Let the Redeemed of the Lord Give Praise

Introduction:

So, who are the redeemed? We know that we are the redeemed.

Ephesians 1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:”

Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, we have been redeemed from the curse of the law, we have been redeemed from all iniquity and we are a peculiar people.

Hear me now—not with your ears, but with your spirit. I am not here today to entertain you. I am not here to tickle your ears or your intellect, or soothe your soothe your conscience. I came with a fire in my bones and a burden in my soul. Because I believe there are so many who proclaim themselves christians who are now lost. Now bound. Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

The anointing of God is in our lives, the anointing lifts the burdens off of our shoulders, and destroys the yoke from our necks. That means the yokes of depression, the yokes of infirmities, the yokes of disease, the yokes of spiritual oppression, the yokes of the world.

The unfortunate truth is that some have placed themselves back into bondage. Binding themselves to blindness. Blind that before you can be redeemed, you must know you are drowning.

I declare to you today: God does not redeem the self-sufficient. He does not rescue the proud. He does not pour out mercy on those who think they’re fine without Him.

📖 “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.” — Luke 5:31

Until you see the sickness in your soul… until you feel the weight of your sin… until you cry out like David, “Create in me a clean heart, O God!” — you will not know the power of redemption. You will not taste the sweetness of grace. You will not walk in the freedom of the cross.

I’m not here to preach comfort. I’m here to preach conviction. Because conviction is the doorway to repentance. And repentance is the pathway to redemption. And redemption—oh, redemption-is the miracle that turns a sinner into a son, a rebel into a worshiper, a broken vessel into a temple of the Holy Ghost. Turns a drunk into a Preacher! Turns a victim into a victor. Turns a mess into a messenger!

So I ask you: Have you seen your need? Have you felt your fallenness? Have you come face-to-face with the truth that without Jesus Christ, you are lost?

Because until you do… You will never be saved. You will never be free. You will never be redeemed.

But if you’ll let the Holy Spirit pierce your heart today… if you’ll let the Word of God expose the hidden places… if you’ll cry out, “Lord, I need You!” — then heaven will open, mercy will flood, and redemption will roar like a lion into your life.

Let’s get honest. Let’s get desperate. Because redemption is waiting—but it only comes to those who know they need saving.

In Psalm 107, we see four kinds of people who are desperate and cry out to God.

The first are those who’ve gone astray: Psalm 107:4–5 “They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them.”

I immediately think of Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

See, they hungered and thirsted, they wandered the wilderness in a solitary way, IOWs, they were alone. They found no city to dwell in. They could call no place home.

Sound like anyone you know?

There are a lot of people today who are adrift. They’re searching for something to give their lives purpose and meaning. They’re looking for something to fill the emptiness of their soul.

Whether it’s emotional – seeking peace of mind … or relational – longing for companionship … or vocational – hoping to find a better job … or spiritual – feeling that God is distant and far away or that they are wrestling with a spiritual drought in their lives … they feel frustrated and empty.

They do all sorts of things to try to fill the void – they go shopping or to the movies or binge-watch Netflix or TV, or they fill the void with chemicals and stuff that destroys sobriety - trying to satisfy a deep craving, a deep yearning in their lives.

At the root is where Satan sowed the seed of rebellion into the Garden of Eden, a seed and a lie that says you were meant to decide and to know what is good and evil, and that choices of life are meant for you to decide. Satan said You can be like God. Satan sowed the seed of serpent-sin nature. BUT:

John 6:35 “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

John 7:38 “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

Revelation 21:6 “And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”

The second are those who’ve rebelled and rejected the authority of God. The psalmist describes them this way:

Psalm 107:10–11 “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, Being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, And contemned the counsel of the most High:”

I think about those who know the truth but have rebelled against the words of God. The word contemned in Hebrew is TO DERIDE, TO DESPISE, TO REJECT WITH CONTEMPT AND DERISION. They have condemned righteousness. They have broken God’s law. Such as:

• You shall have no other gods before me. • Keep the Sabbath day holy. • Do not lie, steal, or kill. • Do not commit adultery or take the Lord’s name in vain. • Honor your mother and father, and do not covet what others have.

Jesus even simplified the law: ,

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).

We understand perfectly well what God would have us to do – or not to do. We don’t want to do it. We get so wrapped up..in our lives, in our wants…. That we forget to surrender our will to God’s will. We want to call the shots. We ignore scripture like Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.”

We want to do our own thing - like Frank Sinatra's old song “I did it my way.”

The third group consists of those who are lost in sin, who’ve strayed so far from the truth that they’ve lost their desire for what is wholesome and good. They no longer care. The psalmist says,

Psalm 107:17–18 “Fools because of their transgression[IOWs, disobedience], And because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; And they draw near unto the gates of death.” The foolish are afflicted because of their disobedience and because of their iniquities. The word iniquity means Lemma in Hebrew [perversity, depravity; a depraved action]. When we ingest poison, the poison tries to destroy us on the inside. That is what sin does in our lives. It destroys us spiritually and physically. Oftentimes, the sin destroys our flesh so that we flail against the spiritual. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak.

We all know someone from our past or present in this group. Their soul abhors all kinds of meat. Even the good stuff was impossible to ingest. I was this person. I was literally harming my body. We all know someone who is perfectly content living in their own sin. They are satisfied or even eager to find faults with others because they are unhappy.

The problem with drawing near the gates of death is that many are spiritually dead in the water. We are filled with everything the secular world offers—sports, entertainment, politics, gambling, drugs, addictions, and pornography. Amusements of all kinds are all they care about.

Then there’s the fourth group. They suffer through no fault of their own. The psalmist writes, Psalm 107:23–25 “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. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, Which lifteth up the waves thereof.”

If it bothers you that the psalmist gives God credit – or blame – for the storm at sea, you need to understand that, in the Old Testament, God is all-powerful and sovereign over all creation. Nothing can happen apart from God. If disaster strikes, then somehow, someway, God must be behind it.

Look at Job and Satan. Satan had to get permission from God before he could come after Job. Look at Jesus talking to Peter, and emphasize how Satan asks. Jesus said Satan desires to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you!

One of the most incredible truths of having God in our lives as El-Shaddai, El-Elyon, the God Most High, is that He is the priority in our lives. He is sovereign over us, and if something happens in our lives, it is meant to be a model of growth—a platform to propel us forward and deeper in our faith. We walk by faith, not by sight.

The storms of life are simply part of the natural order. So often in our lives, a storm comes out of nowhere and whips around, and everything feels in peril. This speaks to us all, at some time or another. You’re going about your business, not causing trouble, doing your part, when all of a sudden, disaster strikes and the rug is pulled out from under you.

• The stock market drops and wipes out a lifetime of savings. • The pathology report reveals evidence of cancer. • A competing company places a bid or a firm acquires your company, and your job is outsourced overseas. • You receive a call in the middle of the night saying there’s been an accident, and someone in your family has been involved. These events happen, and there’s no rhyme or reason for them. How do you explain to a young couple why their baby was born with birth defects?

Let’s return to:

🕊️ I. The Cry of the Desperate – Psalm 107:4–6

Psalm 107:4–6 “They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, And he delivered them out of their distresses.”

A Cry of Desperation. Brothers and sisters, Psalm 107 is a mighty chorus of testimony! It's a look back at four different groups of people who found themselves in a heap of trouble. We're talking about wanderers lost in the desert, starving and thirsty, with nowhere to turn. Then there were the captives in chains, bound by the darkness of their own rebellion. Next, we see the afflicted fools, sick and dying because of their own foolish choices. And finally, the sailors on the stormy seas, tossed about by a tempest that threatened to swallow them whole! Each of these groups cried out to the Lord in their distress, and what did our God do? He heard them! This psalm is a powerful reminder that no matter the situation, our God is listening.

A Modern Cry. Now, don't you dare think this is just ancient history! This psalm is a mirror reflecting our world today! We've got modern-day wanderers, souls lost in the wilderness of a sin-sick society, searching for meaning and finding only emptiness. We've got captives, bound by the chains of addiction, pornography, anxiety, and debt. We've got fools, making reckless decisions and suffering the consequences, their bodies and spirits broken. And we've got those facing the storms of life—the loss of a job, a broken family, a health crisis—feeling like they're about to capsize. But the good news is, the same God who heard them back then hears us now! Our cries of desperation don't fall on deaf ears; they reach the throne room of heaven!

Preaching Point:

Redemption doesn’t begin in comfort—it begins in crisis. Before the Lord delivered them, they wandered. They were hungry. They were thirsty. Their souls fainted. And only then—then—they cried out. So often, we go further into darkness, before we see the light.

This isn’t just poetic—it’s prophetic. These four groups represent human brokenness. And every one of them found deliverance not through effort, but through a cry. That cry was the turning point

Application:

Church, we’ve got too many people trying to skip the wilderness and jump straight to the deliverance. But God doesn’t redeem the self-satisfied. He waits for the cry of the desperate. Until you see your soul fainting, you won’t cry out. And until you cry out, you won’t be delivered.

This is our world today. These aren’t just ancient categories—they’re modern realities. And the same God who heard them hears us. The cry of desperation is the doorway to divine intervention.

🔥 II. The Pattern of Redemption – Psalm 107:10–13

Psalm 107:10–13 “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, Being bound in affliction and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, And contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, And he saved them out of their distresses.”

Preaching Point: This is the rhythm of grace:

Darkness → Cry → Deliverance

Chains → Cry → Freedom

Death → Cry → Life

Illustration: “God doesn’t save you from your sin until you see the horror of it.” You can’t be redeemed from chains you refuse to admit are there. You can’t be healed from wounds you won’t expose.

Challenge: Are you sitting in darkness today? Bound in iron? Then cry out! Don’t polish your chains—break them with a cry of repentance.

We’ve got chains today—addiction, anxiety, shame. But when we cry out, He breaks them. Not with a whisper, but with a shout of mercy.

🔥 III. The Mighty Hand of God – Psalm 107:17–20

Psalm 107:17–20 “Fools because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; And they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, And he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.”

In Psalm 107, we see the Almighty's hand in action! When the wanderers cried out, God led them on a straight path to a city where they could dwell! When the captives cried out, He broke their chains and set them free from the darkness! When the fools cried out, He sent His Word and healed them, snatching them from the pit of destruction! And when the sailors cried out, He stilled the raging storm and brought them to their desired haven! He didn't just stand by; He intervened! He showed up and showed out, proving His power is greater than any wilderness, any chain, any sickness, or any storm. He is the God of miracles, and He is a God of rescue!

Preaching Point: Even fools—yes, even those who chose sin—are met with mercy when they cry out. That’s the scandal of grace. That’s the power of redemption.

God’s Word is not passive—it’s active. He sent His Word. It healed. It delivered. That same Word is alive today.

Prophetic Word: You may know someone who they think they’ve gone too far. They/You’ve sinned too long. They/You’ve rebelled too hard. But I declare to you: If you cry out, He will save you. Not because you’re worthy—but because He’s merciful.

🔥 IV. Redeemed by the Same God, Yesterday, Today, and Forever – Psalm 107:2

Psalm 107:2 “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;”

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

Hallelujah! The same God who delivered them is the same God who delivers us today! You're not too lost for Him to find you. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, ready to lead you home. You're not too bound for Him to set you free! In the name of Jesus, those chains of addiction and despair can be broken. You're not too broken for Him to heal you! The living Word of God is a balm for every wound and a cure for every disease of the soul. And no matter the storm you're facing, Jesus is in the boat with you, and with a single word, He can command the winds and the waves to be still! Just like Psalm 107 says, let's give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, because He is still in the business of delivering souls! Amen! 

Preaching Point: Once you’ve been redeemed, you don’t stay silent. You testify. You shout. You say so. But only the redeemed can say so—and only the desperate are redeemed.

The God who calmed the seas still speaks peace. The God who broke chains still sets captives free. The God who healed the fools still restores the broken.

“They cried to Yahweh… and he delivered them …” (Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28)

It’s a matter of faithfulness … God’s faithfulness. God is faithful, even when we are not. God is faithful, even when we bring misery on ourselves. God is faithful, even when it’s due to circumstances beyond our control. God is faithful. Herein lies our hope.

The question is: How to respond? The psalmist answers the question 1-2-3:

One: Cry out to the Lord. Don’t be afraid to admit your need. It doesn’t matter whether you’re to blame or not, ask the Lord to help you. Ask the Lord to give you strength and direction and the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to do it.

And don’t worry about the extent of your need. I’ve heard people say, “I don’t want to bother the Lord about something as trivial as this.” In God’s sight, nothing is trivial, if it affects one of his children.

I’ve also heard people say, “This is so big, I don’t even know where to start.” Well, nothing is too big for God. If it’ll make you feel better, God already knows your need before you ask.

So, begin with prayer. Call on the Lord. Ask God to help you. Remember what the psalmist said, “They cried out to the Lord, and he delivered them.”

Two: Give thanks to the Lord. Give credit where credit is due. When the crisis is over, remember who got you out of the jam.

Don’t be like the little boy who climbed up on top of the barn. The tin roof was slick, and he began to slide. He prayed, “Lord, help me, I’m falling. Save me, and I’ll do anything you ask.” Just like that, he stopped. Just as quickly, he blurted out, “Never mind, my pants just got caught on a nail.”

It’s only natural to ask God for help when things go awry. As the old adage goes, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” You can be confident the Lord will hear your prayers and give you grace sufficient for the need, no matter how desperate you are. What’s important is to remember to say thank you when things get back to normal.

And know this: The more you say thank you – the more you express gratitude to God, not only in moments of crisis, but throughout the day – the more you’ll see God at work around you, blessing you with countless gifts of grace and love, from the sunshine on your shoulder, to the air you breathe, to the smile of a stranger crossing your path.

Three: Share the Good News with others. Don’t be ashamed to tell others what God has done for you. As the psalmist says,

“Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so….Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with singing” (Psalm 107:2, 22).

Throughout this psalm, we see helplessness and despair; BUT God proves his faithfulness. God hears the cry of the needy and responds with compassion and love. Listen! Four times the psalmist writes,

God is faithful, not just some of the time, but all of the time. Trust him to be faithful to you. And, as you experience God’s grace and love, return the favor by being faithful to God … and taking a moment to share your experience with someone you know.

🙌 V. Altar Call: “The Cry That Changes Everything”

Invite the congregation to respond not with polished prayers, but with raw repentance. Encourage them to come forward, not because they’re strong—but because they’re broken. Let the redeemed say so—but let the lost cry out first

Let the wanderers come home. Let the captives be freed. Let the broken be healed. Let the storm-tossed find peace

Psalm 107:20:

“He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” — Psalm 107:20 (KJV)

This verse is a thunderclap of mercy. It shows that God doesn’t just observe suffering—He acts. He sends His word. Not a whisper, not a suggestion—He dispatches His word like a rescue mission. And what does that word do?

Heals the broken.

Delivers the bound.

Rescues from destruction.

It’s the same Word that spoke galaxies into existence. The same Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. The same Word that still pierces hearts and breaks chains today.

Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” — A tender image of God as a physician, not just of bodies, but of souls.

Psalm 34:17–18 “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Deliverance and healing are intertwined here—God hears, draws near, and rescues.

2 Corinthians 1:10 “He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope…” — Past, present, and future deliverance—God’s rescue is not a one-time event.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” — Hebrews 13:8 (KJV)

This isn’t just poetic—it’s theological bedrock. It means:

Yesterday — He was the healer, the deliverer, the Word made flesh.

Today — He still saves, still speaks, still walks with us.

Forever — He will never change, never fail, never abandon.