Psalm 107 "Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.. "
The psalmist gives 4 examples.. of people who were in great turmoil and trouble.. who then finally cried out to the Lord..
Verses 4-9
1. The wanderers... "They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region; they did not find a way to an inhabited city.. " These people were lost. They were hungry and thirsty. They were without hope and "their souls fainted within them." We know these kinds of people.. lost and without hope. Wandering through life without aim or purpose..
"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He delivered them out of their distresses. He led them also by a straight way, to go to an inhabited city."
"Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men!"
Verses 10-16
2. The prisoners... "There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in misery and chains." They were there because of their own fault.. their rebellion against God's word. They wouldn't listen to good counsel. We know people like this.. shackled by their addictions, their fears, their secret or not-so-secret sins... Verse 12 tells us that the Lord will humble them "with labor" - weary, worrying, exhausting labor... Hard to make it another day.. kind of labor.
"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bands apart."
"Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men! For He has shattered gates of bronze, and cut bars of iron asunder."
Verses 17-22
3. The fools... who "because of their rebellious way, and because of their iniquities.. " were afflicted. They were so sick they refused food. They "drew near to the gates of death". We know people like this.. sick of themselves.. sick of life.. suicidal.
"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."
"Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men! Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of His works with joyful singing."
Verses 23-32
4. The storm-tossed sailors... "Those who go down to sea in ships, who do business on great waters;" (these days we see many businesses facing these same struggles). "They have seen the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind, and lifted up waves of the sea. They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths; their souls melted away in their misery. They reeled and staggered like a drunken man and were at their wits end." We know people like this.. the rise and fall of prices.. of the stock market.. of the political climate.. keeping us all reeling and perhaps at our "wits' end"..
"Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distresses. He caused the storm to be still, so that the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they were quiet; So He guided them to their desire haven."
"Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men! Let them extol Him also in the congregation of the people. and praise Him at the seat of the elders."
Whatever troubles we might be facing.. or others we know might be facing.. HERE is the answer.. Cry out to the Lord! He is the only One who will deliver you.. bring you through.. bring you home!
Oh Father.. we give thanks to You for Your lovingkindness to us! We thank You for the wonders You have worked in our souls.. in our hearts.. in our homes.. in our world! We praise You and sing of Your wonderful gift of salvation through Jesus Christ our Savior. We praise You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who guides us to our desired haven.. to the place of rest and hope and peace in Your Presence. Father, we pray for the wanderers, for the imprisoned, for the foolish, and for those reeling from the storms of life.. we ask that they would hear Your voice, that they would remember Your Word.. and that they would cry out to You and find that You will deliver them! Let Your Word move across this land.. that Truth would be shouted from the rooftops and Light shine from above. We need You.. O how we need You.. Thank You for hearing our prayers and moving mountains.. for the sake of Your Holy Name. Amen.
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