Hope

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and He delivered them from their distress.”

I have read Psalm 107 many times over the years. But today it seemed I had never seen it before. Truthfully, I often zip through a Psalm just to mark it off my Bible reading plan. But today the treasures in Psalm 107 jumped off the page.

Psalm 107, written to those rescued from the Babylonian exile, starts with a reminder to give thanks to God. Then it paints four vivid pictures of trouble. In the midst of each picture the Psalmist says, “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and He delivered them from their distress.” Continuing on, it describes what He did for them.

          Wandering

107:4-5 “Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty and their lives ebbed away.”

This, to me, in our day and age, describes people who take their focus off God and aimlessly wander in life. They know God can fulfill and satisfy their deepest needs and desires, but they get up and meander through their chaotic day without Him. They are too busy, too tired to make time for Him. At day’s end they say, “I feel so empty, so lonely. I hunger and thirst for meaning in my life.”

“Then they cried out to the Lord…” At some point it dawns on them that they have crowded God out of their life. They cry, “God. Help me. I don’t want to live like this anymore.”

What does God do? Psalm 107:7- 9 “And He delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could establish their homes. Let them give thanks…for He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good.”

He leads them to the one dwelling place, the one home that can fill their hunger. And that place is Him. When they live with Him He brings hope, promises, love, and life filled with meaning. He’s right there when they pray and worship. He feeds them and quenches their thirst. He establishes a home, not a house.

           Rebelling

107:10-12 “Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most high. So he subjected them to bitter labor: they stumbled, and there was no one to help.”

These people flat out decided they had no use for God. They felt confined by His rules. They wanted to be their own person and enjoy life. So they walked away.

They didn’t realize God’s enemy waits to capture all those who wander outside the safety of His protection. As soon as they stepped away from God, the enemy imprisoned them in the very activities they thought would free them. First he enticed them, and then he trapped them. Different philosophies, drugs, alcohol, pornography – you name it – captured their body and their mind to the degree they could not walk away as they assumed they would be able to.

But when “they cried out to the Lord in their trouble…” He stood ready to rescue His loved ones from the peril that had grabbed them; that owned them. His death on the cross, where He took their place, gave Him legal right to free even those who deliberately walked away (see previous post).

Psalm 107:14-16 “He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord…for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.” Nothing could stop the rescue.

      Lanquishing

Psalm 107:17-18 “Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.”

Wow. Looking at the Hebrew word definitions explains this section perfectly. Here’s sort of an amplified way to translate verse 17.  “One who despises wisdom, who is foolish and perverse, impious (Strong’s H191) because of their course of life, or mode of actions, their habits (Strong’s H1870) of sin and rebellion will suffer the consequence of their iniquity (Strong’s H5771) and will be humbled or afflicted (Strong’s H6031).”

So, in other words, those who sin will have natural consequences that can cause illness and disease to the point of not wanting to eat and facing death.

But, “they cried out to the Lord in their trouble…” verse 20 “and He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.”

He does that for us, too.

        Working

Psalm 107:23- 27 “Others went out on the sea in ships: they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits end.” (The NIV text note says that Israel’s belief in God’s total control of the sea was a cause of wonder to them.)

To me this speaks of people just going about their everyday lives. They go to work (or work at home) and then a storm hits. Whether that storm comes from nature, or people, or circumstances, it makes them reel and stagger. They can’t figure out how they will survive it.

Once again, “they cried out to the Lord… and he brought them out of their distress.”

Psalm 107:29-30 “He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.”

No matter what the circumstances, when we keep our focus on Jesus and cry out for His help, He has answers.

Four scenes of dire trouble; four scenes of rescue. And Jesus had answers. He always has answers. Whether we need a home, life with meaning, release from captivity, health and healing, forgiveness of sin, or provision, we can cry out to the Lord in our trouble and he will save us from our distress.