Psalms 107: trouble, cry, deliverance, praise, repeat: part 8
March 31, 2018
Welcome to part 8 of this series of Psalms 107!
Verses 21 and 22
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.
This is the third of 4 times that the Israelites have praised the Lord for his goodness!
This also demonstrates their thankfulness, which the next verse mentions.
In their culture and biblical administration, that was the way to do it.
However, in our day, and in our biblical administration [the age of grace], there is a much better way to demonstrate our thankfulness.
I Corinthians 14:17
For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
This whole chapter is about the 9 manifestations [not gifts!] of holy spirit as they are to be operated within the church.
Contrary to what the devil would like you to be taught, every christian has the innate spiritual ability to manifest all 9 all the time!
Speaking in tongues is giving thanks well to God and was first made available on the day of Pentecost in 28A.D..
It just so happens that speaking in tongues is also demonstrating the wonderful works of God!
Acts 2:11
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Another benefit of the age of grace is that we don’t have to “sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving” by sacrificing animals on the altar on a regular basis.
We are a thanks-living sacrifice because Jesus Christ already sacrificed himself to God in our place.
Romans 12
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
What is at least one benefit of thankfulness?
Luke 17
11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith [believing] hath made thee whole.
True believing involves thankfulness and glory to God who makes us whole.
Look at the definition of the word “whole” in verse 19!
Check this out – do you see the first definition?
TO HEAL.
Psalms 107:20
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
The Lord our healer [Jehovah Rapha] healed the Israelites hearts first so they were able to believe Him for deliverance afterwards.
There are 3 parts of Psalms 107:20 and they are all in perfect order – his word, healing, and deliverance.
- They put God and his word first by doing his will, which is the love of God [Matthew 6:33 & I John 5:3]
- Then the Lord healed their hearts, which is where believing originates [Proverbs 4:23 & 23:7].
- This enabled them to believe God for his deliverance 5 times in a row! [Psalms 107:6, 13, 19, 20, 28]. 5 in the bible is the number of grace = unmerited divine favor.
Proverbs 24:16
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
This is another biblical principle the Israelites applied to their benefit. Seven in the bible is the number of spiritual perfection, so we don’t have to be perfect, we just have to be faithful.
The devil kept knocking them down, but with God’s grace and mercy and their thankful believing, they kept getting right back up.
They were like those plastic inflatable punching bags we get as children.
They have the weight at the bottom and no matter how many times you punch them or how hard you hit, they just keep coming back for more, like they’re mocking you, saying, “is that all you’ve got?”
When we believe God’s word with thanksgiving, we can tell the devil that.
Verses 23 and 24
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.
These sailors had the blue sea beneath them and the blue sky above.
In the bible, blue is indicative of God’s presence, so they were literally surrounded by the comforting presence of God.
What a magnificent place to be!
As Psalms 19 says, the heavenly bodies [planets, moons, stars etc] taught people the word of God long before the written word ever came around.
Not only were these maritime merchants surrounded by the presence of God, but they had in the night sky:
- The certainty and comfort of the stars for navigation
- The constant hope of Christ’s first coming
- Jesus Christ’s triumph over the devil!
The Earth in its orbit around the Sun causes the Sun to appear on the celestial sphere moving along the ecliptic (biggest red circle), which is tilted 23.44° with respect to the celestial equator (blue-white).
God so perfectly arranged the planets in our solar system, the stars in our galaxy and the trillions of galaxies in the universe to teach us his word so that the spiritual lessons in the night sky can only be seen and understood from the vantage point of earth, the only planet mentioned by name in the bible.
How could this have happened by accident???
Verse 25
25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
In this verse, it clearly indicates that the Lord is the one causing the storm, but yet verse 29 says he also calms the storm.
This is confusing and contradictory, is it not?
Why would God cause a storm on the sea to go against the maritime merchants, and then calm it down?
It doesn’t make any sense!
Unless you understand the figure of speech called a Hebrew idiom of permission.
It means that God ALLOWED the storm to happen. He gives all entities that have freedom of will permission to carry out their will.
Thus, this storm could not have come from God, and therefore, had to have originated from the world and Satan who is the God of it.
Verses 26 & 27
Psalms 107 [amplified bible]
26 They went up toward the heavens [on the crest of the wave], they went down again to the depths [of the watery trough]; Their courage melted away in their misery.
27 They staggered and trembled like a drunken man, and were at their wits’ end [all their wisdom was useless].
This is a very bad place to be!
They feared for their lives, many of them were likely seasick, they couldn’t walk a straight line and have lost control of their ship.
All their knowledge, experience, and conventional wisdom about how to navigate the sea was thrown overboard.
James 1 [amplified bible]
5 If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him.
6 But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind.
7 For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord,
8 being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].
How timely the word of God is!
Isaiah 33
5 The Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.
6 And [God’s] wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.
Man’s wisdom was useless against the storm, but God’s wisdom and knowledge is stability and strength of salvation.
What a contrast – man’s wisdom vs God’s wisdom!
Hebrews 6
18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
I Timothy 1 [amplified bible]
18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, so that [inspired and aided] by them you may fight the good fight [in contending with false teachers],
19 keeping your faith [leaning completely on God with absolute trust and confidence in His guidance] and having a good conscience; for some [people] have rejected [their moral compass] and have made a shipwreck of their faith [believing].
20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be disciplined and taught not to blaspheme.
Ephesians 4
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Look at all these biblical maritime terms and concepts!
- [God’s] wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times [Isaiah 33:6]
- The hope of Jesus Christ’s return is the anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast [Hebrews 6:19]
- Wrong doctrines can make a shipwreck of our faith [believing – I Timothy 1:19]
- Don’t be like spiritual children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine [Ephesians 4:14]
- Don’t be double-minded, or you will be unstable as a wave in a stormy sea [James 1:8]
Verses 28 – 31
After being healed and rescued so many times by the Lord, what a great comfort they had, knowing they had a fortress, a safe haven to run to in times of trouble.
God will always be there for you.
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.
God can calm the storms of the adversary in your life.
Look at the example of God’s son Jesus Christ and find out why he could do so much…
Luke 8
8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Look at the heart and life of Jesus Christ!
The seed obviously fell on good ground.
How do we know?
Look at the good fruit he brought forth in a rough storm of life!
Matthew 14
22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith [believing], wherefore didst thou doubt?
32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshiped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
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!
