Psalm 107
Praise to the Lord for replacing evil in the land with good

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Text
Explanation
The beginning of book five of the psalms

   "SUBJECT, etc. This is a choice song for the redeemed of the Lord (Ps 107:2). Although it celebrates providential deliverances, and therefore may be sung by any man whose life has been preserved in time of danger; yet under cover of this, it mainly magnifies the Lord for spiritual blessings, of which temporal favours are but types arid shadows. The theme is thanksgiving, and the motives for it. The construction of the psalm is highly poetical, and merely as a composition it would be hard to find its compeer among human productions.  The bards of the Bible hold no second place among the sons of song. 
   "DIVISION. The psalmist commences by dedicating his poem to the redeemed who have been gathered from captivity, Ps 107:1-3; he then likens their history to that of travellers lost in the desert, Ps 107:4-9; to that of prisoners in iron bondage, Ps 107:10-16; to that of sick men, Ps 107:17-22; and to that of mariners tossed with tempest, Ps 107:23-32. In the closing verses the judgment of God on the rebellious, and the mercies of God to his own afflicted people are made the burden of the song, Ps 107:33-42; and then the psalm closes with a sort of summing up, in Ps 107:43, which declares that those who study the works and ways of the Lord shall be sure to see and praise his goodness."  (From The Treasury of David)

 1 ¶ O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
 2  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
 3  And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
  1 - Mercy From chesed, "divine love."
  2 - Redeemed from the land Salvation in heaven is like redemption from Egypt.
  "In the city of God 'there shall be no night.' None will need or desire repose. There will be no weariness in doing the will of God and offering praise to His name. We shall ever feel the freshness of the morning, and shall ever be far from its close. 'And they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord giveth them light.' Rev. 22:5. The light of the sun will be superseded by a radiance which is not painfully dazzling, yet which immeasurably surpasses the brightness of our noontide. The glory of God and the Lamb floods the Holy City with unfading light. The redeemed walk in the sunless glory of perpetual day." (Ellen White, The Faith I Live By, p. 363.)
.4  They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
 5  Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
.6  Then they cried unto 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 of habitation.
.8  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
.9  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
  4 - Wandered ... wilderness ... no city The journey to Canaan is a symbol.
  5 - Soul fainted They allowed themselves to see the situations as oppressive forgetting about their heavenly Leader in the cloud.
  8 - That men would praise As we do, we are able to understand the greatness of our loving God. Also see v21.
  9 - Filleth the hungry soul As in mt0506.
.10 ¶ Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
 11  Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
 12  Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
.13  Then they cried unto 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 brake their bands in sunder.
 15  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
 16  For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
  10 - Darkness Ancient prisons were usually dark Christ came to save us from the bondage of sin and from the captivity of death. is6101.
  10 - Shadow of death Compare ps02304.
  13 - Cried ... saved them How often we try to solve our problems alone. We may cry out, not to make a lot of noise but to call on God realizing our own great need. God helped His people to be rescued from trouble jg0307-9, jg1215, jg0601-14. Compare ps14201.
.17 ¶ Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
.18  Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
 19  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
 20  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
.21  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
 22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
  18 - Soul abhorreth They hate food. Loss of appetite is often a sign of approaching death. Compare jb3320.
  20 - Sent his word The earth was created by this word ps03306. It also sustains spiritual life je1516, mt0404.
  21 - Oh that men would praise Neglect of attendance at worship and praise fellowship causes this neglect to praise. Also see on v8.
.23 ¶ They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
 24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
 26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted 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 unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
 29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
 30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
 31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
 32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

  24 - See the works of the Lord They realize that they are at His mercy.
  25 - He commandeth As we near the coming of Christ and the winds of strife are allowed to blow, God allows Satan to bring physical disasters, too. Compare re0703
.33 ¶ He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
.34  A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
 35  He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
 36  And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
 37  And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
 38  He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
 39  Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
 40  He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
.41  Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
.42  The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
.43  Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.
   33-43 - Wilderness Notice the contrasts of good into bad and bad into good. This pictures curses and blessings from God as He leads final victory over evil.
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