Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Psalms 6 (3)
Pray Psalm 107.1-3.
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.
Sing Psalm 107.1-3.
(Faithfulness: Great Is Thy Faithfulness)
LORD, You are good, we give thanks and we praise You! Your steadfast love will forever endure.
Let the redeemed, who from trouble You rescue, gather and say that Your mercy is sure!
Refrain vv. 1-3
LORD, for Your wondrous works, and for Your steadfast love,
we give You thanks, we exalt Your great Name!
We who from east and west, north and south gather,
boldly redemption in Christ we proclaim!
Read Psalm 107.1-43; meditate on verses 1-3.
Preparation
1. Why should we give thanks to the LORD?
2. How many “salvation stories” do you see here?
Meditation
This psalm is a bit longer, but it’s important for us to see all the various ways God meets sinners at their point of need, to redeem and save them for Himself. Four “testimonies” are related here (vv. 4-9, 10-16, 17-22, 23-32). Each ends with a similar refrain: “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness…” The appropriate response in each case is to recognize the sovereignty of God in our salvation. He reaches us to save us when salvation seems impossible. But that is the nature of redeeming grace, the grace that reaches us in the depths of our sins because of Jesus.
The psalm opens by declaring its theme: Give thanks for the redeeming mercy and goodness of the Lord. We who have been redeemed are called upon to “say so”, to tell the story of how God came to us, heard our cries for deliverance, met us in the depths of our lostness, and brought us through Jesus to Himself.
Read back through the four “testimonies” recorded here. Does one of these seem to fit you? The second one is mine (vv. 10-16), although I confess that I identify with some aspects of each of them. When was the last time you shared your testimony with someone? We whom the LORD has redeemed by grace through faith are sent to the people in our Personal Mission Field to “say so”, to share our testimony and to tell the Good News of Jesus and His Kingdom. “Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD” (v. 43).
Let’s make sure we take these words to heart, to declare the goodness and mercy of the LORD as often as we can.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162Our lives, day to day, are a continuing salvation story—one in which God meets us in our sadnesses, our questions, our circumstances, and our troubles.
For, in some ways we still wander, or sit in darkness, do or think foolish things, or find ourselves amidst overwhelming circumstantial storms and oppressing doubt. We are—as we recall, and God kindly remembers—merely dusty creatures (Ps. 103.14) prone to wander.
Even God’s people, praised for their faith, felt at loose ends.
“They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them” (Ps. 107.4, 5).
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Heb. 11.13-16). We just haven’t gotten there yet (Jn. 14.1-4). So, we might all feel a bit homesick for our new homeland, and a little bit misplaced whilst we wait here on earth to be rehomed.
Regardless, we are told that the way to peace is thankfulness.
“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Ps. 107.8, 15, 21, 31).
While we work and wait, we “cry out to the LORD in [our] trouble, and He brings [us] out of [our] distresses.
He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then [we] are glad because they are quiet; so He guides [us] to [our] desired haven” (Ps. 107.28-30).
“Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matt. 8.27)
It is Jesus, our loving, powerful, guiding, and caring Savior.
“Whoever is wise will observe these things,
and they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD” (Ps. 107.43).
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise His Name—I’m fixed upon it—Name of God’s redeeming love.
Hitherto Thy love has blest me; Thou hast brought me to this place;
And I know Thy hand will bring me Safely home by Thy good grace.
Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger, Bought me with His precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; Seal it for Thy courts above.
(Robert Robinson, 1758)
Testimonies of the Redeemed.
Reflection
1. Take a few moments and outline the main points of your own testimony of God’s redeeming grace.
2. Since you became a Christian, what are some of the most significant things God has done in your life?
3. How can you use your testimony to encourage other believers? Whom will you share with today?
The words describe their case whom the Lord has redeemed from the bondage of Satan; who pass through the world as a dangerous and dreary wilderness, often ready to faint through troubles, fears, and temptations. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, after God, and communion with him, shall be filled with the goodness of his house, both in grace and glory. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Psalm 107
Pray Psalm 107.1-3, 39-43.
Ask God to help you be clear about your own testimony of faith, and to give you an opportunity to share His work of redemption in your life today.
Sing Psalm 107.39-43, 1-3.
(Faithfulness: Great Is Thy Faithfulness)
When we are low, are oppressed and in sorrow, You pour contempt on our fierce, angry foes.
We will rejoice at the hope of tomorrow: He shall be wise who Your steadfast love knows!
Refrain vv. 1-3
LORD, for Your wondrous works, and for Your steadfast love,
we give You thanks, we exalt Your great Name!
We who from east and west, north and south gather,
boldly redemption in Christ we proclaim!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
For more teaching about the subject of this series, “Jesus throughout the Scriptures”, download our free ReVision study, “We Would See Jesus”, by clicking here.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
