Psalms 107
McGeeDEUTERONOMY SECTIONPerfection and Praise of the Word of GodPsalms 107-150Psalms 107 begins the Deuteronomy section of the Book of Psalms. Dr. Gaebelein makes this comment: “The fifth book written by Moses begins with a great retrospect in the plains of Moab, in which inspired Moses reviews God’s gracious dealing with His people. They were then facing the land of promise, into which they were soon to enter. In the opening psalm of this Deuteronomy section the remnant of Israel is seen prophetically regathered and about ready to enter the land. They are looking back over their age-long experiences, how He led them, dealt with them, humbled them, preserved and kept them” (The Book of Psalms, p. 399). Believers of all ages have shared experiences such as these in their personal lives, and they are applicable to you and me. Psalms 107THEME: God is goodThis is a psalm that has been greatly misunderstood. I feel that an excellent commentator like Matthew Henry, who had wonderful things to say about this psalm, missed it because he did not see the prophetic aspect of it. I trust by now that you are seeing the deep meaning in these psalms when they are put in their proper context. It is the song of the wandering Jew when he reenters the Promised Land. Also this psalm has a special meaning for us in our day and has blessed the hearts of saints down through the ages. This is a psalm I would like to see set to music. It divides itself naturally into four stanzas, and the chorus is repeated three times (vv. Psa_107:8, Psa_107:21, and Psa_107:31).
Psalms 107:1
THE PROVIDENCE OF GODHE DIRECTS PILGRIMSMy suggestion would be that this be sung as a tenor solo. We need more “say so” Christians. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Don’t go around complaining and criticizing. If you are a Christian, tell others how good God is. He is good, but He doesn’t have a good name in the world today. God’s reputation is bada reputation is what people think about you.
God does not have many friends in court among the multitudes of people in the worldno champion, or defender, and few to testify on His behalf. There are few to take the witness stand and say a good word in His behalf. If you doubt that, look around. Consider the pagan and heathen religions. Their conception of God is terrifying. He is pictured as a god that will destroy, not save; a god that is difficult to approach, and takes no personal interest in his creatures, nor does he love them.
The average person today lives in a land with a veneer of civilization, a modicum of education, with a little Christian culture smeared on like face cream. To him God is not a Person to be cultivated; He is kept at arm’s length. He is not considered a good neighbor, and He is very hard to please. Most people think of God as sort of a policeman, waiting around the corner to catch them in some wrongdoing. A little girl accidentally gave the average conception of God when she recited a Scripture verse and got it a bit confused. She said, “If God be for you, you are up against Him.” That is the thinking of many people. If anyone is going to say that God is good, it will have to be His redeemed ones. God is good. That is not an axiom; it is a proposition that is subject to proof. It is not a cliche nor a slogan; it is not propaganda. It is true.
Psalms 107:3
The Lord is gathering people from the east, west, north, and south. Who are they? God is talking about Israel.
Psalms 107:4
Remember that Psalms 107 begins the Deuteronomy section of the Psalms and corresponds to the Book of Deuteronomy, the last book of the Pentateuch which was written by Moses. This section deals with the perfection and praise of God’s Word. In Deu_28:64-65, God already told the Israelites that they would be scattered because of their sins: “And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind.” This has been the picture of the Jews down through the ages when they disobeyed God and were out of their land. But God is going to gather them together once again and make good His promise to establish them in the land. This is a wonderful picture of the providence of God in the lives of His people. It speaks of me also. God reached down in the wilderness of this world and saved me. He will do the same for you, if He hasn’t already done so. This is a glorious picture of the providence of God in the lives of His ancient peopleGod is not through with the nation Israel. In fact, God is not through with you and He is not through with me. This section has a message for us.
Psalms 107:8
THE PARDON OF GODHE DELIVERS PRISONERSLet’s make this a soprano solo. It begins on that high note of praise. In fact, it begins with this wonderful chorus: The chorus is at the beginning of this section rather than at the end. As we move down into this psalm, we will notice that God delivers prisoners, and we will see a picture of a man in prison. It describes Israel in the time of trouble, the Great Tribulation that is coming. If a man is in prison at that time, God will deliver him and bring him back into the land. Think of the multitudes in prison in Germany during World War II, and all of them did not get out. I wonder how many of them thought of this psalm at that time?
Psalms 107:10
This is a description of the prisoners’s helpless condition.
Psalms 107:14
Remember how God brought Simon Peter out of prison and how He delivered Paul and Silas at night. Also He has delivered us from the prison house of sin, and God has given us a pardon. God has a pardon for everyone, my friend. Someone might say, “If there is a pardon, why am I not forgiven?” Well, even in prison today a pardon must be accepted. I remember Dr. Harry Rimmer telling about a case in Pennsylvania in which a man was granted a pardon from prison by the governor, but he would not accept it. The prison officials were in a dilemma. What do you do when a man is granted a pardon and he will not accept it? Finally, an appeal was made to the judge, and he said, “The man will have to stay in prison.” A person has to accept the pardon before he can be free. The Lord has a pardon for you. In the Lord Jesus Christ we have forgiveness of sins and a pardon for our iniquities, but we have to accept it. Have you accepted your pardon yet? Are you delivered from sin and from the penalty for sin? This psalm is a marvelous picture of God’s mercy, and think what it is going to mean to Israel in the future! Many of them will be in prison, and God will deliver them and bring them back into their land.
Psalms 107:21
THE PROTECTION OF GODHE DISSOLVES PROBLEMSThis should be a bass solo. It opens with that same chorus: And, my friend, let’s do it!
Psalms 107:22
God wants you and me to bring an offering of praise and thanksgiving when we come to Him. As a result, “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb_13:10-15). You do not have to wait to go to church to give God a sacrifice: that is, the fruit of your lips giving praise to God. What can you thank Him for? You can thank Him for His protection. He has brought you to this present hour.
Psalms 107:23
This matter of being a sailor in the days of the psalmist was a dangerous business. A man who went on a voyage couldn’t be sure if he was coming back or not. He was more apt to commit himself to God than folk who board a great ship or a plane in our day. Many folk give it no thought at all, or they adopt the philosophy of fatalism and believe their day to die is predetermined. However, it is wonderful to be able to commit ourselves to God at a time like that.
Psalms 107:31
THE POWER OF GODHE DELIGHTS HIS PEOPLEHere now is the final stanza. This is a chorus, and we can all join in it because we need God’s power in our lives today. It is said of Thomas Aquinas that one day he walked in on the pope while he was counting the money of the church. The pope said, “Sir Thomas, no longer can the church say to the lame man, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’” Thomas wheeled around, started out of the room, and without looking back he replied, “That is right, sir. And no longer can the church say to the lame man, ‘Rise up and walk.’” Today we are problem conscious, not power conscious. The early church was conscious of the power of God. Many years ago the Standard Oil Company had a float in the Pasadena Rose Parade. It was a beautiful floatand I shall never forget itdecorated with American Beauty roses, the likes of which I had never seen before. Right in the middle of the parade the float ran out of gas and had to be towed. Everyone laughed, because the Standard Oil Company float is the last one that should have run out of gas! It certainly should have had gas, and enough of it for the parade, but someone had forgotten to fill the tank, and there it was. As I looked at that poor, helpless float, and heard everyone laughing, I felt sorry, because it was like the church of today.
We are beautiful, decorated in style with all of our buildings, our programs, our services, and our propaganda, but we have no power. Power is what the church needs, and power is what each individual believer needs. One reason we are powerless is that we are not praising the Lord as we should.
Psalms 107:32
We need to praise Godpraise goes before power. It puts gas in the tank and sends the rocket up yonder.
Psalms 107:43
A little girl has defined lovingkindness. She said, “If you ask your mother for a piece of bread and butter, and she gives it to you, that is kindness. But if she puts jam on it without you asking her, that is lovingkindness.” My friend, the lovingkindness of God is lavished upon us who belong to Him.