Psalms 107:1. O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Because we are sinners God's goodness takes the form of mercy. Mercy this was what we wanted; therefore, instead of mere benevolence towards the good, God's love takes the form of mercy towards the guilty, and this mercy is for ever it always was, always is, and always shall be.
Psalms 107:2. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
Let the redeemed be the first to sing, and let them sing the sweetest of all. O children of God, you are meant to be leaders in the chorus of God's praise. All nature is a great organ, and if you be what you should be, you are the men whose fingers of gratitude are to touch the keys and bring forth thunders of praise unto God.
Psalms 107:3. And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
It is a part of redemption's work to gather out all people fetch them into a separated condition. The voice of redemption sounds «come out from among them and be ye separate. Touch not the unclean thing.» And the hand of redemption gathers out God's chosen and brings them into a saved unity where they enjoy fellowship with each other and with God.
Now here he gives a description of the gratitude which is due to God from different persons who have been partakers of his mercy. First, souls are here compared to lost travelers.
Psalms 107:4-19. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
Some of you know what this means. You have lost your way. You know not how to find it. Spiritually you are in a wilderness, and you would, if you could, get to the city of Jerusalem. You would get to the very heart of God, but you cannot. You find no city to dwell in no peace no rest. Moreover, your spiritual wants are very pressing. You are hungry and you are thirsty, but it is a wilderness, and you cannot find a morsel of food. No manna drops for you. Your soul is ready to faint. You feel as if you could not go another step nor search another inch. To lie down and die is all that you can do. But the vultures are in the air; and you are afraid even of despair. You are hard pressed. Notice it is said, «Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble.» Why did not they do so before? Because men do not begin to pray to God as long as they have any hope beside. But when all hope is gone, then comes the first real living agonizing cry to heaven; and no sooner is that heard than God answers it. «He delivered them out of their distresses.»
Psalms 107:7-19. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Is there a longing soul here tonight? Amidst these thousands, surely there must be some! Well, dear soul, God will satisfy you. He will not merely stay your hunger for a little while, and help you to break your fast, but your longing shall be satisfied. And if you are hungry, he will fill you, and fill you not only with good, but with goodness itself the very quintessence of everything that is excellent. Next, the psalmist describes prisoners. We have a picture of the spiritual state of man from another point of view.
Psalms 107:10-13. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; because they rebelled against the words of God, and condemned the counsel of the most High: therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
These were prisoners in a prison where they were forged to work, and where they found no rest. A picture of a dark soul a soul over which death spread his dragon-wings. You know what it means to be brought into spiritual death to feel the chill of spiritual death even to your very marrow, paralyzing you, and binding all your hopes in everlasting frost, do you not? Have you been in dread of the wrath to come? Have you set to work to redeem yourselves, and toiled like slaves, but toiled in vain? Has your heart been brought down from your high notions, and your proud desires, and your boastings, and your loftinesses? Then is fulfilled in you the words of this text «Therefore he brought down their heart with labour: they fell down, and there was none to help.» «Then,» but not till then, «then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.» Proud hearts will not pray. When a man can help himself, he will not cry to God. As long as he has any hope left within the compass of his nature, he will not turn to the God who made him. But what a blessed despair that is which drives us to God! It is like the wave that sweeps the mariner up on to the rook where he is safe. May such a wave of despair catch some of us, and hurl us into safety! They cried and he saved them.
Psalms 107:14-16. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
The third picture of our lost estate is given us under the image of a sick man.
Psalms 107:17-19. Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry
Even these fools! «Then they cry»
Psalms 107:19-22. Unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
One more picture is given, and that is of a soul at sea, tossed with tempest and not comforted spiritually shipwrecked.
Psalms 107:23-28. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit's end. Then they cry
Never till they get to their wit's end do men cry to God. When nothing else is to be done, and all human might has utterly failed, then they cry. Now, you that have ever been in this storm you know what it means. You recollect how you were sailing smoothly along with fair weather, and suddenly a spiritual cyclone took a hold of you, and twisted your soul round about threw you sometimes up with presumptuous hopes, and then down again with awful despairs. You could not stand or hold to anything, even the truth you did know you could not believe, and the promises which you could believe you could not apply to yourself. There was no hold-fast for you. You reeled and staggered, and your courage was gone. Your soul was melted because of trouble. There seemed nothing before you but the abyss. Deep called to deep, and Jehovah's waterspouts sent forth a sound. Now, you thought «surely the end is come,» and then it was that you began to pray.
Psalms 107:28-32. Unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.