Understanding the Lovingkindness of the LORD

Who are the redeemed of the LORD? They are wanderers in the desert, rebels in prison, fools in sickness, and those who are in the greatest peril — any and all who turn and cry out to the Lord. He hears them and delivers them, bringing them into safety, prosperity and health. He causes them to walk with Him in rightness.

You see, there are just two kinds of people in the world: Those who cry out to the Lord, and those who do not. Notice what happens with each.

He turns rivers into a wilderness,
  And the watersprings into dry ground;
A fruitful land into barrenness,
  For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.

(Psalm 107:33-34)

Because of wickedness, rivers and wells run dry. The fruitful become barren. This is not only true of individuals who turn from the Lord, it is also true of the land they inhabit. God does not cause it to be this way, He allows it to be this. He permits is because the wicked permit it, by their words and their ways. You see, God has given them the right to choose, and He honors their choice by allowing them to have real consequences.

He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
  And dry land into watersprings.
There He makes the hungry dwell,
  That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
And sow fields and plant vineyards,
  That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly;
  And He does not let their cattle decrease.

(Psalm 107:35-38)

When people repent and cry out to the Lord, they are redeemed. Their dry, dusty fields become well-watered pastures, lush and green. They are established — stabilized and positioned for abundance and prosperity. Their harvest is full of all kinds of fruitfulness. Their blessings multiply. Just as wickedness brings curse, even to ecological systems, so does righteousness bring blessing.

When they are diminished and brought low
  Through oppression, affliction and sorrow,
He pours contempt on princes,
  And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way;

(Psalm 107:39-40)

God is righteous and just—that is, He does right and sets things right. When oppression, affliction and sorrow are brought upon the redeemed, God is not silent or still. He visits the perpetrators, and those who sit idly by, with contempt. He laughs as their honor, position and power disintegrate. He hastens their downfall and sets them wandering in the wilderness of their own making.

Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction,
  And makes their families like a flock.
The righteous see it and rejoice,
  And all iniquity stops its mouth.

(Psalm 107:41-42)

God’s justice means restoration for the poor, all who look to Him. He sets them high above misery and trouble. He enlarges them and causes them to prosper. He greatly adds to their families and thus causes His inheritance to increase on the earth. For those who do what is right, this is a cause for celebration. Those who do what is wrong are dumbfounded — it is hard to argue with blessing.

Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

(Psalm 107:43)

This brings us back to where we began — the song of the redeemed: Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever (Psalm 147:1).

If you seek wisdom, pay close attention to these things and guard them carefully in your heart. Then you will begin to discern the goodness of the Lord, and see His lovingkindness displayed in your life.

The Redeemed: Those in Greatest Peril

Let the redeemed of the LORD say this: The LORD is good, His hesed (covenant love and mercy) lasts forever. Who are the redeemed of the LORD?

Those who go down to the sea in ships,
  Who do business on great waters,
They see the works of the LORD,
  And His wonders in the deep.
For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
  Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
They mount up to the heavens,
  They go down again to the depths;
Their soul melts because of trouble.
  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
  And are at their wits’ end.

(Psalm 107:23-27)

These are sailors, merchants, businessmen of the sea. They have taken on the most perilous sort of work, but they are also privileged to see the mighty works of the Lord in the wonders of the deep. They admire its great power and beauty, but they also have a very healthy respect for its dangers. It is both exhilarating, and at times, daunting. When the sea pitches them around like drunken men, they lose heart and are far past their ability to cope.

Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble,
  And He brings them out of their distresses.
He calms the storm,
  So that its waves are still.
Then they are glad because they are quiet;
  So He guides them to their desired haven.

(Psalm 107:28-30)

They turn to the Lord and He hears their cry. He calms the storm and the sea and brings them to safe place. They are glad, perhaps for the first time.

Jesus stood by the Sea of Galilee and said, “Let us cross over to the other side.” So they piled into the little boat and set out. Midway, a great storm suddenly arose and was starting to swamp their vessel. Jesus slept peacefully in the stern, but was awakened by the disciples, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”

Jesus arose and rebuked the wind and the waves, “Peace, be still.” All was calm. But He said to the disciples, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:35-40).

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
  And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people,
  And praise Him in the company of the elders.

(Psalm 107:31-32)

Truly God is good to all who seek Him, to all who call on His name. He delivers them from the greatest peril. His works are full of wonder and are to be declared to all the people, even those in the places of highest authority. Thanks and the highest praise belong to His name.

The Redeemed: Fools in Sickness

Fools, because of their transgression,
  And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
  And they drew near to the gates of death.

(Psalm 107:17-18)

These are those who did not walk in the fear of the Lord and the wisdom of God. They were not naïve, at least in the eyes of the world, but they very intentionally took the path of rebellion and evil. This rampant evil in their souls brought forth the natural consequence of sickness and disease in their bodies. Moving past all desire for physical nourishment, they became intimately acquainted with death, and lingered at its gates.

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
  And He saved them out of their distresses.
He sent His word and healed them,
  And delivered them from their destructions.

(Psalm 107:19-20)

It does not matter that their wretched condition was brought about by their own willful behavior — when they turned to the Lord, He heard their cry and rescued them from their troubles. More specifically, He sent forth His Word to heal them, and quickly slipped them away from the gates of death.

This is always God’s way — when we turn to Him and call on His name, He hears and delivers us. James said, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:14-15).

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
  And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
  And declare His works with rejoicing.

(Psalm 107:21-22)

The word “men” is not in the original text, but is supplied by the translators. The idea is that these fools and rebels, who have experienced the salvation of the Lord in such wondrous ways, should gratefully acknowledge the mighty works of God. Since we have all had something of the fool and the rebel inside of us, this exhortation broadens out to all.

“Sacrifice the sacrifices.” This is an idiomatic saying used for emphasis: Give your reverent praise and adoration to the Lord, and don’t hold back — give it everything you’ve got! Not only that, but got out and declare it widely, with great rejoicing (literally, with squeals of joy).

Are you in need of healing, forgiveness or some other form of deliverance? It doesn’t matter that it may be because of your own foolishness, or even rebellion. God will not force Himself on you, but if you cry out to Him in faith, He will gladly send His Word and heal your disease.

The Redeemed: Rebels in Captivity

Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
  Bound in affliction and irons —
Because they rebelled against the words of God,
  And despised the counsel of the Most High,
Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
  They fell down, and there was none to help.

(Psalm 107:10-13)

These are those who rebelled against the Word of God (which is to rebel against God Himself) and ended up, not in freedom and pleasure as they had supposed, but in bondage and affliction. They despised the counsel of God, which would have flooded them with life and light, and ended up in darkness instead. They did not bow down before God, so they were made to bow beneath the weight of oppressive burdens much too heavy for them. It is no mystery why, given the road they chose, this should be the fate they would meet. But how is it that they have now become the Redeemed of the LORD?

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
  And He saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
  And broke their chains in pieces.

(Psalm 107:13-14)

The grace and mercy of God is so great that even when we turn to Him in our rebellion, deep in the trouble of our own making, from rock bottom, He hears and responds to our cry. Faith, taking God at His Word, always pleases Him, even at the last, and whoever calls on His name shall be saved. He brings us out of darkness — not in chains, for He completely destroys those — but into the light of His freedom.

Rebels turned and cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and so they were redeemed.

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
  And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He has broken the gates of bronze,
  And cut the bars of iron in two.

(Psalm 107:15-16)

Here is the goodness of God expressed again, in powerful signs and wonders. He destroys the chains of bondage, tears down the gates of captivity and breaks through the mightiest strongholds. Give Him praise!

Have you been in rebellion and gotten yourself into trouble? God does not expect you to be your own savior. Turn to Him now — it is not too late. Call on His name, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will gladly bring you out.

The Redeemed: Wanderers in the Desert

Who are the redeemed of the Lord? The come from the most unlikely places. They are homeless wanderers in the desert, rebels in prison, fool in sickness and people in the greatest peril. They all have something in common — they are all in trouble. But that is not all. What is more important is what else they have in common — they cry out to the Lord in the midst of their trouble. And so they are redeemed!

They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
  They found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty,
  Their soul fainted in them.

(Psalm 107:4-5)

These are people who have no home, no dwelling place, no stability in their lives, no focus. They are aimless wanderers whose whole life seems to be nothing more than a vast desert, dry and dusty. They are hungry and thirsty for a place and a provision, but they have given up and are shrouded by the shadow of death.

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
  And He delivered them out of their distresses.
And He led them forth by the right way,
  That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.

(Psalm 107:6-7)

Then in their desperation, they remember that there is a covenant God, a God of goodness, a God of mercy. They cry out to Him, not with eloquence or ceremony, but from the depth of great need and hunger.

God hears and delivers them — “snatches them out” is the meaning of the Hebrew word — from all their distresses. He sets them on the right path and leads them forward into the destiny He has had prepared for them all along. He directs them to a city, a place where destinies come together to be nurtured and protected and brought to fulfillment.

Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
  And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
  And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

(Psalm 107:8-9)

Here is the psalm’s refrain, invoking the song of the redeemed: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy is forever” (v. 1). Out of God’s great goodness He brings forth wonders—marvelous and extraordinary things, even greater than we had known to expect. He fills the hungers and desires of the human soul full to overflowing with good things.

God welcomes the wanderers. It does not matter if you ended up in your desert by pigheadedness, naïvete, foolishness or willful pride. The name of Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) means “Yahweh delivers, saves, heals,” and the Bible says that whoever calls on His name will be saved.

Let the Redeemed of the LORD Say—What?

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.

(Psalm 107:2)

Let the redeemed of the LORD say — what? Certainly the redeemed of the LORD should recognize that they are the redeemed of the Lord, although there are plenty of Christians who do not. They live, act and speak as if they have not been redeemed at all, or have only been partially redeemed. They don’t seem to realize that guidance, provision, restoration and satisfaction truly belong to them. They learn to live with bondage and sickness, as if deliverance and healing were not a part of God’s salvation. They believe more in the stress of their lives than in the peace of God that has been made available to them. These folks should certainly start declaring that they are the redeemed of the LORD.

But that is not primarily what the psalm writer is talking about here. No, he is going directly to the root of the matter. What the redeemed of the Lord should learn to say is foundational to everything in their redemption, and that is this:

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

(Psalm 107:1)

To give thanks is to acknowledge with gratitude. It is a knowing, a confession about something, an agreement with something. Whatever the circumstance, let the redeemed always acknowledge and agree with this:

The LORD is good, and His mercy endures forever.

This is a very powerful confession, and the gateway to the intimate experience of God’s glory and presence. In 2 Chronicles 5, when the temple Solomon built for the Lord was being dedicated, the priests and singers and musicians praised the Lord together in unison, and this was their song: “He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” At that very moment, “the house of the LORD was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God” (vv. 13-14).

This confession is also the pathway to victory. In 2 Chronicles 20, when three kings and their armies surrounded Judah, King Jehoshaphat prayed to the Lord, and God answered that the army of Judah would not need to fight this battle, but would stand back and see the salvation of the Lord. The next day, Jehoshaphat sent the worship team out ahead of the army, and this was their song: “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever” (v. 21) The Bible says, “Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated” (v. 22).

The angels sing, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). That is how they have experienced God, for they are the hosts of heaven, and so they sing with great intensity about the holiness of God. We, too, can experience the holiness of God along with the angels.

We can sing the song of the angels, but the angels cannot sing the song of the redeemed — it is beyond their personal understanding. That song belongs to the redeemed alone, for they are the only ones who have experienced it. Angels long to look into these things (1 Peter 1:12), but they can do it only from without, not from within.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
  For His mercy endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
  Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
And gathered out of the lands,
  From the east and from the west,
  From the north and from the south.

(Psalm 107:1-3)

Let us confess together the song that only the redeemed have experienced firsthand: The LORD is good! His mercy endures forever. Sing it over every circumstance, problem, and need you may be facing. Then watch for His glory and expect the victory to come forth.