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Book Five
Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So
107 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with none to help.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.
Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!
Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great waters;
they saw the deeds of the LORD,
his wondrous works in the deep.
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the evil of its inhabitants.
He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
And there he lets the hungry dwell,
and they establish a city to live in;
they sow fields and plant vineyards
and get a fruitful yield.
By his blessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their livestock diminish.
When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
he pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
but he raises up the needy out of affliction
and makes their families like flocks.
The upright see it and are glad,
and all wickedness shuts its mouth.
Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.
(ESV)
Psalm 107 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
But He lifts the needy out of their suffering and makes their families multiply like flocks. 42 The upright see it and rejoice, and all injustice shuts its mouth. 43 Let whoever is wise pay attention to these things and consider the LORD’s acts of faithful love.
Psalms 107:41-43 HCSB
When I read this psalm, I am reminded that God is with us at all times. He never leaves or forsakes His children. Over and over again, this psalm reminds us that God is near to those who cry out to Him regardless of if they can tangibly feel Him or not. It reminds me of a very popular OT story.
When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced off with King Neb, they knew the consequences were severe. They not only faced death, but they faced being burned alive. It would have been convenient to back down and do what he asked. They chose to stand up for God. They stood up for truth. They believed in the faithful acts of God’s love. I’m sure in their hearts, they cried out desperately for Him to save them.
After their refusal to bow down to a false god, the red-faced King raged on them. He ordered the furnace to be heated 7 times hotter. He ordered them to be bound in ropes. He ordered the strongest of all his men to tie them up. Some of the guards who flung these three into the furnace died themselves because of how hot the fire burned. As King Neb looked in, he saw not three but four men walking around.
Many believe this was Jesus who stood with these men and protected them from the fiery furnace (“the form of the fourth is like the Son of God”). The interesting detail that most people miss is that their clothes and bodies did not burn, but the ropes that bound them did. We know this because they were seen “loose, walking in the midst of the fire.” A detail we don’t know is if these three actually saw Jesus when He was with them, and this is a good reminder for us.
Sometimes we are acutely aware of Jesus’ presence in our lives. Sometimes He seems miles away. In both situations, He is there nonetheless, working in ways we never imagined. C.H. Spurgeon noted that God’s people often experience three different types of furnaces in their life.
“First, there is the furnace which men kindle.”
“Secondly, there is a furnace which Satan blows with three great bellows.”
“And thirdly, there is a furnace which God Himself prepares for His people.”C.H. Spurgeon
No matter which fire we have been in (or are currently in), Jesus is there! Let that sink in for a moment. Jesus is with you. Not only that, Jesus will use that fire to free you from bondage, reveal Himself in ways never before seen, and bolster your faith in His mighty power. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walked freely in the furnace and Jesus used it to set them free from the falsely constructed shackles of man! The fire that man built only served to make these three stronger in their faith – and He does the same thing for us today!
So, consider, where have you forgotten that Jesus is with you? Where are you struggling to see His strength in your trial? How sad would it have been for these three had they compromised and never experienced the power of God in that fire?