Psalm 107
Psalm 107, Learning From God’s Deliverance to Returning Captives
Psalm 107 begins Book Five of the Psalms and stands as a great psalm of thanksgiving for the mercy of the LORD. It praises God as the Deliverer of His people and presents His salvation through four vivid pictures, the lost traveler in the wilderness, the prisoner in darkness and chains, the sick fool near death, and the sailor overwhelmed by the storm. Each picture is different, but each follows the same spiritual pattern. Men fall into distress, they cry unto the LORD, the LORD delivers them, and they are called to give thanks for His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men.
The psalm is especially fitting for returning captives, likely those gathered back from exile. The redeemed of the LORD are called to say so because God has gathered them from the east, west, north, and south. Yet the psalm also reaches beyond the historical return from exile. It gives a pattern for understanding the mercy of God toward all kinds of distressed people. Some are lost. Some are bound. Some are sick because of their own foolishness. Some are overwhelmed by dangers beyond their control. But the LORD is able to save all who cry to Him.
This psalm is also a wisdom psalm because it ends by calling the wise to observe these things and understand the lovingkindness of the LORD. The right response to God’s deliverance is not merely emotional relief, but thoughtful worship, public thanksgiving, moral understanding, and renewed trust in the covenant mercy of God.
A. Dedication of the Song
Psalm 107:1, Dedicated in Gratitude to God
Psalm 107:1, “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The psalm begins with an urgent call, “O give thanks unto the LORD.” The word “O” gives the sentence the feeling of an earnest plea. The psalmist is not making a cold observation. He is calling the redeemed people of God to respond rightly to divine mercy. Thanksgiving is the proper language of those who have been rescued.
The reason is simple and profound, “for he is good.” God’s goodness is not a mood, and it is not dependent upon present circumstances. God is good in His nature. He is good when He rescues. He is good when He disciplines. He is good when He gathers the scattered. He is good when He brings the proud low and lifts the poor on high. His goodness stands behind every act of mercy described in this psalm.
The next phrase gives the enduring foundation, “for his mercy endureth for ever.” This mercy is God’s covenant lovingkindness, His loyal love toward His people. The redeemed are not rescued because they are strong, wise, clean, or deserving. They are rescued because the LORD is merciful. His mercy had no beginning in man’s merit, and it will have no end in man’s weakness.
This opening also connects Psalm 107 with the repeated testimony of Israel’s worship. The people of God were often called to confess that the LORD is good and that His mercy endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34, “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:1, “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.”
The entire psalm will demonstrate this truth. The lost will be led. The bound will be freed. The sick will be healed. The storm tossed will be brought to their desired haven. The land will be transformed. The poor will be lifted. The proud will be humbled. In all of it, the mercy of the LORD endures forever.
Psalm 107:2 to Psalm 107:3, Dedicated in Light of the Gathering and Return of God’s People
Psalm 107:2, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;”
Psalm 107:3, “And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.”
The psalm now identifies the proper speakers, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so.” The redeemed are not to remain silent. Those whom God has rescued have a duty to testify. Silence after deliverance is ingratitude. The redeemed should speak plainly, publicly, and thankfully of what the LORD has done.
The word “redeemed” carries the idea of rescue by one who has the right and power to redeem. In the Old Testament, the kinsman redeemer could buy back a relative from slavery, recover lost inheritance, or rescue one in distress. Here the LORD Himself is the Redeemer. He has redeemed His people from “the hand of the enemy.”
Historically, this likely points to the return from exile, when God gathered a remnant of His people from foreign lands. Spiritually, it describes the broader condition of all God’s redeemed people. The LORD rescues from enemies too strong for man, including hostile nations, bondage, sin, death, Satan, fear, and judgment.
Verse 3 says He “gathered them out of the lands.” The people had been scattered, but the LORD brought them back. They came “from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.” No direction is outside God’s reach. No exile is too far. No captivity is too remote. The LORD gathers His people from every direction.
This gathering language fits the covenant promises God gave Israel regarding restoration after scattering.
Deuteronomy 30:3, “That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.”
Deuteronomy 30:4, “If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:”
Deuteronomy 30:5, “And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it, and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.”
Psalm 107 therefore begins with the redeemed community gathered by mercy. God’s people were scattered because of sin and discipline, yet gathered because of covenant mercy. Therefore, they must say so. Testimony is part of thanksgiving.
B. God’s Goodness Seen in His Deliverance to Returning Captives
Psalm 107:4 to Psalm 107:9, Deliverance for Those Lost in the Wilderness
Psalm 107:4, “They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way, they found no city to dwell in.”
Psalm 107:5, “Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.”
Psalm 107:6, “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.”
Psalm 107:7, “And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.”
Psalm 107:8, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”
Psalm 107:9, “For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.”
The first picture is of travelers lost in the wilderness. “They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way.” They were not merely traveling through difficult terrain. They were wandering without direction. They had no road, no city, no shelter, no settled dwelling, and no visible security.
“They found no city to dwell in.” In the ancient world, a city represented protection, provision, fellowship, order, and stability. To have no city was to be exposed, vulnerable, and unsettled. This is a fitting picture of the sinner apart from God and also of the afflicted believer who has lost all sense of direction. Man without God wanders. He may be active, but he is not truly arriving anywhere.
Verse 5 says, “Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.” Their need was physical, but it reached the soul. Hunger and thirst wore them down until their inward strength collapsed. The wilderness strips away illusion. It teaches man that he is dependent, weak, and unable to save himself.
Verse 6 gives the turning point, “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble.” This repeated phrase is one of the great themes of the psalm. Trouble taught them to pray. Their distress became the occasion of crying out to God. They did not deliver themselves. They cried, and the LORD delivered them out of their distresses.
This is grace. The LORD did not demand that they first find their own way. He heard their cry while they were still lost. Verse 7 says, “And he led them forth by the right way.” God’s deliverance was not only rescue from danger, but guidance into the right path. He brought them to “a city of habitation.” The God who saves also leads. He brings the wandering soul to stability, safety, and dwelling.
This picture has strong spiritual application. The lost sinner wanders in the barren wilderness of sin, hungry and thirsty for what the world cannot provide. When he cries unto the LORD, God leads him to the right way. Christ Himself is the way.
John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Verse 8 gives the refrain, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” The psalmist wants more than private relief. He wants public praise. The goodness of God must be recognized, spoken, sung, and remembered.
Verse 9 explains the deeper meaning, “For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” The wilderness scene involved literal hunger and thirst, but the psalmist sees beyond that to the soul. Man has a longing soul. Earthly things may distract, but they do not satisfy. God alone satisfies the soul’s deepest hunger.
Mary’s song in Luke appears to echo this truth.
Luke 1:53, “He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away.”
Psalm 107:4 to 9 teaches that the LORD delivers the lost, leads them in the right way, brings them into habitation, satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. Therefore, men ought to praise Him.
Psalm 107:10 to Psalm 107:16, Deliverance for the Captives
Psalm 107:10, “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;”
Psalm 107:11, “Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:”
Psalm 107:12, “Therefore he brought down their heart with labour, they fell down, and there was none to help.”
Psalm 107:13, “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.”
Psalm 107:14, “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.”
Psalm 107:15, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”
Psalm 107:16, “For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.”
The second picture is of prisoners. They “sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.” Their condition is worse than wandering. They are confined, bound, and helpless. Darkness speaks of misery, ignorance, fear, and judgment. The shadow of death speaks of nearness to ruin. They are “bound in affliction and iron.” Their suffering is both emotional and physical. They are chained.
Verse 11 gives the reason for their bondage, “Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High.” This does not mean every prisoner in history suffers because of a direct personal rebellion in the same way. But in the context of Israel’s exile, their captivity was tied to rebellion against God’s Word. They despised divine counsel, so God gave them over to bondage.
This is a sobering principle. When men reject the Word of God, they eventually lose freedom. Sin promises liberty, but it produces chains. To despise the counsel of the Most High is to choose a path that ends in darkness.
Verse 12 says, “Therefore he brought down their heart with labour.” God humbled them through hard bondage. They fell down, and there was none to help. This is the collapse of self reliance. No human rescuer appeared. Their strength failed. Their pride was broken.
Verse 13 gives the mercy turning point, “Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble.” Even though their trouble came through rebellion, the LORD heard when they cried. This is a strong testimony to grace. God receives rebels who return to Him. He does not despise the cry of the humbled captive.
“He saved them out of their distresses.” The same God who disciplined them also delivered them. Verse 14 says, “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.” God did not merely comfort them in prison. He broke the chains. He brought them out.
Verse 16 intensifies the image, “For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.” Gates of brass and bars of iron represent strength, permanence, and human impossibility. But nothing built by men can hold those whom God determines to free.
This points naturally to the greater deliverance accomplished by Christ. He delivers from the bondage of sin and death.
John 8:34, “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
The New Testament also presents Christ as the One who breaks the power of death and delivers those in bondage.
Hebrews 2:14, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”
Hebrews 2:15, “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
Psalm 107:10 to 16 teaches that rebellion brings bondage, but the LORD saves humbled captives who cry to Him. He breaks chains, opens prison doors, and brings His people out of darkness.
Psalm 107:17 to Psalm 107:22, Deliverance for Those Sick and Near Death
Psalm 107:17, “Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.”
Psalm 107:18, “Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death.”
Psalm 107:19, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.”
Psalm 107:20, “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
Psalm 107:21, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”
Psalm 107:22, “And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.”
The third picture is of the sick and dying. Verse 17 says, “Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.” In Scripture, a fool is not merely unintelligent. A fool is morally stubborn. He rejects wisdom, despises correction, and walks in sin. These people are afflicted because of transgression and iniquity. Their suffering is self inflicted.
This does not mean all sickness is caused by a specific personal sin. Scripture rejects that oversimplification in places such as John 9. However, some suffering does come directly through foolish and sinful choices. Sin damages the body, mind, family, conscience, and soul. Men often wound themselves and then wonder why they are bleeding.
Verse 18 says, “Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death.” Their sickness is severe. They have no appetite. Food disgusts them. They are wasting away. They are close to death.
There is also a spiritual analogy. When a soul has no appetite for the Word of God, no hunger for prayer, no desire for worship, and no taste for righteousness, spiritual danger is near. Loss of appetite can be a sign of serious sickness.
Verse 19 repeats the turning point, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble.” Even fools may cry out. Even those whose suffering is tied to their own sin may find mercy if they turn to the LORD. God’s mercy is not limited to those who got into trouble innocently.
Verse 20 says, “He sent his word, and healed them.” God heals by His Word. His command is powerful. He does not need medicine, though He may use it. He does not need time, though He may work through it. He speaks, and healing comes.
This anticipates the healing ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, who often healed by a word.
Matthew 8:8, “The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”
Matthew 8:13, “And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”
God’s Word also heals spiritually by bringing salvation, correction, wisdom, and life. The greatest healing is not merely the healing of the body, but the deliverance of the soul from destruction.
Psalm 107:20 says He “delivered them from their destructions.” The plural is significant. Sin creates many destructions, physical destruction, moral destruction, relational destruction, spiritual destruction, and eternal destruction. The LORD is able to deliver from them all.
Verse 21 repeats the refrain, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” Verse 22 adds a fitting response, “And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.”
Thanksgiving is called a sacrifice because it is an act of worship offered to God. The healed and delivered should not return quietly to ordinary life as if nothing happened. They should declare His works with rejoicing. Mercy should produce testimony.
Psalm 50:14, “Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most High:”
Psalm 50:15, “And call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
Psalm 107:17 to 22 teaches that even when affliction is tied to foolishness and sin, the LORD hears those who cry to Him. He sends His Word, heals, delivers from destruction, and deserves public thanksgiving.
Psalm 107:23 to Psalm 107:32, Deliverance for Those on Dangerous Seas
Psalm 107:23, “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;”
Psalm 107:24, “These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.”
Psalm 107:25, “For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.”
Psalm 107:26, “They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths, their soul is melted because of trouble.”
Psalm 107:27, “They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.”
Psalm 107:28, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.”
Psalm 107:29, “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”
Psalm 107:30, “Then are they glad because they be quiet, so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.”
Psalm 107:31, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”
Psalm 107:32, “Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.”
The fourth picture is of sailors on dangerous seas. “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters.” These are not idle travelers. They work on the sea. They conduct business in great waters. They are experienced men, yet even experienced men are helpless when God raises the storm.
Verse 24 says, “These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.” The sea reveals the greatness of God in ways the land does not. Its vastness, depth, danger, creatures, storms, and mystery all testify to the Creator’s power. Men who go to sea see wonders that others may not see.
Verse 25 says, “For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind.” The storm is not outside God’s rule. The wind rises at His command. The waves lift because He allows them. The sea is wild to man, but obedient to God.
The storm lifts the waves so high that the sailors seem to mount up to heaven, then plunge down to the depths. Their soul melts because of trouble. This is fear that drains courage from the heart. Their skill is overwhelmed.
Verse 27 says, “They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.” The phrase “at their wits’ end” means all their wisdom is swallowed up. Their seamanship, knowledge, strength, and experience cannot save them. God has brought them to the end of themselves.
Verse 28 repeats the pattern, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble.” The lost cried. The captives cried. The sick cried. Now the sailors cry. Different trouble, same answer. “He bringeth them out of their distresses.”
Verse 29 says, “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.” Only God can do this. The same God who raises the storm can calm it. The wind and waves obey His authority.
This points strongly to the deity and authority of Christ, who calmed the storm by His word.
Mark 4:37, “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.”
Mark 4:38, “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow, and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?”
Mark 4:39, “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
Mark 4:40, “And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”
Mark 4:41, “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
The disciples asked the right question. Only the LORD rules the sea in this way. Christ’s command over the storm reveals His divine authority.
Psalm 107:30 says, “Then are they glad because they be quiet, so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.” God does not merely stop the storm. He brings them to harbor. Deliverance is completed by safe arrival. The desired haven is the place of rest, safety, and completion.
The spiritual analogy is clear. Life in this fallen world is like a voyage through dangerous waters. Storms arise. Human wisdom is swallowed up. Men reach their end. But the LORD hears the cry of His people, calms what they cannot control, and brings them to the haven He has appointed.
Verse 31 repeats the call to praise. Verse 32 adds, “Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.” Deliverance should be publicly acknowledged among God’s people and before respected leaders. The LORD’s works should not be hidden.
Psalm 107:23 to 32 teaches that God rules the sea, raises and calms storms, humbles human wisdom, hears desperate cries, brings His people to their desired haven, and deserves public exaltation.
C. God’s Goodness Seen in His Transformations
Psalm 107:33 to Psalm 107:38, God’s Work in Transforming the Earth
Psalm 107:33, “He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;”
Psalm 107:34, “A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.”
Psalm 107:35, “He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.”
Psalm 107:36, “And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;”
Psalm 107:37, “And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.”
Psalm 107:38, “He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.”
The psalm now moves from four pictures of deliverance to God’s sovereign power to transform conditions on earth. Verse 33 says, “He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground.” The God who delivers individuals also governs land, water, fertility, and barrenness.
Verse 34 explains one reason for such judgment, “A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.” Wickedness can bring judgment upon a land. The moral condition of a people matters. Land is not spiritually neutral when those who dwell in it practice rebellion against God.
This principle is seen in the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. Before judgment, the plain of Jordan was well watered.
Genesis 13:10, “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.”
After the judgment, that region became a lasting testimony to divine wrath against wickedness.
The same principle was given to Israel concerning the land.
Deuteronomy 29:23, “And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:”
Yet God’s transforming power also works in mercy. Verse 35 says, “He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.” The LORD can reverse desolation. He can make dry places fruitful. He can turn barrenness into abundance.
This has direct meaning for returning captives. The land that had been judged could be restored by God’s blessing. The wilderness could become habitable. The hungry could dwell there. They could prepare a city, sow fields, plant vineyards, and receive fruit.
Verses 36 and 37 show ordered restoration. God does not merely give water. He creates conditions for settlement, agriculture, family life, labor, and fruitfulness. The hungry dwell. They prepare a city. They sow fields. They plant vineyards. The restored life includes work, stewardship, and productivity.
Verse 38 says, “He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.” Multiplication is God’s blessing. He gives human increase and livestock increase. This echoes the creation blessing and the covenant blessings promised to Israel.
Genesis 1:28, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
Deuteronomy 7:13, “And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee, he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.”
Psalm 107:33 to 38 teaches that the LORD can turn fruitful lands into barren places because of wickedness, and He can turn wilderness into fruitful habitation by mercy. He rules over judgment and restoration. He brings down and He rebuilds. He dries up and He waters. He scatters and He gathers.
Psalm 107:39 to Psalm 107:42, God’s Work in Transforming Those Oppressed and Afflicted
Psalm 107:39, “Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.”
Psalm 107:40, “He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.”
Psalm 107:41, “Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.”
Psalm 107:42, “The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.”
The psalm now applies God’s transforming power to human conditions. Verse 39 describes people diminished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. Life in a fallen world includes seasons where people are reduced, weakened, and crushed by hardship.
Verse 40 says, “He poureth contempt upon princes.” God is not impressed by earthly rank. Princes may seem secure, but He can bring them low. He can cause rulers to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. Those who oppress others can become lost, humiliated, and powerless.
This is a consistent biblical theme. God humbles proud rulers.
Daniel 4:37, “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment, and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.”
Verse 41 gives the contrast, “Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.” The same God who brings princes low lifts the poor high. He rescues the afflicted and gives them household blessing. He turns vulnerability into stability.
This is not a political slogan. It is divine justice and mercy. God sees the oppressed. He is able to reverse their condition. The proud are not beyond His reach, and the poor are not beneath His care.
The language of making families “like a flock” points to growth, protection, and blessing. As a shepherd cares for a flock, the LORD establishes and multiplies those He raises from affliction.
Verse 42 says, “The righteous shall see it, and rejoice.” The righteous rejoice because God’s moral government is being displayed. They are glad when oppression is overturned, pride is humbled, and the afflicted are lifted.
“And all iniquity shall stop her mouth.” Wickedness loves to boast, accuse, mock, and justify itself. But when God acts in judgment and mercy, iniquity is silenced. There will come a day when every wicked argument against God will stop.
Job 5:15, “But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.”
Job 5:16, “So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.”
Psalm 107:39 to 42 teaches that the LORD transforms human status. He brings proud princes low, lifts the poor from affliction, blesses families, makes the righteous rejoice, and silences iniquity.
Psalm 107:43, Conclusion, Wisdom and Understanding
Psalm 107:43, “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.”
The psalm ends by calling for wisdom. “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things.” The wise man does not merely experience life. He observes it under God. He watches the works of the LORD, studies His dealings, remembers His deliverances, and learns from history.
The “these things” include the entire psalm, the lost led home, the captives freed, the sick healed, the sailors brought to harbor, the land transformed, the proud humbled, the poor lifted, and iniquity silenced. Wisdom observes all of this and draws the right conclusion.
“They shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.” Lovingkindness is God’s covenant mercy, His loyal love, His steadfast kindness. This mercy is understood from God’s Word, but also from His actions in history. God’s people are meant to read providence through the lens of Scripture. When they do, they see that the LORD is merciful, righteous, faithful, powerful, and wise.
This final verse also guards against shallow thinking. Some people experience deliverance and never learn. Some survive the wilderness and forget. Some are freed from chains and return to rebellion. Some are healed and never give thanks. Some survive storms and credit luck. The wise man does not do that. He observes, understands, and worships.
The New Testament gives the believer the same confidence in God’s wise and merciful providence.
Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Psalm 107 teaches that God’s mercy reaches the lost, the guilty, the sick, the storm tossed, the oppressed, and the poor. It teaches that men should cry unto the LORD in trouble, praise Him after deliverance, and publicly declare His works. It teaches that the LORD rules over land, sea, rulers, families, affliction, and restoration. It teaches that the wise man studies God’s works and understands the lovingkindness of the LORD.
