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Weds 9 December - Psalm 107

Psalm 107

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures for ever.

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story –
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.

4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.
5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.
6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.
8 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.

10 Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,
prisoners suffering in iron chains,
11 because they rebelled against God’s commands
and despised the plans of the Most High.
12 So he subjected them to bitter labour;
they stumbled, and there was no one to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
and broke away their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
and cuts through bars of iron.

17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways
and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
18 They loathed all food
and drew near the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them;
he rescued them from the grave.
21 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
22 Let them sacrifice thank-offerings
and tell of his works with songs of joy.

23 Some went out on the sea in ships;
they were merchants on the mighty waters.
24 They saw the works of the Lord,
his wonderful deeds in the deep.
25 For he spoke and stirred up a tempest
that lifted high the waves.
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
in their peril their courage melted away.
27 They reeled and staggered like drunkards;
they were at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for mankind.
32 Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people
and praise him in the council of the elders.

33 He turned rivers into a desert,
flowing springs into thirsty ground,
34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,
because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
35 He turned the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into flowing springs;
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
and they founded a city where they could settle.
37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards
that yielded a fruitful harvest;
38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,
and he did not let their herds diminish.

39 Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled
by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
40 he who pours contempt on nobles
made them wander in a trackless waste.
41 But he lifted the needy out of their affliction
and increased their families like flocks.
42 The upright see and rejoice,
but all the wicked shut their mouths.

43 Let the one who is wise heed these things
and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

- - -

Meditation on Psalm 107

Here is another of the salvation-history Psalms where we are reminded of God’s redeeming work with His people over many centuries.
We, too, can look back to God’s redeeming work with us over the years.
As we do, our response should be as in verse 1: ‘Give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever.’

Psalms 105 and 106 are also salvation-history Psalms.
Psalm 105 encourages Israel to worship and trust in the LORD because of His saving work.
Psalm 106 is a catalogue of Israel’s failures – their rebellion against God and their cry for God to save them.
Psalm 107 encourages Israel to praise the LORD and give thanks to the LORD for …
• His unfailing love
• His wonderful deeds for mankind.

And this is a challenge for us today to praise the LORD and give thanks to Him.
Note verse 2: we should tell our story because we …
• are the redeemed of the LORD
• have been redeemed from the hand of the foe.

Verses 4-9 Those who wandered in the desert wastelands - a possible reference to the Israelites wandering in the desert on their way to Canaan.
• no home
• hungry
• thirsty
• in trouble
• in distress
BUT – ‘they cried out’ and the LORD…
• delivered them
• led them
• satisfied their hunger and thirst
SO WHAT? ‘Let them give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever’

Verses 10-16 Those who were held captive – a possible reference to the exiles in Assyria and Babylon.
• darkness
• in chains
• bitter labour
• no-one to help
This was because of their sin and rebellion against God.
BUT - ‘they cried out’ and the LORD…
• saved them
• brought them into the light
• broke their chains
SO WHAT? ‘Let them give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever’

Verses 17-22 A period of rebellion – a possible reference to the people demanding a king rather than obeying the LORD.
• they became fools - they despised wisdom and guidance
• afflicted
• loathed all food
• on the edge of death
BUT - ‘they cried out’ and the LORD…
• saved them
• taught them
• healed them
• rescued them
SO WHAT? ‘Let them give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever’

Verses 23-32 Those in peril on the sea – a possible reference to Solomon’s fleet of ships at Ezion Geber (1 Kings 9:26-28)
• in peril
• reeling
• staggering
• at their wits’ end
BUT - ‘they cried out’ and the LORD…
• brought them out of their trouble and distress
• calmed the storm
• guided them
SO WHAT? ‘Let them give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever’

Verses 33-42 A reminder that the LORD is in control of all circumstances.
• rivers into a desert
• springs into a thirsty ground
• fruitful land into a salt waste
BUT then the opposite in verse 35

Then another couplet of opposites in verses 36-38
• a place to settle
• fruitful fields
• increasing numbers
BUT then…
• numbers decreased
• oppression
• calamity
• sorrow

There’s one more BUT … the LORD
• heard the cry of the needy
• saved them from affliction
• blessed their families

No wonder the Psalmist draws this to a conclusion ...
• the upright know what is going on
• the wise take notice of these things
• they think about the loving kindness of the LORD.

Whatever you may be going through at the moment, remember this…
• the LORD knows
• the LORD listens
• the LORD acts
• the LORD loves.

(Roger Purdom)

 

Daily Readings

Thursday 10 December - Psalm 108

Friday 11 December - Psalm 109

Saturday 12 December - Psalm 110

Sunday 13 December - Psalm 111

Monday 14 December - Psalm 112

Tuesday 15 December- Psalm 113

 

New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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