PRAYER PSALM 107

Baruch Ata

YHVH - Elohey Yisrael, Avi

(Bless You, YHVH - Elohim of Israel, my Father).

YHVH - Avinu Ba’sha’ma’yim (our Father in Heaven), we Your redeemed ones give You thanks, for You are good; and Your mercy, El Ra’chum (Compassionate God), endures forever.  For You, Go’aleynu (our Redeemer), have redeemed us from the hand of the enemy and are gathering us out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

We wandered in the wilderness, in a desolate way and found no city to dwell in.  Hungry and thirsty, our souls fainted from within.  But when we cried out to You, YHVH - Mephaltey’nu (our Rescuer), in our trouble, You delivered us out of our distresses.  You led us forth by the right way, that we might go to a city for a dwelling place.

Oh, that other men would give thanks to You - YHVH - Elohey Yisrael (God of Israel), for Your goodness, and for Your wonderful works that You do amongst the children of men!  For You, El Ro’eh (God Who Sees and Provides), satisfy the longing soul and fill the hungry soul with goodness.  But because they rebelled against Your words Elohey Emet (God of Truth), and despised Your counsel, El Elyon (God Most High), You brought down their heart with labor; they fell down and there was none to help.  They sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons.  But if they will cry out to You, YHVH - Elohey Yeshua’teynu (God of our Salvation), in their trouble, You will save them out of their distresses; You will brake their chains in pieces, and bring them out of darkness and the shadow of death. 

Oh, that men would give thanks to You, YHVH - El Ra’chum (Compassionate God), for Your goodness, and for Your wonderful works to the children of men!  But because of their transgressions and iniquities, they became fools, and their souls abhorred all manner of food and drew near to the gates of death.

Therefore You, Shofet Tzedek (Judge of Righteousness), turn their rivers into a wilderness, and the water springs into dry ground, a fruitful land into barrenness, all because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it.  They were diminished and brought low through oppression, affliction and sorrow, You pour contempt on their princes and caused them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way.

But if they will cry out to You, YHVH - Elohey Chesed (God of Mercy), in their trouble, You will save them out of their distresses.

You will send Your word and heal them, and deliver them from their destructions.  You will break the gates of bronze, and cut the bars of iron in two.  You will turn their wilderness into pools of water and dry land into water springs.  They will sow fields and plant vineyards and yield a fruitful harvest.  You will bless them and they will multiply greatly, their cattle will not decrease and there will be no one that hungers.  They will establish a city for a dwelling place.

Oh, that man would give thanks to You, YHVH for Your goodness and for Your wonderful works to the children of men!  Even those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, have seen Your works and Your wonders in the deep.  For You command and raise the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.  They mount up to the heavens; they go down again to the depths.   The souls of the sailors melt because of their trouble.  They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits' end.  But when they cry out to You, YHVH - El Shaddai (God Almighty), in their trouble, You will bring them out of their distresses and calm the storm, so that its waves are still.  Then they will be glad because they are quiet and You will guide them to their desired haven. Then they will sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare Your works with rejoicing.

Oh, that men would give thanks to You, YHVH - Elohey Yisrael (God of Israel), for Your goodness and for Your wonderful works to the children of men!  Let them exalt You also in the assembly of the people and praise You in the company of the elders.  For You have set the poor on high, far from affliction and make their families like a flock.  The righteous sees it and rejoices, but all the iniquitous stop their mouths.  Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand Your lovingkindness.

Hallelu-Yah!!!  For You, YHVH, are Elohim.  You are Elohey Yisrael, Elohey Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’acov.  Avi the Almighty reigns!

Isaiah 12's Prayer

The short chapter of Isaiah 12 in its entirety is a prayer of confession and comfort, but also a declaration of a promise and thanksgiving. The reason for this exclamatory prayer in Isaiah 12, which begins “In that day”, is found in the verses leading up to it; Thus we read in Isaiah 11:10-16: "And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the nations shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious. It shall come to pass in that day that YHVH shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left…  He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.  Also the envy of Ephraim shall depar t, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not harass Ephraim.  But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west; together they shall plunder the people of the East; they shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab; and the people of Ammon shall obey them…   There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who will be left from Assyria, as it was for Israel in the day that he came up from the land of Egypt.”  Now back (and forward) to Isaiah 12:1: “And in that day [being the day mentioned in 11:11] you will say: ‘O YHVH, I/we will praise You; though You were angry with me/us [Israel], Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me/us [Israel].  Behold, Elohim is my/our salvation, I/we will trust and not be afraid; 'For YAH, YHVH is my/our strength and song; He also has become my/our salvation [through Yeshua].’ Therefore with joy you/we will draw water from the wells of salvation [from the root of Jesse].  And in that day you/we will say: ‘Praise YHVH, call upon His name; declare His deeds [that is: keeping covenant and restoring the remnant of His people the whole house of Israel] among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted.  Sing to YHVH, for He has done excellent things; this is known in all the earth [the testimony of YHVH’s faithfulness to His covenant] Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!"  (emphases added).

What are the excellent things that YHVH has done, and is doing, other than bringing to fulfillment what He covenanted with the forefathers of Israel and Judah and what He promised through the prophets of old?  Together we can all exclaim that He is just and faithful!