Psalm 107: A Thanksgiving from the Redeemed

I. Introduction

A. The psalmist writes this call to thanksgiving sometime after returning from the Babylonian exile.

1. This psalm serves as a call to giving thanks to God for His great love to the exiled nation.

2. The psalmist also calls on the Jews to learn and gain wisdom the nation’s past. He ends the psalm (verse 43) saying:

43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love (hessed) of the Lord.

B. To reach this objective, the psalmist works through the following progression of thought:

1. In verses 1-3, he invites the saved/redeemed (specifically the gathered Jews from exile) to give thanks because of God’s goodness. This first section serves as summary/quick introduction for the rest of the psalm.

2. In verses 4-32, the psalmist in four stanzas reminds the redeemed of what their state used to be like (states that many of us can relate with):

a. Like people lost in a desert, vs. 4-9

b. Like people locked in a dungeon, vs. 10-16

c. Like people lying on their deathbed, vs. 17-22

d. Like people in a storm-tossed boat, vs. 23-32

II. A Call to Give Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord because...

A. He is our sustainer

B. He is our redeemer

C. He is our future glory

III. A Reminder to Not Forget

The redeemed were once..

A. Like people lost in a desert, vs. 4-9

B. Like people locked in a dungeon, vs. 10-16

C. Like people lying on their deathbed, vs. 17-22

D. Like people in a storm-tossed boat, vs. 23-32

IV. Conclusion

A. Give thanksgiving because He is Good

He is our sustainer, redeemer, and future glory

B. Give thanksgiving because He is deliverance

Let us remember our deliverance and His steadfast love.