The Psalm starts out with an expanded refrain, as is the way
with some hymns and contemporary songs today, too. We are called to “give thanks to
the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures
for ever.” All those redeemed by the
Lord from the four corners of the world are called to praise the Holy One. The steadfast love of the Lord is more than just constant and unchanging love-it is chesed, the all encompassing kindness and mercy of the Lord that we are called to emulate. As the Psalmist says, the chesed of the Lord endures forever.
The first stanza focuses on God’s redemption of people from
physical distress. In verse 4 we come to the first plaint, which is answered in
verse 7. “Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no
way to an inhabited town… he led them by a straight way, until they reached an
inhabited town.” The same pattern is repeated with verses 5 and 8. “hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them… For
he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things” In the
midst is the refrain-the reminder that God is the one to deliver. “Then they cried to the Lord
in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress…Let them thank the Lord
for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.”
Verses 10-16 have a similar pattern, focusing on freeing those
held captive, whether by their own or other’s will. “Some
sat in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in misery and in irons…he brought them
out of darkness and gloom, and broke their bonds asunder.” “for they had rebelled against the words of God, and
spurned the counsel of the Most High. Their hearts were bowed down with hard
labour; they fell down, with no one to help…For he shatters the doors of
bronze, and cuts in two the bars of iron.” Once again we hear the refrain. “Then they cried to the Lord
in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress…Let them thank the Lord
for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.”
The third stanza highlights relief from illness, esp.
spiritual sickness. “Some were sick through their sinful ways, and
because of their iniquities endured affliction… he sent out his word and healed
them, and delivered them from destruction.” Verses 18 and 22 highlight two
different kinds of food. The people were so ill that they couldn’t eat, but
when redeemed they offer thanksgiving sacrifices, which would include foods. “They
loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death…And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of
his deeds with songs of joy.” The refrain is a reminder of the One who saves
and our response. “Then they cried to
the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from
their distress…Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to
humankind.”
Verses 23-32 is a little different in pattern, talking about
the labor of sailors and the mighty deeds of God in the ocean. Even there,
though, when “They mounted up to heaven, they went down
to the depths; their courage melted away in their calamity…he made the storm be
still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.” Although they had “reeled and staggered like drunkards, and were at their
wits’ end…they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their
desired haven.” In the end, when “they
cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them
from their distress…Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to
humankind.”
The last two stanzas almost seem to come from another song
because they do not follow the same pattern of need and blessing and
thanksgiving. Instead they recount the works of God which bless the people even
when “they are diminished and brought low through
oppression, trouble, and sorrow, he pours contempt on princes and makes them
wander in trackless wastes; but he raises up the needy out of distress…”
Verse 43 ends the Psalm with a reminder which does return the focus of the
Psalm to the beginning “Let those who are wise give
heed to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.”
Paul reiterates this same theme in Romans 8:28 when he says,
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.” Sometimes it’s hard to see the
positive spin when something bad happens, but as the Psalmist discovers we too see that God does bring good and then we can say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.”
Psalm 107
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
those he redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
those he redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Some wandered in desert
wastes,
finding no way to an inhabited town;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress;
he led them by a straight way,
until they reached an inhabited town.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
For he satisfies the thirsty,
and the hungry he fills with good things.
finding no way to an inhabited town;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress;
he led them by a straight way,
until they reached an inhabited town.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
For he satisfies the thirsty,
and the hungry he fills with good things.
Some sat in darkness and in
gloom,
prisoners in misery and in irons,
for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor;
they fell down, with no one to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress;
he brought them out of darkness and gloom,
and broke their bonds asunder.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
For he shatters the doors of bronze,
and cuts in two the bars of iron.
prisoners in misery and in irons,
for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor;
they fell down, with no one to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress;
he brought them out of darkness and gloom,
and broke their bonds asunder.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
For he shatters the doors of bronze,
and cuts in two the bars of iron.
Some were sick through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities endured affliction;
they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress;
he sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from destruction.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.
and because of their iniquities endured affliction;
they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress;
he sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from destruction.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices,
and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.
Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the mighty waters;
they saw the deeds of the Lord,
his wondrous works in the deep.
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their calamity;
they reeled and staggered like drunkards,
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out from their distress;
he made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad because they had quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
doing business on the mighty waters;
they saw the deeds of the Lord,
his wondrous works in the deep.
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their calamity;
they reeled and staggered like drunkards,
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out from their distress;
he made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad because they had quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful works to humankind.
Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
He turns rivers into a
desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.
He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
And there he lets the hungry live,
and they establish a town to live in;
they sow fields, and plant vineyards,
and get a fruitful yield.
By his blessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their cattle decrease.
springs of water into thirsty ground,
a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.
He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
And there he lets the hungry live,
and they establish a town to live in;
they sow fields, and plant vineyards,
and get a fruitful yield.
By his blessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their cattle decrease.
When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
he pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
but he raises up the needy out of distress,
and makes their families like flocks.
The upright see it and are glad;
and all wickedness stops its mouth.
Let those who are wise give heed to these things,
and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
he pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
but he raises up the needy out of distress,
and makes their families like flocks.
The upright see it and are glad;
and all wickedness stops its mouth.
Let those who are wise give heed to these things,
and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
