Psalm 107:1-43
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Summary
- Deliverance and blessings for those who call upon God (and who repent, if necessary). Some of the examples include environmental blessings.
Details and/or Comments
- Praise God for his goodness and unfailing love, as well as for the wonderful things he does.
- Some of these distressing situations were caused by sin and rebellion. For others, there is no mention of these.
- These are examples. Some may refer to specific historical events that are recorded in Scripture. Some may be general statements about things that probably happened on numerous occasions.
Scripture
Psalm 107:1-43
- Many of these acts of deliverance are providential in nature.
Introduction
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Psa 107:1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.
Psa 107:2 Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary, Psa 107:3 And gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. |
Give praise to the God who has redeemed us.
This could have been written after the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities; or it may just be a general statement of deliverance "from all directions." |
Lost in the trackless wilderness
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Psa 107:4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way. They found no city to live in.
Psa 107:5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Psa 107:6 Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses, Psa 107:7 he led them also by a straight way, that they might go to a city to live in. Psa 107:8 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful works to the children of men! Psa 107:9 For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good. |
He delivered those in the wilderness.
"A city" - a place where people can live, where there is food and water (the opposite of the desert wilderness). |
Trapped in bondage (because of rebellion)
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Psa 107:10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron,
Psa 107:11 because they rebelled against the words of God, and condemned the counsel of the Most High. Psa 107:12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labor. They fell down, and there was none to help. Psa 107:13 Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. Psa 107:14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bonds in sunder. Psa 107:15 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful works to the children of men! Psa 107:16 For he has broken the gates of brass, and cut through bars of iron. |
He delivered those who, because of their sins, were prisoners (probably in a foreign land), in bondage and afflicted. He did so after they repented. They looked to him, the one they had rebelled against, for deliverance. |
Wasting away with disease (because of disobedience)
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Psa 107:17 Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience, and because of their iniquities.
Psa 107:18 Their soul abhors all kinds of food. They draw near to the gates of death. Psa 107:19 Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, he saves them out of their distresses. Psa 107:20 He sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them from their graves. Psa 107:21 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful works to the children of men! Psa 107:22 Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with singing. |
He delivers those who have gotten into trouble (a wasting disease) because of their own foolishness... after they turn to him in repentance.
"His word" (v. 20) - that is, his command. (In this context, it's not a reference to Scripture.) |
In peril on the sea
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Psa 107:23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters;
Psa 107:24 These see Yahweh's works, and his wonders in the deep. Psa 107:25 For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves. Psa 107:26 They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts away because of trouble. Psa 107:27 They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. Psa 107:28 Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress. Psa 107:29 He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still. Psa 107:30 Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to their desired haven. Psa 107:31 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful works for the children of men! Psa 107:32 Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people, and praise him in the seat of the elders. |
He delivers those in danger on the sea. They also see his works of power in the storm. |
God's discipline and restoration (the next 2 sections)
It is understood that the various forms of judgment (below) would be the result of sin on a national level. The various examples of restored blessings would be the result of repentance and turning back to God, on a national level. This is what Moses told the people would happen - see, for example, Leviticus 26:1-45 and Deuteronomy 28:1-68.
Here, the emphasis isn't a reminder that the wicked are punished and the righteous are blessed. Rather, the emphasis is that God is involved in both.
... through famine and abundance of food
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Psa 107:33 He turns rivers into a desert, water springs into a thirsty ground,
Psa 107:34 and a fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it. |
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| Psa 107:35 He turns a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into water springs.
Psa 107:36 There he makes the hungry live, that they may prepare a city to live in, Psa 107:37 sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase. Psa 107:38 He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly. He doesn't allow their livestock to decrease. |
(This would occur after the people repented.) |
... through defeat (war) and rebuilding
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Psa 107:39 Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.
Psa 107:40 He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste. Psa 107:41 Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock. |
The diminishing would involve subjugation to an enemy, after defeat in battle.
Quite often, the rich would tend to oppress the poor. |
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Psa 107:42 The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths. |
Why would the upright rejoice and the wicked be silenced? Because they would recognize that God blesses the righteous and judges the wicked.
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Conclusion
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Psa 107:43 Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of Yahweh. | Those who are wise will consider these things... and will respond appropriately! |
Scripture Passages
(Only books that have relevance to this study have active links. The others are in italics.)
Genesis • Exodus • Leviticus • Numbers • Deuteronomy • Joshua • Judges • Ruth • 1 Samuel • 2 Samuel • 1 Kings • 2 Kings • 1 Chronicles • 2 Chronicles • Ezra • Nehemiah • Esther • Job • Psalms • Proverbs • Ecclesiastes • Song of Solomon • Isaiah • Jeremiah • Lamentations • Ezekiel • Daniel • Hosea • Joel • Amos • Obadiah • Jonah • Micah • Nahum • Habakkuk • Zephaniah • Haggai • Zechariah • Malachi Matthew • Mark • Luke • John • Acts • Romans • 1 Corinthians • 2 Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians • 1 Thessalonians • 2 Thessalonians • 1 Timothy • 2 Timothy • Titus • Philemon • Hebrews • James • 1 Peter • 2 Peter • 1 John • 2 John • 3 John • Jude • Revelation |
—— To avoid any copyright issues, all Scripture is either from a public domain translation (such as the World English Bible), my own translation, or a combination of these. ——
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The name "Yahweh," when present in an Old Testament passage, represents the Hebrew name for the God of the Bible.
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Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.
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