Psalms107

Psalm 107 is a call to give thanks unto the LORD for His enduring mercy and wonderful works. It illustrates God's deliverance of various groups in distress: wanderers, prisoners, the sick, and mariners, all of whom cried out to Him in their trouble. The psalm repeatedly urges men to praise God for His goodness and power, concluding with a reflection on His sovereignty over nature and nations.

Call to Praise the Redeeming Lord

1
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. ​
2
Let the redeemed by the LORD say so, whom he has 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
They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way. They found no city to live in. ​
5
Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
6
Then they cried to the LORD 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 to live in.
8
Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful works to the children of men! ​
9
For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.

Second Example: Prisoners of Rebellion

10
Some 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 condemned the counsel of the Most High. ​
12
Therefore he brought down their heart with labor. They fell down, and there was no one to help.
13
Then they cried to 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 broke away their chains.
15
Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful works to the children of men!
16
For he has broken the gates of brass, and cut through bars of iron.

Third Example: The Sick and Afflicted

17
Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience, and because of their iniquities. ​
18
Their soul abhors all kinds of food. They draw near to the gates of death.
19
Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble, he saves them out of their distresses.
20
He sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them from their graves. ​
21
Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22
Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with singing.

Fourth Example: Those in Peril at Sea

23
Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters; ​
24
These see the LORD’s works, and his wonders in the deep.
25
For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves.
26
They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts away because of trouble.
27
They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. ​
28
Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress. ​
29
He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still.
30
Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to their desired haven.
31
Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful works for 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
He turns rivers into a desert, water springs into a thirsty ground, ​
34
and a fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35
He turns a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into water springs. ​
36
There he makes the hungry live, that they may prepare a city to live in,
37
sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase.
38
He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly. He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease.
39
Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.
40
He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste. ​
41
Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock.
42
The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.
43
Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of the LORD. ​

Study Notes for Psalms 107

Verse 1

This psalm opens with a foundational liturgical call to worship, emphasizing the Lord's enduring loyal love (Hebrew: *hesed*), a covenant concept central to Israel’s identity.

Verse 2

The 'redeemed' refers primarily to Israel, gathered from the Diaspora after the Exile, reflecting the scope of God’s redemptive power across all directions.

Verse 4

The first scenario reflects the ancient motif of the Exodus wilderness experience, but also symbolizes any period of profound disorientation, lack of provision, and vulnerability in life.

Verse 8

This verse introduces the first of four identical refrains (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31), providing the structural backbone of the psalm and serving as a universal invitation to gratitude.

Verse 10

This case describes those suffering the consequences of moral failure, where 'darkness and the shadow of death' signify not only physical prison but also spiritual despair and judgment.

Verse 11

Unlike the desert wanderers (who suffered physical distress), the affliction of the prisoners is explicitly attributed to their active disobedience and contempt for God's divine guidance.

Verse 17

This section addresses those whose affliction and near-death experience are described as the direct result of their own 'transgression' and folly (*'ewilim*), emphasizing self-inflicted suffering.

Verse 20

The healing agent is God's 'word' (davar), highlighting that divine restoration is not merely physical intervention but a creative, authoritative declaration that conquers destruction.

Verse 23

This final scenario depicts the ultimate experience of human helplessness before the overwhelming power of nature, common among ancient peoples who viewed the deep waters as chaos.

Verse 27

The imagery of staggering and being 'at their wits’ end' dramatically illustrates the utter loss of human control, emphasizing that salvation must come entirely from an external, sovereign source.

Verse 28

In all four scenarios (vv. 6, 13, 19, 28), the consistent path to deliverance is the desperate, collective cry to the Lord in their trouble, demonstrating the efficacy of prayer.

Verse 33

The psalm shifts from specific rescue accounts to a meditation on God’s total control over the natural world, showing He uses environmental change (drought or fertility) as instruments of judgment or blessing.

Verse 35

This reversal of conditions (turning wilderness into water) highlights God’s power to create stability and provision for the poor and hungry, demonstrating His faithfulness to the marginalized.

Verse 40

God’s judgment often involves reversing the status of the powerful, humiliating proud rulers ('princes') and leaving them disoriented, mirroring the distress of the original wilderness wanderers (v. 4).

Verse 43

This concluding wisdom challenge calls the reader to apply theological reflection, linking the observation of God's historical and environmental acts directly to understanding His enduring *hesed* (lovingkindness).

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options