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 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on June 14, 2013 of Psalm 107:1-9; 2 Corinthians 9; 1 Kings 14:21-15.
The 107th Psalm opens the fifth and final book of the Psalms. It is interesting in that it presents four different images to describe God's providential deliverance of Israel from their captivity. The first depicts travelers in distress, the nation wandering in the wilderness, being guided to safety (verses 4-9). The second compares Israel to prisoners in a dungeon being released to freedom (verses 10-16). The third has them as sick men being restored to health (verses 17-22). And the last compares the people as sailors in a storm-tossed sea, their seamanship and navigational skills having failed them, being safely brought to their destination by the hand of God (verses 23-32). In each example, the people's plight is brought upon themselves by their own sin, by their disobedience to God's word, by their rebellion, as individuals and as a people, against God.
But before the psalmist presents the problems and God's provision in each of the four vignettes, he opens with a beautiful call to worship and praise our Lord. Why should we praise God? Because He is good! The psalmist is emphatic about this point. In fact, our author uses the words "good", "goodness", or "lovingkindness" no less than seven times in the 43 verses in describing God. God is good, and His mercy endures forever. God is not fickle, showing mercy one day and then withholding it the next. The Apostle Paul notes that all things come together for the good of those who love God and obey His voice (please see Romans 8:28). God is ever-faithful, has always kept His promises and always will. So we have every reason to thank and praise Him.
The psalmist also tells us that we, the redeemed, need to proclaim God's goodness. Jesus is our redeemer. He saved us out of the hands of our enemy Satan, our true adversary in this world. By His death we need not fear dying. By His blood we are washed clean. And by the grace and mercy of God, we have been reborn and adopted into His holy family, no longer required to be one of His chosen people from the house of Judah to be counted among His children. Christ has gathered us to Himself from all the lands, not just those of Israel. He calls us from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. None are denied, if they only believe in Jesus as the Son of the one true God and make Him Master over their lives. And someday He will return and take us all home, to live with Him and our Father forever. Amen.
Faithful God, thank You adopting us into Your family. Dearest Jesus, thank You for giving us new life in You and for sending the Holy Spirit to guide us in our walk on earth. In Your name O Jesus we pray. Amen.
But before the psalmist presents the problems and God's provision in each of the four vignettes, he opens with a beautiful call to worship and praise our Lord. Why should we praise God? Because He is good! The psalmist is emphatic about this point. In fact, our author uses the words "good", "goodness", or "lovingkindness" no less than seven times in the 43 verses in describing God. God is good, and His mercy endures forever. God is not fickle, showing mercy one day and then withholding it the next. The Apostle Paul notes that all things come together for the good of those who love God and obey His voice (please see Romans 8:28). God is ever-faithful, has always kept His promises and always will. So we have every reason to thank and praise Him.
The psalmist also tells us that we, the redeemed, need to proclaim God's goodness. Jesus is our redeemer. He saved us out of the hands of our enemy Satan, our true adversary in this world. By His death we need not fear dying. By His blood we are washed clean. And by the grace and mercy of God, we have been reborn and adopted into His holy family, no longer required to be one of His chosen people from the house of Judah to be counted among His children. Christ has gathered us to Himself from all the lands, not just those of Israel. He calls us from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. None are denied, if they only believe in Jesus as the Son of the one true God and make Him Master over their lives. And someday He will return and take us all home, to live with Him and our Father forever. Amen.
Faithful God, thank You adopting us into Your family. Dearest Jesus, thank You for giving us new life in You and for sending the Holy Spirit to guide us in our walk on earth. In Your name O Jesus we pray. Amen.
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