PSALM 107 The Message Verse By Verse

Last Updated on September 22, 2021 by Pastor Ikechukwu Chinedum

Today, we will be considering psalm 107 the message verse by verse. It is quite a long psalm with 43 verses in all. Psalm 107 is a psalm of Thanksgiving unto God. We see this from the beginning of the psalm to the end. The psalmist calls on all of God’s people and as many had partaken of the redemptive work of God to declare his praises.

Psalm 107 is a call to all and sundry to observe all that God has done for them both in the past and presently. He even refers to all that will take time to observe these things as wise men. This is a psalm that applies to everyone and is of great importance to us. Sometimes, we are too quick to observe all that God hasn’t done for us while we fail to take account of the things he has done.

PSALM 107 MEANING VERSE BY VERSE.

Verse 1&2: O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endure the forever. Let the redeemed of the lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.

This is a call for everyone to praise God for his kindness, for his love and for his unending willingness to overlook our flaws. All those who were once held in captivity, in the bondage of sin and slavery of kings. He calls on them to remember how horrible it was for them to serve in the hands of strange masters and how God delivered them. He wants then to testify of it before all.

Verse 3&4: And gathered them from out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the North and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way, they found no city to dwell in. They who had been scattered and held captive,

God’s people had been scattered to different nations where they were held as. But God gathered them again from Babylon and other places to where he had prepared for them. We also see this play out while they were returning form Egypt and wandering in the wilderness.

Verse 5&6: Hungry and thirsty; their soul fainteth in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses.

As they wandered in the wilderness, at some point they were hungry and at other times, they were thirsty. At some point also they were weak and tired. But in those times they poured out their hearts to God and he looked upon them and hearkened to their cry.

Verse 7&8: And he led them forth by the right way, that they may go to a city of habitation. Oh that men will praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.

Now, although God had brought them out of bondage with a promise to take them to a place he had prepared for them, they didn’t know where exactly they were headed. But God was faithful to them, he led them to the place even though they had to go through the wilderness. He should therefore be praised for this great work which he has done.

Verse 9&10: For he satisfied the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in fiction and iron.

We should praise God because he is able to meet the desires of our soul, he is able to satisfy us with his love and pleasures. Despite the fact that we see men and even God’s children in captivity. Even when they are faced with maltreatment and suffering and are even subject to death, God will to remain faithful and true.

Verse 11&12: Because they reed against the words of God, and condemned the counsel of the most high. Therefore, he brought down their heart with hard labour, they fell down and there was none to help.

God’s love ensures that we are continually in a place of peace and laughter. However, our disobedience leads us out of God’s comfort to a place of bondage and pain. This was what exactly befell God’s people when they rebelled against him. He gave them up to their oppressors who greatly tortured them with hard labour till they became exhausted and had no one to deliver them.

Verse 13&14: Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them and brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and break their bands in sunder.

However, when they came to the realization of what they had done; when they came to acknowledge that they had wronged God, they poured out their hearts to him. They called for his salvation and because he is good and faithful, he saved them and brought them out of the place of bondage and death.

Verse 15&16: Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he hayh broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

The psalmist calls again for God’s people to praise God. The God who had shown them his love and works of deliverance. The God who broke in pieces the chains of bondage with which they were once bound. God is good and deserves to be praised.

Verse 17&18: Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities are afflicted. Their soul abhoreth all manner of meat, and draw near unto the gates of death.

Because of rebellion, men began to act like fools. The foolishness which brought suffering and affliction upon them. An affliction that made them so sick that they began to detest food, leading them closer to death.

Verse 19&20: Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them from out of their distresses. He sent his word and them and delivered then from their destruction.

It is at this point that a lot of people remember to call on God. After their rebellion had brought suffering and affliction upon them. Then they called unto God. And because God is merciful, he sent his word of deliverance to them and brought them out of destruction.

Verse 21&22: Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of Thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoicing.

The psalmist calls again on all of God’s people to praise God for his works of deliverance to them. To come bearing sacrifices of thanks and testifying of the wonderful things he has done for them.

Verse 23&24: They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters. These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.

He also calls out great merchants to testify of God’s goodness. Merchants whose business takes them though the sea. He calls on them to recount how God delivered them while they went on their business.

Verse 25&26: For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of their trouble.

While they went about their business on the waters, God spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted the waves. The waves rose so high up to the heavens and went so low to the depths of the sea. This stirred up fear in the hearts of those who sailed in the ship.

Verse 27&28: They reel to and fro, and stagger like drunken men and are at their wits end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

The waves tossed them to and fro till they were sore afraid. But they cried unto God and he heard them and delivered them.

Verse 29&30: He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they are quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

As a way of answering them, God calmed the storm and caused the waves to be still. So they rejoiced because God had restored peace to them, but much more then that, he made them arrive safely at their destination.

Verse 31&32: Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise hm in the assembly of the elders.

Here’s another call for God’s people to praise him and to testify of his good works. Here, they are told to declare his works before the assembly of elders and before the congregation.

Verse 33&34: He turneth rivers into a wilderness and the water springs into dry ground. A fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

God deserves our praises. He who is able to transform things from what they should be ordinarily to what he pleases. Rivers to lands, lands to rivers. He who is as to withdraw the fruitfulness of a land just to make the people come to the realization of their wickedness.

Verse 35&36: He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into water springs. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell; that they may prepare a city for habitation.

This can be likened to what God did for his people- Israel, while they wandered in the wilderness. How he made their wilderness a place of constant spring through his provision. God alone is able to make this happen. And then, while men are still left to wonder what he has done, he takes a hungry man and plants him there as a place of habitation.

Verse 37&38: And sow the fields, and plant the vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly and sufferer not their cattle to decrease.

 While he stays in the land, he begins to plant vineyards and to some. God also blesses the fruits of his vineyards and his cattle to. All they he has begins to increase and continually multiply.

Verse 39: Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction and sorrow.

Once again, they rebel and become afflicted as a result of their rebellion. They begin to suffer and their hearts becomes filled with sorrow. This is a clear picture of what it looks like when God after blessing a man, he looses it all just because of disobedience.

Verse 40&41: He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way. Yet setteth he the poor onhigh from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

Yes! God should be praised. He who is able to bring noble men to their lowest state and make them wander without direction. On the other hand, he is able to lift the poor from their low state and fill them with great abundance.

Verse 42&43: The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

These great things that has been recounted by the psalmist are the things that Gis alone can do. His children will see these things and will put an end to evil deeds through their testimony. As the psalmist rounds off, he makes reference once again to those who are wise. He enjoins them to observe all that God has done for them, for it is only by doing so that they can know how loving and kind he is.

WHEN DO I NEED TO USE THIS PSALM?

As an individual or a group of persons here are a few situations where the psalm can be useful to you:

• At every moment when you go before him bearing sacrifices of Thanksgiving.
• When you need to recount all that God has done for you and for his people in the past.
• When you want to acknowledge his great works, especially when you need him to do the same in your own life.
• When you are in a difficult situation and you need Gos to come to your aid.

PSALM 107 PRAYERS

If you find yourself or someone in your circle in any of the aforementioned situation, then you should pray the following prayers:

• Heavenly father, I thank you because you are good and your mercies over my life is continuous. Thank you because you redeemed and delivered me from the bondage of sin that once held me bound. May your name be praised in Jesus name.
• Lord, I thank you for what you in the did in the life of your people in time past. This is a testimony to the fact that you can do that and even much more in my life in Jesus name.
• Dear Lord, just as you broke the gates of brass in time past and cut the bass of iron in sunder. I ask that whatsoever bondage I might be in unknowingly right now, by your mercies cut the chains in sunder in Jesus name.
• Severally, it was recounted in this psalm that your people cried unto you and you delivered them out of their distresses. Lord, I ask that as I call upon you today that you will deliver me from everything that poses itself as a distress in my life in Jesus name.