Ps 107
Series: First Psalms
Title: Reasons for Praise
Text: Psalm 107
Introduction:
The latest anti-Christian movie to hit the theaters is a movie titled, “Religulous.” Starring Bill Maher, the title gives the plot away – the point is to make religion look ridiculous. Maher, and director Larry Charles, pull out all the stops. They show the craziest antics performed in the name of God, all to make fun of religion and to convince people that believing in God requires you to put your brain in neutral, or throw it out all together.
If you haven’t seen it, you can watch the trailer online. Here’s a sneak peek. If you go to the movie’s website you will first be greeted by the face of Bill Maher, mysteriously appearing on the toasted bread of a grilled cheese sandwich. Reminding us of all the people that have seen the face of Jesus in a tortilla, in the pattern on their housecat, or on their garage door. The trailer then begins with Bill Maher walking down a church aisle, entering a confessional and saying, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been 40 years since my last confession.” Then it shows a guy who walks the streets looking like Jesus with long, flowing hair, and a robe to match. The guy tells Maher that God will one day wipe out evil. Maher responds, “what is he waiting for?” He tells a United States Senator that it bothers him that there are people running his country that believe in a talking snake (referring, of course, to the appearance of the Devil in the book of Genesis). He has a physician/author telling us that even if millions of people believe something it can still be ridiculous; it all depends on how you define crazy. Then he shows people of several faiths, jumping up and down, hands lifted in the air, speaking in tongues and talking about being taken up in the rapture and returning on a white horse. Of course, he speaks to someone who thinks they themselves are Jesus Christ reincarnate, and then he compares the ludicrous thought that Santa Claus can deliver presents to everyone in the world all on one night with someone who “can hear millions of people murmur all at the same time” - mocking a God who hears prayer.
The reviews of the movie have been pretty stinky too. Short on laughs, and even shorter on any convincing substance seems to be the general take.
It is all part of a cultural push by Maher and other “new atheists” (that we have talked about before) to convince the world that religion is not just wrong, but dangerous. They would like every semblance of religion to be utterly done away with in our society. For them, we have moved beyond our need for God as we have evolved.
Interestingly, their argument is exactly the opposite of the argument of the Psalmist, whose words we will examine this morning. Today it our final week in the series titled First Psalms; where we have been looking at the first psalm in each of the five collections of writings that make up the biblical book of Psalms. This morning we are going to look at Psalm 107. It’s author is unknown – and rightly so. This isn’t just one man’s story – this is a Psalm for everyone, because it is a Psalm that calls for everyone to give God his due – to give thanks to God. Far from viewing God as a figment of our imagination, or as a worn out idea that needs to be replaced by – oh, why not ourselves, this Psalm tells us why it is right to give God his due – why it is fitting to give him thanks. I am convinced that this Psalm bears a critical message for everyone on the planet – and you will see that unfold as we jump into this passage.
The message of the Psalmist unfolds in three parts. First, the Psalmist tells us what we should be doing. Second, he tells us why we should be doing this, and finally he shows us why his ideas demand some critical thinking and calculated action.
First, the Psalmist tells us what we should be doing. It is his thesis statement.
1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary
3 And gathered from the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.
The call is clear – we are to give thanks to God, because He is good and has done good things for us. To be a little more literal with the words, here is what the Psalmist is calling us to . . .
I. Recognize and then declare that God is good – for he has redeemed his kin from difficulties and dangers.
It would be one thing to call us to give thanks to God if God had not done anything for us. And I am certain that there are people who believe that God hasn’t done a single thing for them. Or more precisely, that He hasn’t done for them, what they wanted, or expected, him to do for them.
I remember watching a video on the life of Charles Darwin, certainly one of the better known unbelievers. Darwin at one point considered the ministry as a vocation, but opted for science instead. As he was developing his theory of evolution he was struggling with the thought of making it public since he knew that it contradicted the currently held opinions of his day as to the origins of life. He didn’t really want to shake up the world. But in my mind, there was one pivotal event that pushed him over the edge. It was this: Darwin had a daughter, named Anne, that he adored. It was no secret that she was his favorite – he didn’t hesitate to tell people of this fact. He loved the way she spontaneously showed him such great affection, smoothing his hair and straightening his clothes. When Ann was ten she came down with scarlet fever, and some think tuberculosis as well. Darwin prayed incessantly for his Annie to recover. But she didn’t recover. Upon her death, Darwin noted that the source of “joy had been taken from their household.” I think it was then, that Darwin gave up on God. Since God did not answer his prayer, and since God took his Annie away, Darwin no longer had room for God.
His story has been repeated more times throughout history than I can count. Many have suffered similar tragedies. They prayed fervently, found the doors of heaven closed and their request denied, and walked away from the experience finding no use for God.
We could talk about their bad theology, but the reality of their emotions can’t be denied. They would certainly rebel at the opening call of this Psalmist to give thanks to God who is good, and has done good things for us. In honesty, they do not recognize God as good, and they certainly wouldn’t declare His goodness, after what they experienced. They did not find in Him any rescue from difficulties or danger. We can understand this, but we find something different transpiring in the heart of this Psalmist. This writer’s life had not been easy. They hadn’t lived a pain-free, suffering-absent life. In fact, when this writer looked at the human condition, he saw the pain, and the heartache, but at the same time he saw the hand of God. It led him to declare that God is good, and he has done good things for his people.
By way of evidence the writer now chronicles the good things God has done. If we were to summarize his reasons for such a positive take on God we would say that we should thank God because he has delivered us and because he has dominion over all things. God is good because he has done good things for us and because of who he is.
II. God is good because of what he has done for us and because of who he is.
I don’t have time today to walk through the intricacies of each and every verse of this passage since it is rather lengthy. So let me summarize what the Psalmist says.
For one thing, the Psalmist believes we should give thanks to God, because He has done good things for us. He lists four good things God has done for us. Let me give them to you in a more modern dress:
When you were lost, he brought you home. (v. 4-9)
4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region;
They did not find a way to an inhabited city.
5 They were hungry and thirsty;
Their soul fainted within them.
6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
He delivered them out of their distresses.
7 He led them also by a straight way,
To go to an inhabited city.
8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!
9 For He has satisfied the thirsty soul,
And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.
Some of you have spent time wandering aimlessly through life. In pursuit of pleasure, or satisfaction, or the Almighty dollar. Only to discover you could never find what you were looking for. Then one day God brought you home – to the place where you discovered that He was all you needed; that you were satisfied with him. The Psalmist says, then “give thanks to the Lord” because of what He has done for you.
When you were trapped, he set you free. (v. 10-16)
10 There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Prisoners in misery and chains,
11 Because they had rebelled against the words of God
And spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 Therefore He humbled their heart with labor;
They stumbled and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
He saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death
And broke their bands apart.
15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!
16 For He has shattered gates of bronze
And cut bars of iron asunder.
Some of you have known the bondage of sin. You have been trapped in a repetitive pattern of bad choices and living with the consequences of those choices. You know the frustration of wanting a new life, but always shooting yourself in the foot. You rebelled against the word of God, you disobeyed his commands, and reaped a whirlwind of troubles for it. You thought you knew better than God about everything, only to come up short time and time again. And then you cried out and God delivered you from your prison or misery and chains. The Psalmist says, then “give thanks to the Lord” because of what He has done for you.
When you were broken, he made you whole. (v. 17-22)
1 7Fools, because of their rebellious way,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
18 Their soul abhorred all kinds of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
He saved them out of their distresses.
20 He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!
22 Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And tell of His works with joyful singing.
Some of you have been in the throes of death. Illness crept in and almost stole your life. You have heard the doctor diagnose your cancer. You have felt the frailty of this tent we call home. And then you cried out, and God delivered you from the gates of death. The Psalmist says, then “give thanks to the Lord” because of what He has done for you.
When you were in the storm, he gave you peace. (v. 23-32)
23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters;
24 They have seen the works of the LORD,
And His wonders in the deep.
25 For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,
Which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;
Their soul melted away in their misery.
27 They reeled and staggered like a drunken man,
And were at their wits' end.
28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.
29 He caused the storm to be still,
So that the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad because they were quiet,
So He guided them to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!
32 Let them extol Him also in the congregation of the people,
And praise Him at the seat of the elders.
Some of you have found yourselves in the middle of the perfect storm. The convergence of a certain series of factors that create turmoil that is incomparable. You have woken up to the storm of divorce. You have been battered by the winds of unemployment. You have been whipped by financial crisis. You have struggled to stand upright in the face of loss, of grief, of sins committed against you. But then you prayed when you were at your wit’s end and God delivered you from your trouble. The stormy seas were hushed. He gave you peace. The Psalmist says, then “give thanks to the Lord” because of what He has done for you.
So one reason the Psalmist gives for calling us to declare the goodness of God is the fact that the Lord has done good things for us. There is a second reason; that is, we should also give thanks to God because of who he is – specifically, because he has dominion, he has power, over all things.
Our God has dominion over nature.
33 He changes rivers into a wilderness
And springs of water into a thirsty ground;
34 A fruitful land into a salt waste,
Because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35 He changes a wilderness into a pool of water
And a dry land into springs of water;
36 And there He makes the hungry to dwell,
So that they may establish an inhabited city,
37 And sow fields and plant vineyards,
And gather a fruitful harvest.
38 Also He blesses them and they multiply greatly,
And He does not let their cattle decrease.
The very same God who created all of nature, controls all of nature. He can cause the earth to bring forth its bounty, or he can cause it to waste away to nothing. And he does both for his purposes.
God also has dominion over people and their experiences.
39 When they are diminished and bowed down
Through oppression, misery and sorrow,
40 He pours contempt upon princes
And makes them wander in a pathless waste.
41 But He sets the needy securely on high away from affliction,
And makes his families like a flock.
God knocks princes from their thrones and lifts the needy up to a place where affliction can’t touch them.
We should thank God because of who he is – his dominion over all things.
If we think about it, this is actually a difficult concept to grapple with. If God has dominion over all things, then why do bad things happen? We would anticipate that only good things would always happen to us. But even in this Psalm we see that sometimes God brings the storms that knock us over. Did you notice what it said back in v. 25?
25 For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,
Which lifted up the waves of the sea.
The God, who has dominion over all things, sometimes raises up the stormy winds that buffet us. And we say, “wait just a minute here. I thought you were good. I thought you loved me. I thought you worked for my good.” And the answer is he is good, he does love you and he does work for your good. What ever makes us think that we can begin to understand what is best for us. Sure, we know what we think is good, but it really isn’t about what we think is good.
Remember when Job got a little testy with God – questioning his goodness when God allowed horrible calamity to strip him of his children, his status, his financial security, even his good health. And God began questioning Job, “where were you when I made all that you see, do you know where I hide the lightning? And on and on he goes, until Job relents. “I get it,” he said, “I’m sorry I was acting so stupidly.” He eventually realized that only God knows what is best, and the wisest response is not to fight God, nor to deny his goodness, but to bow to his dominion – a dominion that springs from his goodness and love for us.
And so the Psalmist concludes with a thought provoking statement.
42 The upright see it and are glad;
But all unrighteousness shuts its mouth.
43 Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things,
And consider the lovingkindnesses of the LORD.
The righteous will see the dominion of God, and be glad in it. Imagine what life would be like if God only had good intentions, and did not have dominion over everything. That’s scary.
The unrighteous though, will have their mouths shut one day. Oh, they might mock God now; they might make their movies and deny his goodness, his dominion, or even his existence in the present. But like Job, one day they will be silenced.
And here is the kicker – the wise man will heed these things now. The wise man will consider how great the love of God is for him. He will recognize and declare that God is good and that He has done good things for him. The wise man will not wait for God to knock his pride out from under him. He will bow his knee to God today. Won’t we?
Let’s pray and worship.
