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Psalms 107

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Call to Praise the Redeeming Lord 1–3

1
O give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. ​
2
Let the redeemed of Jehovah sayso, Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary, ​
3
And gathered out of the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south.

First Example: Wanderers in the Desert 4–9

4
They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way; They found no city of habitation. ​
5
Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them.
6
Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he delivered them out of their distresses,
7
He led them also by a straight way, That they might go to a city of habitation.
8
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men! ​
9
For he satisfieth the longing soul, And the hungry soul he filleth with good.

Second Example: Prisoners of Rebellion 10–16

10
Such as sat 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 labor; They fell down, and there was none to help.
13
Then they cried unto Jehovah 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 bonds in sunder.
15
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness, 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.

Third Example: The Sick and Afflicted 17–22

17
Fools because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, are afflicted. ​
18
Their soul abhorreth all manner of food; And they draw near unto the gates of death.
19
Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he saveth them out of their distresses.
20
He sendeth his word, and healeth them, And delivereth them from their destructions. ​
21
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22
And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare his works with singing.

Fourth Example: Those in Peril at Sea 23–32

23
They that go down to the sea in ships, That do business in great waters; ​
24
These see the works of Jehovah, 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 heavens, they go down again to the depths: Their soul melteth away because of trouble.
27
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. ​
28
Then they cry unto Jehovah 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 are quiet; So he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
31
Oh that men would praise Jehovah for his lovingkindness, And for his wonderful works to the children of men!
32
Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people, And praise him in the seat of the elders.

God's Sovereignty Over Nature and Society 33–43

33
He turneth rivers into a wilderness, And watersprings into a thirsty ground; ​
34
A fruitful land into a salt desert, For the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
35
He turneth a wilderness into a pool of water, And a dry land into watersprings. ​
36
And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, That they may prepare a city of habitation,
37
And sow fields, and plant vineyards, And get them fruits of increase.
38
He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; And he suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
39
Again, they are diminished and bowed down Through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.
40
He poureth contempt upon princes, And causeth them to wander in the waste, where there is no way. ​
41
Yet setteth he the needy on high from affliction, And maketh him families like a flock.
42
The upright shall see it, and be glad; And all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
43
Whoso is wise will give heed to these things; And they will consider the lovingkindnesses of Jehovah. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalms 107

Verse 1

give thanks unto the LORD — Yadah, to confess or acknowledge, literally to hold out the hand. The call is the standing liturgy of 1 Chr 16:34, Ps 106:1 and Ps 118:1. 'Mercy' is chesed, covenant love, which 'endureth for ever'; the same word closes the psalm in v.43.

Verse 2

the redeemed of the LORD — Gaal, to redeem as a near kinsman. The 'enemy' is tsar, the adversary or the narrow place. Ps 106:10 has the same verb 'redeemed' and the phrase 'from the hand of the enemy' (there a different word, oyeb) of Israel at the Red Sea; the New Testament speaks of Christ redeeming 'from all iniquity' (Titus 2:14).

Verse 4

solitary way — Yeshimon, a waste or desert, the word rendered 'wilderness' in Deut 32:10, where the LORD 'found him in a desert land'. 'Wandered' is taah, to stray; the same verb returns in v.40. The first company has no 'city to dwell in' (cf. v.7, v.36).

Verse 8

his wonderful works — Pala, to be marvellous, beyond ordinary power; the 'wonders' of v.24 are the same word. 'Goodness' is chesed, the 'mercy' of v.1. This verse is the refrain repeated word for word at vv.15, 21 and 31, after each rescue.

Verse 10

the shadow of death — Tsalmaveth, deep darkness; the 'iron' (barzel) fetters are literal bonds. The phrase returns in v.14 for the release. Luke 1:79 uses the words of the light given 'to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death'; compare Isa 42:7.

Verse 11

contemned the counsel of the most High — Naats, to spurn or despise; 'counsel' is etsah and 'most High' is Elyon. The prisoners' chains have a cause, unlike v.4. Luke 7:30 says of the Pharisees that they 'rejected the counsel of God against themselves'.

Verse 17

Fools — Eville, the perverse fool, who despises instruction (Prov 1:7: 'fools despise wisdom and instruction'). Their affliction is tied to 'transgression' (pesha, rebellion) and 'iniquities' (avon, crookedness). This third company suffers in the body (v.18) and is brought near 'the gates of death'.

Verse 20

He sent his word, and healed them — Shalach, to send, and davar, word, show the word going out as a messenger. 'Destructions' (shechith) is literally pits. The centurion grasped the pattern: 'speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed' (Matt 8:8); compare Ps 147:15.

Verse 23

do business in great waters — 'Go down' is yarad, as to the shore; 'business' is melakah, work or trade; 'great waters' is mayim rabbim. The fourth company are mariners, not wanderers or sinners: nothing is said of guilt. Isa 42:10 also speaks of those 'that go down to the sea'.

Verse 27

at their wits' end — Literally their wisdom (chokmah) is swallowed up (balah, to swallow). 'Reel' is chagag, to move in a circle, elsewhere used of keeping a feast. The staggering 'like a drunken man' is also God's doing in Job 12:25.

Verse 28

Then they cry unto the LORD — Tsaaq, the verb of v.6; vv.13 and 19 use zaaq, another word for crying out. 'Bringeth them out' is yatsa, the verb of v.14. The disciples' cry, 'Lord, save us: we perish' (Matt 8:25), is answered by calm (v.29; Matt 8:26).

Verse 33

He turneth rivers into a wilderness — Midbar, the same word as 'wilderness' in v.4; 'watersprings' (motsa) are places where water goes forth. This is the first of the reversals in vv.33–42. The LORD can 'make the rivers islands' (Isa 42:15); v.34 gives the cause, 'the wickedness of them that dwell therein'.

Verse 35

a standing water — Agam, a pool or marsh. This is the reversal of v.33: 'wilderness' (midbar) becomes water. It is promised for the redeemed in Isa 35:7, 'the parched ground shall become a pool', and echoed in Ps 114:8, where the rock becomes 'a standing water'.

Verse 40

He poureth contempt upon princes — Buz, contempt, and nadib, a noble or willing one. The line is also in Job 12:21, and Job 12:24 has the next: 'causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way'. 'Wander' is taah, the verb of v.4, so princes share the lot of the first wanderers.

Verse 43

understand the lovingkindness of the LORD — Chesed, the word of v.1 ('mercy') and v.8 ('goodness'), closes the psalm. 'Observe' is shamar, to keep or guard. The wise are those who consider all four rescues and the reversals; compare Hos 14:9, 'Who is wise, and he shall understand these things?'