Maranatha Baptist Church
Psalm 107
  • Speak O Lord

      • Matthew 6:25ESV

      • Matthew 6:26-28ESV

      • Matthew 6:29-30ESV

      • Matthew 6:31-33ESV

      • Matthew 6:34ESV

  • Seek Ye First
  • I Will Sing of My Redeemer

      • Psalms 107:1-4ESV

      • Psalms 107:5-8ESV

      • Psalms 107:9-12ESV

      • Psalms 107:13-16ESV

      • Psalms 107:17-20ESV

      • Psalms 107:21-24ESV

      • Psalms 107:25-28ESV

      • Psalms 107:29-31ESV

      • Psalms 107:32-35ESV

      • Psalms 107:36-39ESV

      • Psalms 107:40-43ESV

  • This morning’s Psalm is the beginning of book 5. This final book of the Psalm is the longest of the 5 books of the Psalms.
    Our psalm this morning begins the same was as last week’s. The same phrase that opens the last Psalm of book 4, also opens book 5 of the Psalms. The Psalms do not only start with the same language, but the conclusion language of Psalm 106, is responded in the opening of Psalm 107.
    The end of Psalm 106 begins the tone shift from the focus of the exile, and the return to the land:
    Psalm 106:47–48 ESV
    47 Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise. 48 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord!
    And this leads us into the focus of book 5 which focuses on God’s faithfulness to his promises - specifically the promise of the Messiah, the Son of David who would reign for ever and usher in his kingdom.
    That final plea that ends book four “save us oh Lord our God, and gather us from the nations…” finds it’s response in the beginning of this morning’s Psalms. The plea for God’s deliverance is responded by a Psalm that is heavily focused on God’s redeeming of his beloved. Psalm 107 much like Psalm 106 draws our attention to the enduring steadfast love of the Lord.
    God shows his love for his people by redeeming them from their distress. This Psalm will show God delivering people in both their spiritual distress as well as their physical distress. God’s salvation of his people is not only limited to a spiritual salvation.
    Psalm 107 sets up 4 stories of human tragedy that is resolved by divine deliverance. With the goal of each of those stories responding by the disposition that is set up by verses 1-3. That the redeemed of the Lord:
    Psalm 107:1–3 ESV
    1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble 3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
    Verses 1-3 severe as a prologue to the four stories that are found from verses 4-32.
    As they prayed for God to gather them together - now they celebrate that he has brought them from every direction of the earth. And now we celebrate, and anticipate, the gospel going forth to every corner of the earth.
    And then the Psalmist gives these four narratives of how God has redeemed his people.
    Two acts (the first and last) from calamity… two acts from iniquity (the second and third).
    The first story dealing with wanderers in the desert. The fourth sailors on the sea.
    The second those who rebelled against God’s word and it led them to prison. The third, describes fools who suffered because of their sins.
    Each of these stories follow the same format:
    A group of some sort goes some where. Some wandered (v.4), some sat (v. 10), some were fools (v. 17), some went down (v.23). This situation for each group leads to distress.
    In their distress, they cry out to the Lord, and he delivers them form their distress. (v. 6, 13, 19, 28.)
    Then they are encouraged to respond to the Lord in thanksgiving for his steadfast love. (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31.)
    And each of these narratives, serves to remind the redeemed of the Lord to rejoice in his steadfast love.
    STORY 1: Desert Wanderers
    Psalm 107:4–9 ESV
    4 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; 5 hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. 6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. 8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
    This first group are wanderers who are unable to find a home. From what we read their circumstance is not brought on by sin. But rather their wandering has led to fatigue, hunger, thirst and the need for shelter.
    When they cry our to the Lord for help. And he hears and delivers them from their distress.
    The Lord delivers them by providing a path that leads them to a city where they can dwell.
    For a nation of wanderers who spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness, and is coming out of exile to return home. This first narrative is very appropriate.
    And also for the Christ, who is as Hebrews 13:14 tells us that we do not have a lasting city, but seek the city that is to come.
    But the Lord is not merely the provider of physical shelter. The Psalms remind us repeatedly, that our Lord is himself our shelter, and ever present help in times of trouble.
    And as verse 7 states that he led them by a straight way - the Bible demonstrates that for those who trust in the Lord he will direct our paths. Psalm 23 states that the Good Shepherd leads us beside still waters, he makes us lie down in green pastures.He leads us in paths of righteousness for his namesake.
    The wanderers are hungry and thirsty. And while the Lord does meet our physical needs. The Lord Jesus himself satisfies the longing soul. The hungry soul he fills with good things, because he is the bread of the life. The thirsty comes, comes to him to drink of the living water and thirsts no more.
    From those who wander in the desert, the next group are those who sit in the dark.
    STORY 2: Darkness Sitters
    Psalm 107:10–16 ESV
    10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, 11 for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. 12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. 13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. 15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 16 For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.
    Verse 11 - identifies them as rebelling against God. God delivers them out of their sinfulness.
    In this second story, the group that is redeemed is a group of prisoners, sitting in darkness - enslaved. The language conveying both that of a physical enslavement, as well as an enslavement to sin - and thus a spiritual and a physical darkness.
    This phrase carrying a similarity to what David writes in Psalm 23:4
    Psalm 23:4 ESV
    4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
    In Luke 1 after John the Baptist is born to Elizabeth and Zechariah. Zechariah prophesies concerning his own son, the forerunner to the messiah, but also concerning the Messiah.
    And at the end of his prophesy in Luke 1:79 he states:
    Luke 1:79 ESV
    79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
    Picking up on language from both verse 10 and 14 of our Psalm for this morning. Zechariah in his prophesy is looking back at Psalm 107, as he looks forward to the birth of the Christ child. His prophecy directs us to the light of the world.
    So as book 5 awaits the coming Messiah, Zechariah is drawing the conclusion to his arrival and the deliverance that he will bring from sin and darkness.
    Concerning the Lord’s deliverance of this group here - he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron. Jesus sets us free from our captivity to sin. Though we are enslaved to our sins, unable to do anything good - Jesus through his death sets us free from our sins, by taking our penalty upon himself - and cancelling the debt that we owed.
    Though they sat in darkness, the redeemer comes and shines a light in the darkness and the darkness is not able to overcome it.
    As we move from group 2, to group 3 - we have the second group that is suffering because of their own sinfulness.
    STORY 3: Foolish Sinners
    Psalm 107:17–22 ESV
    17 Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; 18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. 19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 20 He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. 21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!
    They are afflicted and drawing near to the gates of death. And they cried out to the Lord and he delivered them. God provides them with healing.
    They are healed by his word, and delivered from destruction.
    This is not a promise for everyone to be healed from their ailments. Sometimes God does heal use from our disease, other times he doesn’t. Even so, blessed be the name of the Lord.
    However, for those who call upon the name of the Lord, those who trust in Christ Jesus as Lord and savior. There is healing. There is healing from our sins. But there is also the promise of future glorification for the believer. Though that healing may not be physical or immediate, in the age to come, we are promise to have a glorified body that is free from sin, free from breaking down, disease, death. We shall be like Jesus is, when he was risen from the grave. God may bring healing today. And if he does bring praise to him - tell of his deeds in songs of joy! But if the healing awaits for tomorrow, or for eternity praise him for that good news now.
    STORY 4: Sailing Merchants
    In the 4th and longest narrative, we have sailing merchants going down to sea.
    Psalm 107:23–32 ESV
    23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; 24 they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. 25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; 27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 29 He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. 31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
    Their suffering IS NOT because of sin. In fact, God has sent the storm upon them. And he delivers them from that. Verse 25 tells us that the Lord commanded and raised a stormy wind, that God lifted up the waves of the sea.
    They witness the mighty deeds of God.
    They are hopeless. At their wits end. So they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them from their distress. In response to this the Lord makes the storms to be still, the waves are hushed. The sailors rejoice in what the Lord has done. They thank God for his steadfast love and his wondrous works that he does done for them.
    if you’ve been with us most of this summer then God’s relationship to the sea should not come as any surprise. Earlier this summer we read in Psalm 104:6-7:
    Psalm 104:6–7 ESV
    6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. 7 At your rebuke they fled; at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
    They Lord rebukes the seas and they flee. Also in Psalm 106:9, we read that the Lord rebuked the Red Sea and it became dry.
    Psalm 106:9 ESV
    9 He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
    From our Psalms this summer we learn that: The Lord rebukes the sea and they listen. But we also read in our Psalm today, that the Lord sends the storms upon the sea.
    And there is this fascinating New Testament parallel to this passages.
    Matthew, Mark and Luke all record this event, but Luke 8:22-25 has a lot packed into his retelling:
    Luke 8:22–25 ESV
    22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. 24 And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”
    Luke seems to have been reading Psalm 107 when he wrote this…
    The men in turn respond with fear asking “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” Luke 8:25.
    Their answer is found in Psalm 104, 106 and 107. Who rebukes the winds and waves that they listen?
    God.
    This Psalm has points us to the deliverance that the Messiah will bring. Luke draws all of that together to demonstrate that the long awaiting Son of David will redeem his people - and his name is Jesus. He is the light of the world, David’s Son and David’s Lord, and he is the redeemer.
    And the redeemed of the Lord should praise him.
    This Psalm shows us that God saves us from himself, and his wrath. But also that God saves us from ourselves, our sins, and our hellbent decisions to ruin our own lives. Whether wandering in the desert, or in a dark prison (spiritual or physical) or in plagued by our foolishness, or caught is a storm - God cares for his people - and he is able to save them.
    In verses 33-43, the Psalm shifts from stories of redemption to a hymn of praise to God for his redemption and his steadfast love.
    The first two verses there, repeating what the Lord has done following the sin of Adam and Eve. That because of the evil of the inhabitants the rivers he turned into a desert… because of their sin.
    Psalm 107:33–34 ESV
    33 He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, 34 a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants.
    However, the following verses show us that God does not merely smite people. God is not arbitrary in how he pours out judgment.
    God is not some mean kid standing over an anthill with a magnifying glass. While some might be tempted to read 33-34 and think that - the following verses show us otherwise.
    God does not merely turn rivers to deserts but he also:
    Psalm 107:35–38 ESV
    35 He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. 36 And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; 37 they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield. 38 By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish.
    Where God is able to punish and destroy, he is also able to rebuild and restore. While this certainly is a comfort for the people who are coming back from exile. Also consider what it means for us. He punishes sin, he disciplines those he loves, he blesses. He can turn a desert into an oasis.
    And even made state 48 inhabitable.
    We are able to live in this arid desert because of the mind that God has given man to store and transport water… and easily cool a hot room. By his command rainfall though rare, feeds the land. It’s by his word that Lake Roosevelt rises, or is emptied. The reoccurring theme that we have seen this summer of the sovereignty of God over all of creation. God works in creation to show us his steadfast love.
    (YOU PROBABLY DON’T NEED TO READ 39-42)
    Psalm 107:39–42 ESV
    39 When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, 40 he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; 41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. 42 The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
    Verses 39-42 describe to us what occurred with Egypt, and with Babylon. The ones who were diminished and brought low through oppression, evil and sorrow… are the Hebrews… but they are liberated by his deliverance, as he poured contempt on princes… and he pours the red sea waters back over the king of Egypt - to bring Israel out of slavery. He humbled Nebuchadnezzar by making him eat like a beast, but he also restored him in Daniel 4. It is the Lord who brings about the death of Belshazzar, in Daniel 5 - that Cyrus may conquer Babylon and permit the Israelites to return to Jerusalem.
    While this is presented differently than our four stories of redemption above - that is what this is as well. Some went down into Egypt - some went down into Babylon - some went to Assyria. But the Lord heard their cries from Egypt - from Babylon and he delivered them. And they should respond by thanking him for his steadfast love.
    God delivers the sinner from their distress.
    God is not only concerned with our spiritual state. He is concerned with our physical as well. However, the greatest issue that each of us has is our sin.
    The psalm concludes on verse 43, which gives us application.
    Psalm 107:43 ESV
    43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
    From the beginning of the psalm, we read that redeemed of the Lord should speak of his greatness. If you have experienced the love of the Redeemer, Jesus Christ, then as the redeemed you should joyfully tell others of what he has done for you. Give thanks to him, for he is good.
    And for the wise person, pay attention to what the Lord is doing. Consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
    Consider what it means that Jesus Christ took on humanity in order to pay the punishment that we deserved for our sins - that we might inherited eternal life.
    Let the redeemed of the Lord the Lord say so.

      • Psalm 106:47–48ESV

      • Psalm 107:1–3ESV

      • Psalm 107:4–9ESV

      • Psalm 107:10–16ESV

      • Psalm 23:4ESV

      • Luke 1:79ESV

      • Psalm 107:17–22ESV

      • Psalm 107:23–32ESV

      • Psalm 104:6–7ESV

      • Psalm 106:9ESV

      • Luke 8:22–25ESV

      • Psalm 107:33–34ESV

      • Psalm 107:35–38ESV

      • Psalm 107:39–42ESV

      • Psalm 107:43ESV

  • Redeemed

      • Psalm 108ESV

Maranatha Baptist Church
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