Studies in Psalms

1
Studies in Psalms

• O That Men Would Give Thanks to the Lord
• Psalm 107

2
Give Thanks to the Lord (1-3)

• Give thanks
• For He is good merciful

3
Give Thanks to the Lord (1-3)

• Let the redeemed say so
• Redeemed delivered or avenged!
• We are redeemed Titus 213-14, 1 Peter 118
• From every corner (3)

4
Wilderness wanderings (4-9)

• A desolate way, no city, hungry thirsty, weak,
  etc.
• Probably not a reference to the 40 years, but
  symbolic of a destitute state.
• Their fate out of their control
• They cried to the Lord (6)Repentance

5
Wilderness wanderings (4-9)

• He delivered them, He led them to a city (6-7)
• Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for
  His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the
  children of men. (8)
• He satisfies the longing soul and fills the
  hungry (9)

6
Wilderness wanderings (4-9)

• Our wilderness wanderings
• We are strangers and pilgrims (1 Pet. 211)
• Hungering and thirsting after righteousness
  (Matthew 56)
• God can bring us to safety

7
In prison (10-16)

• Sitting in darkness, bound in affliction and
  irons (10)
• Why? Because they rebelled against the words of
  God, and despised His counsel (11)
• Therefore their hearts brought down with labor
  (12)
• They cried out (13) Repentance

8
In prison (10-16)

• He saved them from distress. Brought them out of
  darkness and the shadow of death. He broke their
  chains (13-14)
• Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for
  His goodness, (15)
• He breaks the gates down (freedom) (16) (cf.
  Isaiah 451-2)

9
In prison (10-16)

• Are we in prison?
• Bondage to sin (Heb. 215)
• As His children fear, struggles, returning to
  the world (2 Cor. 1120, Gal. 49, 2 Peter 219)
• God can free us! 1 Cor. 1013, 1 John 44, cf.
  Matt. 1618

10
In sickness (17-22)

• Fools (17)
• Because of their transgression and iniquity (17)
• Afflicted, loss of appetite, near death (18)
• They cried out to the Lord (19) Repentance

11
In sickness (17-22)

• He saved them out of their distresses (19)
• He sent his word and healed them, delivered them
  (20)
• Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for
  His goodness, (21)
• Let them sacrifice sacrifices of thanksgiving
  declare His works (22)

12
In Sickness (17-22)

• Are we sick?
• Spiritual illness weak, under-nourished, eye
  and ear problems, heart problems
• Turn to the Great Physician (Matthew 912)
• God can heal us - Rev. 318
• When healed, will we praise Him? (cf. Luke
  1843, 1715-16, Acts 38, etc)

13
In perils at sea (23-32)

• They do business on great waters (business as
  usual) (23)
• They see the works of the Lord in the sea (24)
• He commands and raises the storm, waves, high and
  low, tossed to and fro (25-27)
• They cry out to the Lord (28) Repentance

14
In perils at sea (23-32)

• He calms the storm, so that its waves are still
  (29)
• They rejoice in the quite and arrive safely at
  harbor (30)
• Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for
  His goodness, (31)
• Let them exalt Him in the assembly and praise Him
  (32)

15
In perils at sea (23-32)

• Are we facing the storms of life?
• Tossed to and fro (Eph. 414-15)
• Facing troubles out of our control, adversity.
  Strong temptations (1 Cor. 1013)
• He can calm the storm Matt. 1128, James 410
• Will we then exalt Him in our assembly?

16
God is in control (33-43)

• He turns rivers to wilderness (33-34)
• He turns barren lands into pools of water (35-38)
• He punishes the punisher princes, oppressors
  (39-40)
• He exalts the poor on high (41)

17
God is in control (33-43)

• The righteous see it and rejoice (42) 1
  Corinthians 136
• Whoever is wise will observe these things! (43)
• They will understand the loving-kindness of YHWH,
  Hosea 149, Ephesians 314-21

18

• Will you observe His ways?
• Do you understand Him?