make offerings of praise, giving news of his works with cries of joy.
Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in the great waters;
They see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
For at his word comes up the storm-wind, lifting high the waves.
The sailors go up to heaven, and down into the deep; their souls are wasted because of their trouble.
They are turned here and there, rolling like a man who is full of wine; and all their wisdom comes to nothing.
Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles.
He makes the storm into a calm, so that the waves are at peace.
Then they are glad, because the sea is quiet, and he takes them to the harbour of their desire.
Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
Let them give glory to him in the meeting of the people, and praise among the chiefs.
He makes rivers into waste places, and springs of water into a dry land;
He makes a fertile country into a salt waste, because of the sins of those who are living there.
He makes a waste land into a place of water, and a dry land into water-springs.
And there he gives the poor a resting-place, so that they may make themselves a town;
And put seed in the fields and make vine-gardens, to give them fruit.
He gives them his blessing so that they are increased greatly, and their cattle do not become less.
And when they are made low, and crushed by trouble and sorrow,
He puts an end to the pride of kings, and sends them wandering in the waste lands where there is no way.
But he puts the poor man on high from his troubles, and gives him families like a flock.
The upright see it and are glad: the mouth of the sinner is stopped.
Let the wise give thought to these things, and see the mercies of the Lord.
— Psalms 107:10-1964, Bible in Basic English
“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: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of 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! For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of 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! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. 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. 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 wits’ end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 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; 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. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. ”
“They sat in utter darkness, bound in painful iron chains, because they had rebelled against God’s commands, and rejected the instructions of the Most High. So he used suffering to humble them; they stumbled and no one helped them up. They cried out to the LORD in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. He brought them out of the utter darkness, and tore off their shackles. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people! For he shattered the bronze gates, and hacked through the iron bars. They acted like fools in their rebellious ways, and suffered because of their sins. They lost their appetite for all food, and they drew near the gates of death. They cried out to the LORD in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. He sent them an assuring word and healed them; he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people! Let them present thank offerings, and loudly proclaim what he has done! Some traveled on the sea in ships, and carried cargo over the vast waters. They witnessed the acts of the LORD, his amazing feats on the deep water. He gave the order for a windstorm, and it stirred up the waves of the sea. They reached up to the sky, then dropped into the depths. The sailors’ strength left them because the danger was so great. They swayed and staggered like a drunk, and all their skill proved ineffective. They cried out to the LORD in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. He calmed the storm, and the waves grew silent. The sailors rejoiced because the waves grew quiet, and he led them to the harbor they desired. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people! Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people! Let them praise him in the place where the leaders preside! He turned streams into a desert, springs of water into arid land, and a fruitful land into a barren place, because of the sin of its inhabitants. As for his people, he turned a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into springs of water. He allowed the hungry to settle there, and they established a city in which to live. They cultivated fields, and planted vineyards, which yielded a harvest of fruit. He blessed them so that they became very numerous. He would not allow their cattle to decrease in number. As for their enemies, they decreased in number and were beaten down, because of painful distress and suffering. He would pour contempt upon princes, and he made them wander in a wasteland with no road. Yet he protected the needy from oppression, and cared for his families like a flock of sheep. When the godly see this, they rejoice, and every sinner shuts his mouth. Whoever is wise, let him take note of these things! Let them consider the LORD’s acts of loyal love!”
Guiding them in the right way, so that they might come into the town of their resting-place.
Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
He gives its desire to the unresting soul, so that it is full of good things.
Those who were in the dark, in the black night, in chains of sorrow and iron;
Because they went against the words of God, and gave no thought to the laws of the Most High:
So that he made their hearts weighted down with grief; they were falling, and had no helper.
Then they sent up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gave them salvation out of all their troubles.
He took them out of the dark and the black night, and all their chains were broken.
Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
The doors of brass are broken by his arm, and the bands of iron are cut in two.
Foolish men, because of their sins, and because of their wrongdoing, are troubled;
They are disgusted by all food, and they come near to the doors of death.
Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles.
He sent his word and made them well, and kept them safe from the underworld.
Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
Let them make offerings of praise, giving news of his works with cries of joy.
Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in the great waters;
They see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.
For at his word comes up the storm-wind, lifting high the waves.
The sailors go up to heaven, and down into the deep; their souls are wasted because of their trouble.
They are turned here and there, rolling like a man who is full of wine; and all their wisdom comes to nothing.
Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles.
He makes the storm into a calm, so that the waves are at peace.
Then they are glad, because the sea is quiet, and he takes them to the harbour of their desire.
Let men give praise to the Lord for his mercy, and for the wonders which he does for the children of men!
Let them give glory to him in the meeting of the people, and praise among the chiefs.
He makes rivers into waste places, and springs of water into a dry land;
He makes a fertile country into a salt waste, because of the sins of those who are living there.
He makes a waste land into a place of water, and a dry land into water-springs.
And there he gives the poor a resting-place, so that they may make themselves a town;
And put seed in the fields and make vine-gardens, to give them fruit.
He gives them his blessing so that they are increased greatly, and their cattle do not become less.
And when they are made low, and crushed by trouble and sorrow,
He puts an end to the pride of kings, and sends them wandering in the waste lands where there is no way.
But he puts the poor man on high from his troubles, and gives him families like a flock.
The upright see it and are glad: the mouth of the sinner is stopped.
Let the wise give thought to these things, and see the mercies of the Lord.