Day 640: Psalm 107- Redemptive Reversals

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.
 
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.
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.
 
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!
 
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.
 
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.
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.
 
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.
43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
 
Meditation
God rescues and redeems because God is good and His steadfast love endures forever (1). The wise will reflect on the steadfast love of the Lord, meditating on God’s faithfulness (43). The redeemed of the Lord must say so (2), giving thanks and sharing the story of God’s redeeming love.
 
Four word-pictures enlarge the redemptive reversals provided through God’s steadfast love:
 
Those who wander in desert wastelands cry out, are rescued, and are filled with good things (4-9).
 
Those who sit in the shadow of death cry out and are delivered from their distress (10-16).
 
Fools caught in sinful ways cry out and are freed, forgiven, and healed (17-22).
 
Those weary from being tossed by the storms of life are glad when the seas are stilled and they are brought safely into port (23-32).
 
All who cry to the Lord are redeemed from their distress (6, 13, 19, 28), circumstances reversed, and security in God’s steadfast love gracefully given. God will redeem all He allows. Those redeemed and rescued are commanded to say so (2), telling of God’s deeds in songs of joy (22).
 
God’s redemptive reversals stir up thanksgiving, the driving imperative in this Psalm of praise. Redeemed people say so by giving thanks for God’s goodness (1) and His steadfast love (8, 15, 21, 31), through public song and personal meditation.
 
God reverses our realities with His redeeming love, demonstrating His faithfulness to hear, rescue, restore, and renew. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!
 
Richly Dwelling
-Which word picture of rescue resonates with you? Why?
 
-God redeems all He allows and rescues those who cry out to Him. Where do you need to give thanks for the goodness of God and His steadfast love that has rescued and redeemed you?
 
-How can you “say so”? With whom can you share stories of God’s redeeming love?
 
Key Verse
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble