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| A Study of Psalm 107:1-43 | |
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| Verse 1 1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. This psalm is a poem about the goodness of God. Beginning in verse 1, we are called upon to give thanks unto the Lord because of his goodness. God’s goodness is everywhere. He is always reaching toward us with his hand of mercy. In about 1675 Stephen Charnock wrote, "God only is infinitely good. A boundless goodness that knows no limits, a goodness as infinite as his essence, not only good, but best; not only good, but goodness itself, the supreme inconceivable goodness. All things else are but little particles of God, small sparks from this immense flame, sips of goodness to this fountain. ... The goodness of God is the measure and rule of goodness in everything else." This psalm gives us many examples of God’s goodness. I believe each section can be a comfort to us as we face different struggles in our life. We are saved, we are delivered, we are healed, we are rescued, all because of God’s goodness. Verses 2-5 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. 5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. These verses are referring to the wandering of the nation of Israel in exile and how God saved them from their captivity. But we can apply this to our own life. We were also in captivity, bound by the chains of sin. We were spiritually wandering in the wilderness of our own pride and stubbornness, and we couldn’t find rest for our souls. We were spiritually lost. But then one day, we cried to the Lord. Verses 6-9 6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. 8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. We cried unto the Lord in our trouble, and he delivered us out of our distresses. We were lost, but God found us and made us part of his family. A poor boy in Spain was explaining to a man why he had committed his life to Christ. Someone had given him a New Testament, and he read in Matthew that two sparrows were sold for a farthing. But then he read in Luke that five sparrows were sold for two farthings. He explained to the man, "Our Lord knew well our custom of selling birds. As you know, we trap birds, and get one chico for two but for two chicos, we throw in an extra sparrow. That extra sparrow is only a small, unimportant bird. But then I think of myself, poor and insignificant, and no one would think of counting me. I’m just like the fifth bird. But Jesus said, not one of them is forgotten before God — not even the fifth bird. Then I knew God hadn’t forgotten me." If you are crying to the Lord because you are spiritually thirsting, know that God cares about you just as he did the boy from Spain. We can come to him because of his goodness. He will not cast us aside, and he is never too busy to hear our cry. Verses 6 and 8 become the repeated theme of this psalm, "Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses," and, "Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" No matter what we may be facing, we can cry to the Lord in our trouble and he will deliver us out of our distresses. When he does, let us be like the psalmist and praise the Lord for his goodness and his wonderful works to the children of men. Martin Luther wrote, "This is a wonderful verse and full of perfect instruction, in the first place, that the blessings of God upon us are by pure mercy and not deserved. Therefore he puts ‘mercy’ first and does not say ‘our redemption,’ but ‘His mercy,’ for the purpose of showing that nothing of that was from us, but from God alone. Therefore it immediately follows that a man should not boast of them or be superior to others and not give credit to himself but to the Lord, who has done these mercies to us. If they are the mercies of the Lord, they should give thanks to no one but the Lord." Verses 10-12 10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. These verses tell us about those who are afflicted and find no help. Do you feel like you’re sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death? Do you feel trapped with no one to help? Many have shared your feelings of affliction. In 1635 John Donne wrote of his own struggles,
Verses 13-16 13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. Even though they were afflicted and felt helpless, they cried unto the Lord. And what do these verses tell us, "He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and brake their bands asunder." God will break you bands asunder. He will bring you out of darkness and the shadow of death. Cry to him in your trouble, and he will save you out of your distresses. And don’t forget to praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. As Spurgeon wrote, "If we complained less, and praised more, we should be happier, and God would be more glorified. Let us daily praise God for common mercies — common as we frequently call them, and yet so priceless, that when deprived of them we are ready to perish. Let us bless God for the eyes with which we behold the sun, for the health and strength to walk abroad, for the bread we eat, for the raiment we wear. Let us praise Him that we are not cast out among the hopeless, or confined amongst the guilty; let us thank Him for liberty, for friends, for family associations and comforts; let us praise Him, in fact, for everything which we receive from His bounteous hand, for we deserve little, and yet are most plenteously endowed. But, beloved, the sweetest and the loudest note in our songs of praise should be of redeeming love. God’s redeeming acts towards His chosen are for ever the favourite themes of their praise." Verses 17-18 17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. 18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. From these verses we find those that are suffering sickness, diseases so bad that they have lost all their appetite and are near to the gates of death. Verses 19-22 19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. 20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. They cried unto the Lord and verse 20 tells us God "sent his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." What illness are you facing? Do you feel your strength is weakening? Then cry to the Lord. He will heal you. In 1550 John Calvin explained, "Again, in saying that they are delivered from destruction, the prophet shows that he is here alluding to those diseases which, in the opinion of men, are incurable, and from which few are delivered. Besides, he contrasts God’s assistance with all the remedies which are in the power of man to apply; as if he should say, that their disease having baffled the skill of earthly physicians, their recovery has been entirely owing to the exertion of God’s power. It is proper also to notice the manner in which their recovery is effected; God has but to will it, or to speak the word, and instantly all diseases, and even death itself, are expelled." Verses 23-27 23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; 24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. 25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. These verses talk about those who are in the shipping or fishing business facing loss of their ship and their lives, but I think we can apply it to all those that have business or financial set-backs. I knew two young men who were forced to declare bankruptcy and lost their business. They felt like such failures, and even to this day I don’t think one of them has fully recovered. Verses 28-32 28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. Are you having difficulties on the job or going through financial turmoil? Call upon the Lord. Notice that verse 29 promises, "He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still." No matter what business or financial woes you may be facing, you can come to the Lord. He has promised to help you. Remember, when you cry to the Lord in your trouble, he will bring you out of your distresses. And don’t forget to praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Verses 33-34 33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. There are times when we will face problems because of our sins and our mistakes. Sometimes we are too stubborn to do things God’s ways, other times we’re drawn away by desires for the wrong things. But in either case we may find ourselves in trouble of our own making. As Martin Luther wrote in 1514, "Therefore by a common law these three trials come to the individual saints to be experienced. For these three powers of the soul, intellect, will, and memory, even in the baptized remain in their weakness and their stable, where they always necessarily have to be cared for. Besides, they are always bothered and tempted by the demons and many others. Who is there who never does wrong? Who always wants the right thing? And who can? Who always perseveres in these trials, especially with so many driving waves of desires?" Verses 35-38 35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. 36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; 37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. 38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. Even when we get ourselves in trouble, God is there to rescue us. No matter how bad things may seem, don’t give up. God has promised to help you. Ballard comments, "Should we not try this way of prayer with greater perseverance? Should we not try it for our contemporaries in days of supreme difficulty? ... If we will but cry to the Lord in our trouble, he will deliver us from our distress—not perhaps as we hoped or expected, but according to his great love and his everlasting mercy." Verses 39-40 39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. 40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. There will be times when we face emotional problems — oppression, affliction, sorrow. We will feel low as if we are wandering in the wilderness having lost our way. When this happens, we can cry unto the Lord. Verses 41-43 41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. 42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. 43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. Here is the final wonderful promises in the psalm: God will set the poor on high, the righteous will rejoice, and we will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. So no matter what you are going through, no matter what you may be facing, no matter how dark or discouraging things may seem, remember the theme of this Psalm. Cry unto the Lord in your trouble, and he will deliver you out of your distresses. When God does deliver you, be sure to praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! John Calvin writes, "The prophet now draws the conclusion, that so many evident tokens of God’s superintending and overruling providence could not transpire before the righteous without attracting their notice, and that their vision being illuminated by faith, these scenes are contemplated by them with unfeigned delight...." Footnotes: This study on Psalm 107 © 1997 by David
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