Sunday, August 3, 2014 pm
STUDIES IN PSALMS
Oh that Men would Give Thanks to the Lord For His Goodness
Psalm 107
Tonight, we examine another psalm.
Like the past 2 psalms, this one addresses Israel as YHWH
interacts with them. In Psalm 105 we noted that the LORD keeps His
covenants and in 106 we addressed the rebellion of Israel and the LORD’S
mercy. The focus of this
psalm seems to be on God’s deliverance of Israel.
As
with the previous 2 psalms, we are not told who the author is, (though
the first portion of 105 is very similar to the wording of David as the
ark was brought into Jerusalem –1 Chron. 16:7-22).
As to Psalm 107, it is believed to have been penned after the
return from Babylonian captivity and is descriptive of God’s ability to
deliver His people from every circumstance.
After an introductory plea, psalm 107 describes four different forms of
peril from which the people are delivered.
This is followed by an admonition to take heed to understand the
LORD. In each of the four
sections we find the following expression, ““Oh, that men would give
thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the
children of men!”
This is the beginning of the fifth and final book of the psalms.
a.
Acknowledging Him, His
goodness and mercy (1-2)– typical of the psalms, we see qualities of
YHWH that prompt such praise.
b.
Let the redeemed of the
Lord say so
– redemption is the idea of being delivered or avenged by a kinsman. It
was used on one sold into bondage or even avenging the blood of a slain
relative.
In this psalm, it has reference to God delivering His people – He
avenged them and bought them out of their captivity.
Continually, throughout Israel’s history, YHWH redeemed His
people, even from Egypt (cf. Exodus 6:6)
Clearly, it is a NT theme as well – Titus 2:13-14“looking for the
blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus
Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every
lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for
good works.”
1 Peter 1:18 we were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ.
Let the redeemed of the
Lord say so
– here we find a call to
DECLARE one’s redemption.
AGAIN, we find a psalmist calling upon his readers to OPENLY profess
their God.
Don’t keep it to yourself.
We too are reminded (again) to herald our hope to a lost and dying
world.
c.
Redeemed from every
corner of the lands – God could bring His people back from wherever they
were scattered.
Making application today, I think of the lost sheep and the shepherd
leaving the flock to find him.
Will we search to and fro for the lost in our midst?
a.
Wandering in a desolate way, hungry and thirsty and weak in soul
(4-5). The most memorable
time for Israel was obviously after the Exodus.
But if in captivity, this is figurative of a state of
hopelessness. In captivity,
Judah could not worship God as prescribed.
They had lost their freedom and were hundreds of miles from their
home. They were in captivity
for up to 70 years (it happened in stages).
Their circumstances were
out of their control.
b.
They cried to the Lord
in their trouble
(6) – sometimes we need to reach that point of despair where there is no
hope within ourselves. It is
at that point, that we humble ourselves and turn to a power greater than
us for strength. God is that
source of power. God
remembered His people.
c.
He delivered them out of their distress.
He led them to a city where they could dwell.
(6-7) The Lord returned Judah from Babylonian captivity.
It was His will, promised over and over.
(cf. Isa. 41:14-20)
d.
Oh, that men would give
thanks to the Lord for all His goodness, and for His wonderful works to
the children of men.
(8) This is the first of 4
times this expression is used in this psalm.
We are again reminded that in our redemption, we ought to be
grateful to Him. How
thankful are we for His grace and mercy?
1 Tim. 1:12, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord…”; 2 Tim. 1:3; 2
Corinthians 2:14 “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph
in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in
every place.” IN
ALL of these verses, we find the word “thanks” which is most often
translated “grace.” A true
gratitude to God for His goodness.
e.
He satisfies the longing
soul and fill the hungry soul with goodness – Matthew 5:6 we shall be filled.
f.
Our wilderness wanderings – while upon this earth, we are “strangers and pilgrims” 1
Peter 2:11. This world can
be like a wilderness to the godly.
We live in times where Christians are facing more difficulties.
It seems as if things are getting hopeless, but they don’t have
to be! Just as God redeemed
Israel from their captivity, so He can redeem us and He will – if not in
this life, in the next. Romans 8:37, in these things we are more than
conquerors.
a.
Sitting in darkness and bound in affliction and irons
(10). A sign of captivity.
b.
Why?
Because they rebelled against the
words of God and despised His counsel (11).
This was their own spiritual doing.
They had been warned and now they were paying the price.
c.
They were brought into bondage with none to help
(12)
d.
They cried out to the
Lord and He saved them out of their distresses (13)– again we find an appeal to God, a repentance.
e.
He delivered them and
broke their chains
(14)
f.
OH, that men would give thanks…(15) - a second time this expression is given.
g.
He has broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron in two
(16)– God brought them out of their bondage, out of the city of
captivity
h.
Our imprisonment
– the New Testament speaks of bondage to sin.
Jesus died to free us from that bondage (Heb. 2:15).
Yet sometimes, even as His children, we may find ourselves caught
up again in sin. WE are
struggling to overcome Satan, but he seems to have a grip over us.
God can deliver us from this too, if we will repent and turn to Him.
1 Cor. 10:13, 1 John 4:4, “You are of God, little children,
and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who
is in the world.”
a.
Fools, because of their transgression and iniquities were afflicted
(17) – they were sick, but it was an affliction they brought on
themselves – sin, iniquities.
The reason Israel was captive was their continual rebellion and
sins against God.
Their punishment was just.
b.
Souls abhorring food
(loss of appetite) and drew near to death (18) – when one is sick, there are often symptoms that make
life miserable – loss of appetite, weakness, etc.
Imagine the corrupt and prosperous in the land of Israel now
relegated to slavery and minimal necessities.
c.
They cried out to the Lord and He saved them out of their distresses
(19) – again we find their turning around – their repentance.
d.
Through His word He
healed them
(20) – His word could mean at
His command OR it could be His instructions.
Both certainly would apply.
We find here the ONLY answer to the disease of sin – HIS word,
His will!
e.
OH that men would give
thanks…
(21)
f.
Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare His works
with rejoicing
(22) – when we are “healed” will we praise Him and do that which is
right.
g.
Sometimes, we too are faced with spiritual “illness”.
We read of brethren becoming weak, under-nourished, eye problems,
ear problems, heart problems, etc.
The cure is to turn back to God.
As the Lord told the church at Laodicea, “I counsel you to buy
from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white
garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may
not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.”
(Revelation 3:18)
a.
They go out to sea to do business (23) – living as if there is nothing wrong.
BUT…
b.
They see the works of
the Lord and wonders in the deep
(24) Truly the heavens and the
seas declare God’s glory.
Seeing such majesty, leaves one without excuse for rejecting Him.
But they did – over and over.
c.
A terrible storm arises tossing them about where they stagger and are at
their wits’ end
(25-27). They are carried
about with no control whatsoever.
d.
They cry out to the Lord
in their trouble.
(28) Just like the disciples of Jesus cry out in the stormy waters, so
these cry out. (Matt. 14:29-33; 8:23-27)
e.
He calms the storm
and stills the waves
(29)– everything we read about the powers of Jesus would here apply.
f.
They are glad because they are quiet and arrive at their desired
destination
(30). When the time came,
Judah was released from their captivity and arrived where God desired.
They came home.
g.
Oh that men would give thanks…. (31)
h.
Let them exalt Him in
the assembly of the people and praise Him in the company of the elders
(32)
Again, we find public acknowledgement of our God.
This time it is in “the assembly.”
We cannot overemphasize the need to be with one another regularly
– Heb. 10:24-25
“Therefore
by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is,
the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” (Hebrews
13:15)
i.
Are we carried about by “winds”? I think of 2 things in this expression.
1) We’re easily deceived because we are not properly anchored.
Ephesians 4:14-15
2) We face storms in this life, sometimes of our making and at other
times out of our control.
Troubles happen. We face
adversity. Sometimes
temptations pound upon us like a storm.
TURN to God! He can calm the
storm! He can give you
protection from the storm.
a.
He turns rivers into wilderness. (33-34) AT His will, when needed He can take
prosperity and turn it into poverty.
He can defeat your enemy.
b.
He turns wilderness into
pools of waters and provides habitation (35-38)
Conversely, God can take the hopeless and give them hope.
Just as He can take a barren land and give it life.
c.
When they are diminished through oppression, affliction and sorrow He
pours contempt on princes – the captors (39-40) As
this psalm addresses Israel in captivity, when they reach the point of
having been humbled and return to God, He can afflict their oppressors
as well.
d.
Yet He sets the poor on
high and makes their families flourish (41) Again, we
see that He can take those who seem to have nothing and lift them up.
e.
The righteous see it and
rejoice
(42) The righteous
with love will never rejoice in iniquity, but rejoice in truth (1 Cor.
13:6)
f.
Whoever is wise will observe these things.
They will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
(43)
Often, at the conclusion of a lesson I will say, “the lesson is yours.”
The idea is submitting the thoughts for your consideration.
HERE, the psalmist concludes by noting that the wise will observe these
things and take them to heart.
He will realize the goodness of God.
As Hosea 14:9 concluded his prophecy, “Who is wise? Let him
understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways
of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors
stumble in them.”
IN so doing – he will take courage when facing adversity, when he is
chastised he will repent, in all things he will trust in God and realize
that He IS greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
Paul said in Ephesians 3:14-21,
“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be
strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ
may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and
grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is
the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ
which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of
God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that
we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be
glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and
ever. Amen.”