As I step into this Psalm I am remembering our country, under threat by a so-called ‘super’ typhoon.
I am not denying the great power of this natural disaster… but, at the same time, I am certainly acknowledging the infinite superiority of the Maker of the heavens, and the One whom the winds and the waves obey.
I am remembering those who are sick, suffering from spinal injuries, and the complications brought about by cancer.
I am not denying the frailty of our human bodies, nor am I denying the immense pain and the relentless degeneration brought about by illness… but, at the same time, I am acknowledging the infinite superiority of the One who breathed life into mud and clay, and the One who cast out demons, leprosy, and even commanded the dead to come back to life.
I am remembering those who are suffering from rejection – myself included. I bring to mind the void that has been left behind, and the great loss of motivation and inspiration to keep on going.
I am not denying the deep-reaching consequences of our own words and decisions… but, at the same time, I am acknowledging the infinite superiority of the One who was willing and able to step out of glory and to be born as One of us; the One who was willing and able to go beyond merely healing the sick and even raising folks from the dead, beyond delivering us from disasters, demons and disease…
At this time, I am acknowledging the infinite superiority of the One who went beyond any of us could ever reach, to lay down His life as a perfect sacrifice, that not only would we be delivered from sin and death, but into righteousness, reconciliation, and eternal life. I am acknowledging the ultimate acceptance, greater than the most grievous and confusing of rejections.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him, all creatures here below.
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Psalm 107
Thanksgiving to the LORD for His Great Works of Deliverance
1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
3 And gathered out of the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south.
4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; They found no city to dwell in.
5 Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them.
6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses.
7 And He led them forth by the right way, That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
As we go through this Psalm, notice two things: We give thanks to the Lord, because when we cry out to Him, He delivers us out of our distress.
From a viewpoint of Christ, I do believe that His finished work is a guarantee that He has already heard us cry – yes, before we ever even cried out; His birth, death, resurrection and ascension is counted as a timeless response to our cry, a timeless deliverance out of our distress.
However, with this Psalm, I have reason to believe that with Christ in mind, we are able to give thanks to Him for our deliverance from all our temporal distress. In other words, as Christ has saved us and delivered us once and for all from the perspective of heaven and eternity, so He is able to respond to our cries and deliver us from our distresses here in the confines of time and space.
Indeed, we give thanks, because we have been redeemed. We who are under constant threat of the schemes of the enemy; We, who have been scattered and left listless and wandering in the lands, lost in the east and west, lost in the north and south… we who had no home, no food or drink, brought so low that our souls joined our bodies in fainting…
As the Israelites were in this state, and were rescued from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob… So we who placed our trust in Christ are also led – He HIMSELF is the Way, and His Name a Strong Tower in whom we dwell, in whom we are safe.
8 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
9 For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.
10 Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons—
11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High,
12 Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces.
Indeed, let us join the choir in endless praise! Let us join our brethren as they praised and thanked the Lord in generations past.
The Israelites were confined and captured, dwelling in darkness with the possibility of death, bound and constricted, if not dragged to labor in chains. They rejected the counsel of God, and rebelled against His words.
Here and now, we were also in our own shackles – we realize the sheer weight of sin and the penalty of death, with only darkness and doom before us.
But let us praise God, and let us thank Him! For as the God of Israel was faithful to His people, responding to their cries in their trouble, so those of us in the body of Christ receive help from our Father! We have been brought from darkness into the everlasting kingdom of Christ’s light, no longer fearful of the sting of death – our chains of sin are broken, and the power of the flesh no longer has any hold on us.
Thank You, Lord! For the lost have been found, and the captives have been set free!
15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
16 For He has broken the gates of bronze, And cut the bars of iron in two.
17 Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
18 Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses.
20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.
Indeed, let us continue to praise and thank the Lord, even as we are threatened, and surrounded. Let us take heart in our worship, and let us find true encouragement in our thanksgiving!
The chains that weighed us down have been broken, that we may move;
The gates have not only been opened, but broken, that we may run free!
Praise the Lord, for we are free to celebrate His lovingkindness, even in this dark and doomed reality.
We are free from sin, and free towards righteousness! We have been given a reason to live, not merely a chance to exist. In this world, we can taste and see that the Lord is good!
The lost have been found, the captives have been fully freed! Yes, the sick are healed, the hurt and rejected are restored. The broken are made whole, and the addicted are realigned.
Thank You, Lord!
21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
22 Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare His works with rejoicing.
23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters,
24 They see the works of the LORD, And His wonders in the deep.
25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
26 They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 He calms the storm, So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.
In face of the incoming typhoon, we give God all the glory.
We declare and proclaim that the Lord commands and raises the stormy wind.
We give thanks to the Lord, for His works and His wonders in the deep.
We thank God, that here and now, He lifts the waves of the sea. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still.
We shall only see the punishment of the wicked, but it will not come near us.
Not only has the storm been quieted, but we have been led to our safe space, our desired haven.
Let us continue to praise and thank the Lord for the revelations of His Word! For He is good and gracious to us, willing and able to help us.
Because of Christ, we have a Father who is willing, able, and WILL rescue us from darkness. He brings us to safety. He calms the storms. He sets us free of fear and heals us of our afflictions.
Let us give thanks to our God, our good Father who is greater – simply, infinitely greater than all!
31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders.
33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, And the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water, And dry land into watersprings.
36 There He makes the hungry dwell, That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
37 And sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
38 He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease.
39 When they are diminished and brought low Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow,
40 He pours contempt on princes, And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way;
41 Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction, And makes their families like a flock.
42 The righteous see it and rejoice, And all iniquity stops its mouth.
43 Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
Give thanks to the Lord, for the wicked are dealt with. Through Christ, the hungry are fed and safe, and we who place our trust in Him are blessed and multiplied.
We are delivered from oppression, affliction, and sorrow. We rejoice, knowing that all iniquity is silenced!
Oh, give glory and praise to our King, for by the mind of Christ we see His goodness in the land of the living! All praise and glory to our Father, now and forever – Amen!
Let us continue to pray. Indeed, by the power of the Holy Spirit, let us rejoice always, let us partner with the Spirit in praying without ceasing. Let us, even now, give thanks and continue to give thanks in all circumstances.
Thank You, Lord – You are faithful, and You are true. Thank You for everything! Thank You for salvation, for rescuing us, for healing us. Thank You for not only protecting us, but for going against all that threatens us. Thank You, for the winds and waves obey You! Thank You, Lord!
In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… amen.
348995/365000
JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter 
Leave a comment