PM August 15th Psalm 107

August 15^th

The Fifth book – Deuteronomy

Gods Word

Psalm 107 – 115 Deliverance by the Word of God

Psalm 116 – 118 Three Hallelujah Psalms

Psalm 119 – 145 Quickened by the Word of God

Psalm 146 – 150 Five Hallelujah Psalms

Psalm 107

E The Book Deuteronomy Section

Perfection & Praise (The Word in view)

God rescues us

1: O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2: Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3: And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. 4: They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. 5: Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. 6: Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 7: And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. 8: Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 9: For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. 10: Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11: Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 12: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. 13: Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 14: He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15: Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 16: For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. 17: Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. 18: Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. 19: Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. 20: He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 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. 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. 25: For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 26: They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. 27: They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. 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. 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! 32: Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 33: He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; 34: A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. 35: He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings. 36: And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation; 37: And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. 38: He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. 39: Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. 40: He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. 41: Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. 42: The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. 43: Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Psalm 108

A song or Psalm of David

A cry for help

1: O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with my glory. 2: Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. 3: I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. 4: For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. 5: Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; 6: That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me. 7: God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. 8: Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; 9: Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. 10: Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? 11: Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? 12: Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. 13: Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.

To the chief musician

Today we begin the last section in the Psalms. Which encompasses Psalm 107 to 150. This fifth section relates to the fifth book of the Pentateuch Deuteronomy and the focus is on Gods Word. This section is also divided into four sections. The first Psalm 107 – 115 speaks of deliverance by the word of God. The second section Psalm 116 – 118 gives us three Hallelujahs songs. The third section Psalm 119 – 145 speaks of the life giving word of God. And the last section Psalm 146 – 150 are five Hallelujah Psalms again. Psalm 107 is a song about the delivering power of the word of God. It begins and ends with Praise to the Lord for his loving kindness. Between these two concepts we have two verses the first of which speaks of the distress of men and Gods deliverance. The second verse speaks of judgment followed by blessing. So the Psalmist begins with a general call on all to give thanks for the goodness of the Lord because his mercy will endure forever. He says let the redeemed of the LORD say this because the Lord has delivered them from their enemies. And he gathered them from out of all the land from where he had scattered them. From the north, south, east and west. When they wandered on the desert they found no city to live in. They were hungry and thirsty and they nearly have up. But they called on the Lord in their trouble and He delivered them out of their distress. The Lord led them in the right path so that they would eventually find a city to live in. If only men would praise the LORD for his goodness and for all his wonderful works. The Lord satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with gladness. Those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, who are bound in afflictions and iron. Because they rebelled against the word of the Lord and treated it with contempt. So the Lord brought them down from their pride by hard labour and there was nobody to help them and they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he saved them. He took them out of darkness and from the threat of execution and he broke their chains into two. If only men would praise the Lord. Fools in their sins are afflicted by God. and their souls refuse all the abominable unclean meat and they waste away. Then they cry to the LORD in trouble and they are delivered. This is an example of what it was like to live under the Mosaic Law. There was no enabling power of the Lord by his spirit to live for God but the Lord provided fear for Israel to enable them to be restrained in their sin and he also disciplined them with sharp punishments to bring them back to him if they sinned. This is in complete contrast to Christians who have the Holy Spirit to enable them to live righteously on the basis that they are already made holy by faith in Jesus Christ. So when Israel repents and returns to the Lord the Lord heals them of the judgments of God on their bodies. And then they wash themselves and come before the Lord and offer sin offerings to cover their sin. Sailors see the works of God on the oceans everyday. They see frightening storms which bring them to an end of themselves and they call on the Lord and the Lord saves them. So these are the means of God in bringing men back to himself. The Lord calms the storms of life. We see something of this in the life of Christ. And the Lord sends rivers through the desert and he makes the fruitful land barren because of their wickedness. And he makes the desert have lakes. All the resources of men are used of God to discipline men. The Lord lifts up and puts down. He puts down princes and lifts up the poor man. The righteous see all this and rejoice. The wise man sees these things and understands God loving kindness. Psalm 108 is a Psalm not of David but about David’s greater Son – Christ. The Psalmist brings us a song of two verses in which he prays first of all to the Lord. Then in both verses he speaks of Israel and their enemies. So he begins saying – my heart or my mind is set and I am determined to sing praises to the Lord. So come on musical instruments - wake up! I will get up early and I will praise the Lord in Israel and in the nations. Because the mercy of the Lord is so great it reaches up to heaven. The Lord is great and exalted above the heavens. God has spoken and I will rejoice says the Psalmist. He calls on the Lord to deliver Israel because it is pointless looking to any men for help. In the Lord we can have courage and conquer our enemies.

• What does David give thanks for?
• How does David describe the Lord?
• How would you describe Davids relationship with the Lord?