Book 5 of the Psalms, comprising Psalms 107 to 150, opens with a glorious song of gratitude and concludes with five exuberant hymns of praise. This section starts off on an exceptionally positive note, as it overflows with expressions of thankfulness for the numerous ways in which God lavishes His blessings upon us. From start to finish, Book 5 is a treasure trove of uplifting Psalms. Allow me to share the first of these with you. While it may be a bit lengthy, I assure you, it’s truly remarkable.
If someone asked me which Bible passage I love the most, I’d be totally clueless! There are just so many awesome passages out there. But when it comes to my favorite Psalm, no doubt, it’s got to be Psalm 107. It’s super-easy to get once you find the secret key, or rather not-so-secret, it;s easy! It’s all about confession, redemption, and giving thanks. Trust me, it’s a real gem!
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Psalms in Book 5 affirm that God does answer prayer, God’s promises are valid and it includes a long love song for God’s laws.
The books of Psalms are roughly themed like this:
Book 1: Psalms 1 – 41: God is beside us.
Book 2: Psalms 42 – 72: God goes before us
Book 3: Psalms 73 – 89: God is all around us.
Book 4: Psalms 90 – 106: God is above us.
Book 5: Psalms 107 – 150: God is among us.
107
Introduction
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever!
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.The first song
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.The second song
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 labour;
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.The third song
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!The fourth song
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.Conclusion
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
Psalm 107 ESVUK Bold added toshow repeated verses
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.
When I was a kid, I used to sing in the church choir. Every Sunday, we had this thing called Evensong where we chanted Psalms. Now, I didn’t mind the Psalms unless they were super long, but what really got me was the boring tunes that never seemed to change. I mean, come on, I was listening to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Hollies outside of church! Their music was nothing like what we sang at church. But then, once a year, we would get to Psalm 107, and it was a whole different story. The tunes would change, sometimes in minor keys, sometimes in major keys. It was unlike anything else we sang or chanted. Yeah, it was long, but definitely not monotonous.
This Psalm at the beginning of Book 5 of the Psalms starts with exactly the same words as the last one in this part of Book 5, which is Psalm 118. Both have the first verse, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Psalm 107 is pretty straightforward. You’ve got your intro and two endings, one about how God controls nature and the other about how he deals with people. In between, there are four verses, which I’ve labled as songs, each with three parts separated by repeated lines. The original ESV Bible marked those sections as separate stanzas of the song, but the Anglicised version got rid of them. Luckily, I’ve put ’em back in and even made the repeated verses bold.
The renowned author G. K. Chesterton once expressed, “When individuals choose to no longer believe in God, they do not simply cease to believe in anything; instead, they become open to believing in everything.” This insightful statement serves as a parallel to the essence of this song, which beautifully portrays the idea that those who may have turned away from their faith can find their way back to it. In Psalm 107, the focus is not on those who have strayed, but rather on the boundless love of God, who calls them back from all corners of the world – from the east and the west, the north and the south. This psalm consists of four compelling songs that highlight various examples of how God reaches out to people, regardless of their circumstances. It is a powerful testament to the limitless compassion and restoration offered by the divine.
The first song celebrates God’s calling upon the Israelites, leading them into the promised land. It symbolizes a fresh start after their 40-year desert journey, highlighting their determination to enter the land. The second song depicts a powerful image of freedom and liberation, reminiscent of the Israelites’ release from the Babylonian captivity. Together, these songs represent the overcoming of obstacles and the triumph of hope, encompassing both the southern and eastern regions.
The final song in this collection beautifully showcases the captivating expanse of the sea, positioned to the west of Israel. It’s an intriguing thought that God’s call may have reached the Philistines, who journeyed across the sea from Crete and the Aegean Islands, known today as Greece. This implies that the third song likely covers the northern region. Our journey so far has taken us anti-clockwise, starting from the south. As we ponder the Psalmist’s intentions, we could speculate whether the intended focus was Israel’s steadfast ally, Lebanon, or its neighboring adversaries, Syria and Assyria. Ultimately, the crucial point to consider is that this Psalm does not merely describe specific locations; rather, it employs these geographical references to emphasize that God’s call extends to all people, regardless of their location, status, or past actions. Everyone is invited to approach Him for the first time or to return. (The pronoun he is because God’s loveis referred here as “hesed” with a masculine root, knows no limitations. The limitations arise from the constraints of our English language and not from any belief that God is confined to a specific gender.)
The form of these songs is the same inall four songs.
- Some (What they did)
- Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
- (What God did)
- Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
- (How they responded)
The first of the two concluding parts, verses 33 to 38, continues from the initial phrase. It highlights the incredible Power of God over nature, showcasing His ability to transform a river into a barren desert or a desert into refreshing pools of water. It is through God’s immense power that when we find ourselves in troubling situations, we can confidently turn to Him for deliverance. Our deliverance is made possible by the unfathomable strength of God. These two aspects, God’s power and our deliverance, are intrinsically connected and cannot be separated.
But it’s all about God’s steadfast love too. If anything, this is the subject of this psalm, it is in verse 1 and in all four of the contained songs. It is steadfast because God’s love never changes. That is also the subject of the last five verses. The people God pours contempt on are those who diminish and bring low other people. God wants all people to be elevated. May Mary’s prophecy in Luke 1:52-53 come true here on earth.
“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
but he has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
but he has sent the rich away empty.”
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< Psalm 106 | Psalm 107 | Psalm 108 >
Making an ass of myself 