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Psalm One
Hundred and Seven
Psalm 107
Chapter Contents
God's providential care of the children of men in
distresses
in banishment
and dispersion. (1-9) In captivity. (10-16) In
sickness. (17-22) Danger at sea.(23-32) God's hand is to be seen by his own
people. (33-43)
Commentary on Psalm 107:1-9
(Read Psalm 107:1-9)
In these verses there is reference to the deliverance
from Egypt
and perhaps that from Babylon: but the circumstances of travellers
in those countries are also noted. It is scarcely possible to conceive the
horrors suffered by the hapless traveller
when crossing the trackless sands
exposed to the burning rays of the sum. 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.
Commentary on Psalm 107:10-16
(Read Psalm 107:10-16)
This description of prisoners and captives intimates that
they are desolate and sorrowful. In the eastern prisons the captives were and
are treated with much severity. Afflicting providences must be improved as
humbling providences; and we lose the benefit
if our hearts are unhumbled and
unbroken under them. This is a shadow of the sinner's deliverance from a far
worse confinement. The awakened sinner discovers his guilt and misery. Having
struggled in vain for deliverance
he finds there is no help for him but in the
mercy and grace of God. His sin is forgiven by a merciful God
and his pardon
is accompanied by deliverance from the power of sin and Satan
and by the
sanctifying and comforting influences of God the Holy Spirit.
Commentary on Psalm 107:17-22
(Read Psalm 107:17-22)
If we knew no sin
we should know no sickness. Sinners
are fools. They hurt their bodily health by intemperance
and endanger their
lives by indulging their appetites. This their way is their folly. The weakness
of the body is the effect of sickness. It is by the power and mercy of God that
we are recovered from sickness
and it is our duty to be thankful. All Christ's
miraculous cures were emblems of his healing diseases of the soul. It is also
to be applied to the spiritual cures which the Spirit of grace works. He sends
his word
and heals souls; convinces
converts them
makes them holy
and all
by the word. Even in common cases of recovery from sickness
God in his
providence speaks
and it is done; by his word and Spirit the soul is restored
to health and holiness.
Commentary on Psalm 107:23-32
(Read Psalm 107:23-32)
Let those who go to sea
consider and adore the Lord.
Mariners have their business upon the tempestuous ocean
and there witness
deliverances of which others cannot form an idea. How seasonable it is at such
a time to pray! This may remind us of the terrors and distress of conscience
many experience
and of those deep scenes of trouble which many pass through
in their Christian course. Yet
in answer to their cries
the Lord turns their
storm into a calm
and causes their trials to end in gladness.
Commentary on Psalm 107:33-43
(Read Psalm 107:33-43)
What surprising changes are often made in the affairs of
men! Let the present desolate state of Judea
and of other countries
explain
this. If we look abroad in the world
we see many greatly increase
whose
beginning was small. We see many who have thus suddenly risen
as suddenly
brought to nothing. Worldly wealth is uncertain; often those who are filled
with it
ere they are aware
lose it again. God has many ways of making men
poor. The righteous shall rejoice. It shall fully convince all those who deny
the Divine Providence. When sinners see how justly God takes away the gifts
they have abused
they will not have a word to say. It is of great use to us to
be fully assured of God's goodness
and duly affected with it. It is our wisdom
to mind our duty
and to refer our comfort to him. A truly wise person will
treasure in his heart this delightful psalm. From it
he will fully understand
the weakness and wretchedness of man
and the power and loving-kindness of God
not for our merit
but for his mercy's sake.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》
Psalm 107
Verse 3
[3] And
gathered them out of the lands
from the east
and from the west
from the
north
and from the south.
Gathered —
Into their own land.
Verse 4
[4] They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to
dwell in.
No city — Or
rather
no town inhabited
where they might refresh themselves.
Verse 6
[6] Then
they cried unto the LORD in their trouble
and he delivered them out of their
distresses.
The Lord —
Heb. Unto Jehovah
to the true God. For the Heathens had
many of them
some knowledge
of the true God.
Verse 7
[7] And
he led them forth by the right way
that they might go to a city of habitation.
Forth —
Out of the wilderness.
Verse 10
[10] Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death
being bound in
affliction and iron;
Darkness — In
dark prisons or dungeons.
Verse 12
[12]
Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down
and there
was none to help.
Heart —
The pride and obstinacy of their hearts.
Fell —
They fell into hopeless miseries.
Verse 17
[17] Fools
because of their transgression
and because of their iniquities
are afflicted.
Afflicted —
With sickness.
Verse 20
[20] He
sent his word
and healed them
and delivered them from their destructions.
Word —
His command
or blessing.
Verse 32
[32] Let
them exalt him also in the congregation of the people
and praise him in the
assembly of the elders.
Exalt him — In
public assemblies
and before all persons
as they have opportunity.
Elders —
The magistrates or rulers; let them not be ashamed nor afraid to speak of God's
wonderful works
before the greatest of men.
Verse 33
[33] He
turneth rivers into a wilderness
and the watersprings into dry ground;
Rivers —
Those grounds which are well watered
and therefore fruitful. And so the
water-springs
here
and the standing water
verse 35 are taken.
Into —
Into a dry ground
which is like a parched and barren wilderness.
Verse 34
[34] A
fruitful land into barrenness
for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
For — He
doth not inflict these judgments without cause
but for the punishment of sin
in some
and the prevention of it in others.
Verse 35
[35] He
turneth the wilderness into a standing water
and dry ground into watersprings.
Water —
Into a well-watered and fruitful land.
Verse 36
[36] And
there he maketh the hungry to dwell
that they may prepare a city for
habitation;
Hungry —
Poor people who could not provide for themselves.
Verse 39
[39]
Again
they are minished and brought low through oppression
affliction
and
sorrow.
They —
These men
who when they are exalted by God
grow insolent and secure.
Low — By
God's just judgment.
Verse 40
[40] He
poureth contempt upon princes
and causeth them to wander in the wilderness
where there is no way.
Contempt —
Renders them despicable.
Wander —
Banishes them from their own courts and kingdoms
and forces them to flee into
desolate wildernesses for shelter.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and
Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village
Preacher
Other Works
SUBJECT. This is a
choice song for the redeemed of the Lord (Ps 107:2). Although it celebrates
providential deliverances
and therefore may be sung by any man whose life has
been preserved in time of danger; yet under cover of this
it mainly magnifies
the Lord for spiritual blessings
of which temporal favours are but types arid
shadows. The theme is thanksgiving
and the motives for it. The construction of
the psalm is highly poetical
and merely as a composition it would be hard to
find its compeer among human productions. The bards of the Bible hold no second
place among the sons of song.
DIVISION. The psalmist
commences by dedicating his poem to the redeemed who have been gathered from
captivity
Ps 107:1-3; he then likens their history to that of travellers lost
in the desert
Ps 107:4-9; to that of prisoners in iron bondage
Ps 107:10-16;
to that of sick men
Ps 107:17-22; and to that of mariners tossed with tempest
Ps 107:23-32. In the closing verses the judgment of God on the rebellious
and
the mercies of God to his own afflicted people are made the burden of the song
Ps 107:33-42; and then the psalm closes with a sort of summing up
in Ps
107:43
which declares that those who study the works and ways of the Lord
shall be sure to see and praise his goodness.
EXPOSITION
Verse
1. O give thanks unto the Lord
for he is good. It is all we
can give him
and the least we can give; therefore let us diligently render to
him our thanksgiving. The psalmist is in earnest in the exhortation
hence the
use of the interjection "O"
to intensity his words: let us be at all
times thoroughly fervent in the praises of the Lord
both with our lips and
with our lives
by thanksgiving and thanks living. JEHOVAH
for that is the
name here used
is not to be worshipped with groans and cries
but with thanks
for he is good; and these thanks should be heartily rendered
for his is no
common goodness: he is good by nature
and essence
and proven to be good in
all the acts of his eternity. Compared with him there is none good
no
not
one: but he is essentially
perpetually
superlatively
infinitely good. We are
the perpetual partakers of his goodness
and therefore ought above all his
creatures to magnify his name. Our praise should be increased by the fact that
the divine goodness is not a transient thing
but in the attribute of mercy
abides for ever the same
for his mercy endureth for ever. The word endureth
has been properly supplied by the translators
but yet it somewhat restricts
the sense
which will be better seen if we read it
"for his mercy
forever." That mercy had no beginning
and shall never know an end.
Our sin required that goodness should display itself to us in the form of
mercy
and it has done so
and will do so evermore; let us not be slack in
praising the goodness which thus adapts itself to our fallen nature.
Verse
2. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so. Whatever others may
think or say
the redeemed have overwhelming reasons for declaring the goodness
of the Lord. Theirs is a peculiar redemption
and for it they ought to render
peculiar praise. The Redeemer is so glorious
the ransom price so immense
and
the redemption so complete
that they are under sevenfold obligations to give
thanks unto the Lord
and to exhort others to do so. Let them not only feel so
but say so; let them both sing and bid their fellows sing. Whom he hath redeemed
from the hand of the enemy. Snatched by superior power away from fierce
oppressions
they are bound above all men to adore the Lord
their Liberator.
Theirs is a divine redemption
"he hath redeemed" them
and no one
else has done it. His own unaided arm has wrought out their deliverance. Should
not emancipated slaves be grateful to the hand which set them free? What
gratitude can suffice for a deliverance from the power of sin
death
and hell?
In heaven itself there is no sweeter hymn than that whose burden is
"Thou
hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood."
Verse
3. And gathered them out of the lands
from the east
and from
the west
from the north
and from the south. Gathering follows upon
redeeming. The captives of old were restored to their own land from every
quarter of the earth
and even from beyond the sea; for the word translated south
is really the sea. No matter what divides
the Lord will gather his own
into one body
and first on earth by "one Lord
one faith
and one
baptism"
and then in heaven by one common bliss they shall be known to be
the one people of the One God. What a glorious Shepherd must
he be who thus
collects the blood bought flock from the remotest regions
guides them through
countless perils
and at last makes them to lie down in the green pastures of
Paradise. Some have wandered one way and some another they have all left
Immanuel's land and strayed as far as they could
and great are the grace and
power by which they are all collected into one flock by the Lord Jesus. With
one heart and voice let the redeemed praise the Lord who gathers them into one.
Verse
4. They wandered in the wilderness. They wandered
for
the track was lost
no vestige of a road remained; worse still
they wandered in
a wilderness
where all around was burning sand. They were lost in the
worst possible place
even as the sinner is who is lost in sin; they wandered
up and down in vain searches and researches as a sinner does when he is
awakened and sees his lost estate; but it ended in nothing
for they still
continued in the wilderness
though they had hoped to escape from it. In a
solitary way. No dwelling of man was near
and no other company of travellers
passed within hail. Solitude is a great intensifier of misery. The loneliness
of a desert has a most depressing influence upon the man who is lost in the
boundless waste. The traveller's way in the wilderness is a waste way
and when he leaves even that poor
barren trail
to get utterly beyond the path
of man
he is in a wretched plight indeed. A soul without sympathy is on the
borders of hell: a solitary way is the way of despair. They found no city to
dwell in. How could they? There was none. Israel in the wilderness abode under
canvas
and enjoyed none of the comforts of settled life; wanderers in the
Sahara find no town or village. Men when under distress of soul find nothing to
rest upon
no comfort and no peace; their efforts after salvation are many
weary
and disappointing
and the dread solitude of their hearts fills them
with dire distress.
Verse
5. Hungry and thirsty
their soul fainted in them. The
spirits sink when the bodily frame becomes exhausted by long privations. Who
can keep his courage up when he is ready to fall to the ground at every step
through utter exhaustion? The supply of food is all eaten
the water is spent
in the bottles
and there are neither fields nor streams in the desert
the
heart therefore sinks in dire despair. Such is the condition of an awakened
conscience before it knows the Lord Jesus; it is full of unsatisfied cravings
painful needs
and heavy fears. It is utterly spent and without strength
and
there is nothing in the whole creation which can minister to its refreshment.
Verse
6. Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble. Not till
they were in extremities did they pray
but the mercy is that they prayed then
and prayed in the right manner
with a cry
and to the right person
even to the Lord. Nothing else remained for them to do; they could not
help themselves
or find help in others
and therefore they cried to God.
Supplications which are forced out of us by stern necessity are none the less
acceptable with God; but
indeed
they have all the more prevalence
since they
are evidently sincere
and make a powerful appeal to the divine pity. Some men
will never pray till they are half starved
and for their best interests it is
far better for them to be empty and faint than to be full and stouthearted. If
hunger brings us to our knees it is more useful to us than feasting; if thirst
drives us to the fountain it is better than the deepest draughts of worldly
joys; and if fainting leads to crying it is better than the strength of the
mighty
And he delivered them out of their distresses. Deliverance follows
prayer most surely. The cry must have been very feeble
for they were faint
and their faith was as weak as their cry; but yet they were heard
and heard at
once. A little delay would have been their death: but there was none
for the
Lord was ready to save them. The Lord delights to come in when no one else can
be of the slightest avail. The case was hopeless till Jehovah interposed
and
then all was changed immediately; the people were shut up
straitened
and
almost pressed to death
but enlargement came to them at once when they began
to remember their God
and look to him in prayer. Those deserve to die of
hunger who will not so much as ask for bread
and he who being lost in a desert
will not beg the aid of a guide cannot be pitied even if he perish in the wilds
and feed the vultures with his flesh.
Verse
7. And he led them forth by the right way. There are many
wrong ways
but only one right one
and into this none can lead us but God
himself. When the Lord is leader the way is sure to be right; we never need
question that. Forth from the pathless mazes of the desert he conducted the
lost ones; he found the way
made the way
and enabled them to walk along it
faint and hungry as they were. That they might go to a city of habitation. The
end was worthy of the way: he did not lead them from one desert to another
but
he gave the wanderers an abode
the weary ones a place of rest. They
found no city to dwell in
but he found one readily enough. What we
can do and what God can do are two very different things. What a
difference it made to them to leave their solitude for a city
their trackless
path for well frequented streets
and their faintness of heart for the
refreshment of a home! Far greater are the changes which divine love works in
the condition of sinners when God answers their prayers and brings them to
Jesus. Shall not the Lord be magnified for such special mercies? Can we who
have enjoyed them sit down in ungrateful silence?
Verse
8. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness. Men
are not mentioned here in the original
but the word is fitly supplied by the
translators; the psalmist would have all things in existence magnify Jehovah's
name. Surely men will do this without being exhorted to it when the
deliverance is fresh in their memories. They must be horrible ingrates who will
not honour such a deliverer for so happy a rescue from the most cruel death. It
is well that the redeemed should be stirred up to bless the Lord again and
again
for preserved life deserves life long thankfulness. Even those who have
not encountered the like peril
and obtained the like deliverance
should bless
the Lord in sympathy with their fellows
sharing their joy. And for his
wonderful works to the children of men. These favours are bestowed upon our
race
upon children of the family to which we belong
and therefore we ought to
join in the praise. The children of men are so insignificant
so feeble
and so
undeserving
that it is a great wonder that the Lord should do anything for
them; but he is not content with doing little works
he puts forth his wisdom
power
and love to perform marvels on the behalf of those who seek him. In the
life of each one of the redeemed there is a world of wonders
and therefore
from each there should resound a world of praises. As to the marvels of grace
which the Lord has wrought for his church as a whole there is no estimating
them
they are as high above our thoughts as the heavens are high above the
earth. When shall the day dawn when the favoured race of man shall be as
devoted to the praise of God as they are distinguished by the favour of God?
Verse
9. For he satisfieth the longing soul. This is the summary of
the lost traveller's experience. He who in a natural sense has been rescued
from perishing in a howling wilderness ought to bless the Lord who brings hint
again to eat bread among men. The spiritual sense is
however
the more rich in
instruction. The Lord sets us longing and then completely satisfies us. That
longing leads us into solitude
separation
thirst
faintness and self despair
and all these conduct us to prayer
faith
divine guidance
satisfying of the
soul's thirst
and rest: the good hand of the Lord is to be seen in the whole
process and in the divine result. And filleth the hungry soul with goodness. As
for thirst he gives satisfaction
so for hunger he supplies filling. In both
cases the need is more than met
there is an abundance in the supply which is
well worthy of notice: the Lord does nothing in a niggardly fashion; satisfying
and filling are his peculiar modes of treating his guests; none who come under
the Lord's providing ever complain of short commons. Nor does he fill the
hungry with common fare
but with goodness itself. It is not so much
good
as the essence of goodness which he bestows on needy suppliants. Shall
man be thus royally supplied and return no praise for the largeness of love? It
must not be so. We will even now give thanks with all the redeemed church
and
pray for the time when the whole earth shall be filled with his glory.
Verse
10. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. The
cell is dark of itself
and the fear of execution casts a still denser gloom
over the prison. Such is the cruelty of man to man that tens of thousands have
been made to linger in places only fit to be tombs; unhealthy
suffocating
filthy sepulchres
where they have sickened and died of broken hearts.
Meanwhile the dread of sudden death has been the most hideous part of the
punishment; the prisoners have felt as if the chill shade of death himself
froze them to the very marrow. The state of a soul under conviction of sin is
forcibly symbolized by such a condition; persons in that state cannot see the
promises which would yield them comfort
they sit still in the inactivity of
despair
they fear the approach of judgment
and are thereby as much distressed
as if they were at death's door. Being bound in affliction and iron. Many
prisoners have been thus doubly fettered in heart and hand; or the text may
mean that affliction becomes as an iron band to them
or that the iron chains
caused them great affliction. None know these things but those who have felt
them; we should prize our liberty more if we knew by actual experience what
manacles and fetters mean. In a spiritual sense affliction frequently attends
conviction of sin
and then the double grief causes a double bondage. In such
cases the iron enters into the soul
the poor captives cannot stir because of
their bonds
cannot rise to hope because of their grief
and have no power
because of their despair. Misery is the companion of all those who are shut up
and cannot come forth. O ye who are made free by Christ Jesus
remember those
who are in bonds.
Verse
11. Because they rebelled against the words of God. This was
the general cause of bondage among the ancient people of God
they were given
over to their adversaries because they were not loyal to the Lord. God's words
are not to be trifled with
and those who venture on such rebellion will bring
themselves into bondage. And contemned the counsel of the Most High. They
thought that they knew better than the Judge of all the earth
and therefore
they left his ways and walked in their own. When men do not follow the divine
counsel they give the most practical proof of their contempt for it. Those who
will not be bound by God's law will
ere long
be bound by the fetters of
judgment. There is too much contemning of the divine counsel
even among
Christians
and hence so few of them know the liberty wherewith Christ makes us
free.
Verse
12. Therefore he brought down their heart with labour. In
eastern prisons men are frequently made to labour like beasts of the field. As
they have no liberty
so they have no rest. This soon subdues the stoutest
heart
and makes the proud boaster sing another tune. Trouble and hard toil are
enough to tame a lion. God has methods of abating the loftiness of rebellious
looks; the cell and the mill make even giants tremble. They fell down
and
there was none to help. Stumbling on in the dark beneath their weary task
they
at last fell prone upon the ground
but no one came to pity them or to lift
them up. Their fall might be fatal for aught that any man cared about them;
their misery was unseen
or
if observed
no one could interfere between them
and their tyrant masters. In such a wretched plight the rebellious Israelite
became more lowly in mind
and thought more tenderly of his God and of his
offences against him. When a soul finds all its efforts at self salvation prove
abortive
and feels that it is now utterly without strength
then the Lord is
at work hiding pride from man and preparing the afflicted one to receive his
mercy. The spiritual case which is here figuratively described is desperate
and therefore affords the finer field for the divine interposition; some of us
remember well how brightly mercy shone in our prison
and what music the
fetters made when they fell off from our hands. Nothing but the Lord's love
could have delivered us; without it we must have utterly perished.
Verse
13. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble. Not a
prayer till then. While there was any to help below they would not look above.
No cries till their hearts were brought down and their hopes were all dead—then
they cried
but not before. So many a man offers what he calls prayer when he
is in good case and thinks well of himself
but in very deed the only real cry
to God is that which is forced out of him by a sense of utter helplessness and
misery. We pray best when we are fallen on our faces in painful helplessness.
And he saved them out of their distresses. Speedily and willingly he sent
relief. They were long before they cried
but he was not long before he saved.
They had applied everywhere else before they came to him
but when they did
address themselves to him
they were welcome at once. He who saved men in the
open wilderness can also save in the close prison: bolts and bars cannot shut
him out
nor long shut in his redeemed ones.
Verse
14. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death.
The Lord in providence fetches out prisoners from their cells and bids them
breathe the sweet fresh air again
and then he takes off their fetters
and
gives liberty to their aching limbs. So also he frees men from care and
trouble
and especially from the misery and slavery of sin. This he does with
his own hand
for in the experience of all the saints it is certified that
there is no jail delivery unless by the Judge himself. And brake their bands in
sunder. Set them free by force
so liberating them that they could not be
chained again
for he had broken the manacles to pieces. The Lord's
deliverances are of the most complete and triumphant kind
he neither leaves
the soul in darkness nor in bonds
nor does he permit the powers of evil again
to enthral the liberated captive. What he does is done for ever. Glory be to
his name.
Verse
15. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness
and for
his wonderful works to the children of men. The sight of such goodness
makes a right minded man long to see the Lord duly honoured for his amazing
mercy. When dungeon doors fly open
and chains are snapped
who can refuse to
adore the glorious goodness of the Lord? It makes the heart sick to think of
such gracious mercies remaining unsung: we cannot but plead with men to
remember their obligations and extol the Lord their God.
Verse
16. For he hath broken the gates of brass
and cut the bars of
Zion in sunder. This verse belongs to that which precedes it
and Sums up
the mercy experienced by captives. The Lord breaks the strongest gates and bars
when the time comes to set free his prisoners: and spiritually the Lord Jesus
has broken the most powerful of spiritual bonds and made us free indeed. Brass
and iron are as tow before the flame of Jesus' love. The gates of hell shall
not prevail against us
neither shall the bars of the grave detain us. Those of
us who have experienced his redeeming power must and will praise the Lord for
the wonders of his grace displayed on our behalf.
Verse
17. Fools because of their transgression
and because of their
iniquities
are afflicted. Many sicknesses are the direct result of foolish
acts. Thoughtless and lustful men by drunkenness
gluttony
and the indulgence
of their passions fill their bodies with diseases of the worst kind. Sin is at
the bottom of all sorrow
but some sorrows are the immediate results of
wickedness: men by a course of transgression afflict themselves and are fools
for their pains. Worse still
even when they are in affliction they are fools
still; and if they were brayed in a mortar among wheat with a pestle
yet would
not their folly depart from them. From one transgression they go on to many
iniquities
and while under the rod they add sin to sin. Alas
even the Lord's
own people sometimes play the fool in this sad manner.
Verse
18. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat. Appetite departs
from men when they are sick: the best of food is nauseous to them
their
stomach turns against it. And they draw near unto the gates of death. From want
of food
and from the destructive power of their malady
they slide gradually
down till they lie at the door of the grave; neither does the skill of the
physician suffice to stay their downward progress. As they cannot eat there is
no support given to the system
and as the disease rages their little strength
is spent in pain and misery. Thus it is with souls afflicted with a sense of
sin
they cannot find comfort in the choicest promises
but turn away with
loathing even from the gospel
so that they gradually decay into the grave of
despair. The mercy is that though near the gates of death they are not yet
inside the sepulchre.
Verse
19. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble. They join
the praying legion at last. Saul also is among the prophets. The fool lays
aside his motley in prospect of the shroud
and betakes himself to his knees.
What a cure for the soul sickness of body is often made to be by the Lord's
grace! And he saveth them out of their distresses. Prayer is as effectual on a
sick bed as in the wilderness or in prison; it may be tried in all places and
circumstances with certain result. We may pray about our bodily pains and
weaknesses
and we may look for answers too. When we have no appetite for meat
we may have an appetite for prayer. He who cannot feed on the word of God may
yet turn to God himself and find mercy.
Verse
20. He sent his word and healed them. Man is not healed by
medicine alone
but by the word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God is man
restored from going down to the grave. A word will do it
a word has done it
thousands of times. And delivered them from their destructions. They escape
though dangers had surrounded them
dangers many and deadly. The word of the
Lord has a great delivering power; he has but to speak and the armies of death
flee in an instant. Sin sick souls should remember the power of the Word
and be much in hearing it and meditating upon it. Spiritually considered
these
verses describe a sin sick soul: foolish but yet aroused to a sense of guilt
it refuses comfort from any and every quarter
and a lethargy of despair utterly
paralyses it. To its own apprehension nothing remains but utter destruction in
many forms: the gates of death stand open before it
and it is
in its own
apprehension
hurried in that direction. Then is the soul driven to cry in the
bitterness of its grief unto the Lord
and Christ
the eternal Word
comes with
healing power in the direst extremity
saving to the uttermost.
Verse
21. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness
and for
his wonderful works to the children of men. It is marvellous that men can
be restored from sickness and yet refuse to bless the Lord. It would seem
impossible that they should forget such great mercy
for we should expect to
see both themselves and the friends to whom they are restored uniting in a
lifelong act of thanksgiving. Yet when ten are healed it is seldom that more
than one returns to give glory to God. Alas
where are the nine? When a
spiritual cure is wrought by the great Physician
praise is one of the surest
signs of renewed health. A mind rescued from the disease of sin and the weary
pains of conviction
must and will adore Jehovah Rophi
the healing God: yet it
were well if there were a thousand times as much even of this.
Verse
22. And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving. In
such a case let there be gifts and oblations as well as words. Let the good
Physician have his fee of gratitude. Let life become a sacrifice to him who has
prolonged it
let the deed of self denying gratitude be repeated again and
again: there must be many cheerful sacrifices to celebrate the marvellous boon.
And declare his works with rejoicing. Such things are worth telling
for the
personal declaration honours God
relieves ourselves
comforts others
and puts
all men in possession of facts concerning the divine goodness which they will
not be able to ignore.
Verse
23. They that go down to the sea in ships. Navigation was so
little practised among the Israelites that mariners were invested with a high
mystery
and their craft was looked upon as one of singular daring degree of
and peril. Tales of the sea thrilled all hearts with awe
and he who had been
to Ophir or to Tarshish and had returned alive was looked upon as a man of
renown
an ancient mariner to be listened to with reverent attention. Voyages
were looked on as descending to an abyss
"going down to the sea in
ships"; whereas now our bolder and more accustomed sailors talk of the
"high seas." That do business in great waters. If they had not had
business to do
they would never have ventured on the ocean
for we never read
in the Scriptures of any man taking his pleasure on the sea: so averse was the
Israelitish mind to seafaring
that we do not hear of even Solomon himself
keeping a pleasure boat. The Mediterranean was "the great sea" to
David and his countrymen
and they viewed those who had business upon it with
no small degree of admiration.
Verse
24. These see the works of the LORD. Beyond the dwellers on
the land they see the Lord's greatest works
or at least such as stayers at
home judge to be so when they hear the report thereof. Instead of the ocean
proving to be a watery wilderness
it is full of God's creatures
and if we
were to attempt to escape from his presence by flying to the uttermost parts of
it
we should only rush into Jehovah's arms
and find ourselves in the very
centre of his workshop. And his wonders in the deep. They see wonders in it and
on it. It is in itself a wonder and it swarms with wonders. Seamen
because
they have fewer objects around them
are more observant of those they have than
landsmen are
and hence they are said to see the wonders in the deep. At
the same time
the ocean really does contain many of the more striking of God's
creatures
and it is the scene of many of the more tremendous of the physical
phenomena by which the power and more majesty of the Lord are revealed among
men. The chief wonders alluded to by the Psalmist are a sudden storm and the
calm which follows it. All believers have not the same deep experience; but for
wise ends
that they may do business for him
the Lord sends some of his saints
to the sea of soul trouble
and there they see
as others do not
the wonders
of divine grace. Sailing over the deeps of inward depravity
the waste waters
of poverty
the billows of persecution
and the rough waves of temptation
they
need God above all others
and they find him.
Verse
25. For he commandeth: his word is enough for anything
he has
but to will it and the tempest rages. And raiseth the stormy wiled. It seemed
to he asleep before
but it knows its Master's bidding
and is up at once in
all its fury. Which lifteth up the waves thereof. The glassy surface of the sea
is broken
and myriads of white heads appear and rage and toss themselves to
and fro as the wind blows upon them. Whereas they were lying down in quiet
before
the waves rise in their might and leap towards the sky as soon as the
howling of the wind awakens them. Thus it needs but a word from God and the
soul is in troubled waters
tossed to and fro with a thousand afflictions.
Doubts
fears
terrors
anxieties lift their heads like so many angry waves
when once the Lord allows the storm winds to beat upon us.
Verse
26. They mount up to the heaven. Borne aloft on the crest of
the wave
the sailors and their vessels appear to climb the skies
but it is
only for a moment
for very soon in the trough of the sea they go down again to
the depths. As if their vessel were but a sea bird
the mariners are tossed
"up and down
up and down
from the base of the wave to the billow's
crown." Their soul is melted because of trouble. Weary
wet
dispirited
hopeless of escape
their heart is turned to water
and they seem to have no
manhood left. Those who have been on the spiritual deep in one of the great
storms which occasionally agitate the soul know what this verse means. In these
spiritual cyclones presumption alternates with despair
indifference with
agony! No heart is left for anything
courage is gone
hope is almost dead.
Such an experience is as real as the tossing of a literal tempest and far more
painful. Some of us have weathered many such an internal hurricane
and have
indeed seen the Lord's wondrous works.
Verse
27. They reel to and fro
and stagger like a drunken man. The
violent motion of the vessel prevents their keeping their legs
and their fears
drive them out of all power to use their brains
and therefore they look like
intoxicated men. And are at their wit's end. What more can they do? They have
used every expedient known to navigation
but the ship is so strained and
beaten about that they know not how to keep her afloat. Here too the spiritual
mariner's log agrees with that of the sailor on the sea. We have staggered
frightfully! We could stand to nothing and hold by nothing. We knew not what to
do
and could have done nothing if we had known it. We were as men distracted
and felt as if destruction itself would be better than our horrible state of
suspense. As for wit and wisdom
they were clean washed out of us
we felt
ourselves to be at a nonplus altogether.
Verse
28. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble. Though at
their wit's end
they had wit enough to pray; their heart was melted
and it
ran out in cries for help. This was well and ended well
for it is written
And
he brought them out of their distresses. Prayer is good in a storm. We may pray
staggering and reeling
and pray when we are at our wit's end. God will hear us
amid the thunder and answer us out of the storm. He brought their distresses
upon the mariners
and therefore they did well to turn to him for the removal
of them; nor did they look in vain.
Verse
29. He maketh the storm a calm. He reveals his power in the
sudden and marvellous transformations which occur at his bidding. He commanded
the storm and now he ordains a calm: God is in all natural phenomena
and we do
well to recognise his working. So that the waves thereof are still. They bow in
silence at his feet. Where huge billows leaped aloft there is scarce a ripple
to be seen. When God makes peace it is peace indeed
the peace of God which
passeth all understanding. He can in an instant change the condition of a man's
mind
so that it shall seem an absolute miracle to him that he has passed so
suddenly from hurricane to calm. O that the Lord would thus work in the reader
should his heart be storm beaten with outward troubles or inward fears. Lord
say the word and peace will come at once.
Verse
30. Then are they glad because they be quiet. No one can
appreciate this verse unless he has been in a storm at sea. No music can be
sweeter than the rattling of the chain as the shipmen let down the anchor; and
no place seems more desirable than the little cove
or the wide bay
in which
the ship rests in peace. So he bringeth them unto their desired haven. The
rougher the voyage the more the mariners long for port
and heaven becomes more
and more "a desired haven"
as our trials multiply. By storms and by
favourable breezes
though tempest and fair weather
the great Pilot and Ruler
of the sea brings mariners to port
and his people to heaven. HE must have the
glory of the successful voyage of time
and when we are moored in the river of
life above we shall take care that his praises are not forgotten. We should
long ago have been wrecked if it had not been for his preserving hand
and our
only hope of outliving the storms of the future is based upon his wisdom
faithfulness and power. Our heavenly haven shall ring with shouts of grateful
joy when once we reach its blessed shore.
Verse
31. Oh that men would praise the Loud for his goodness
and for
his wonderful works to the children of men! Let the sea sound forth
Jehovah's praises because of his delivering grace. As the sailor touches the
shore let him lift the solemn hymn to heaven
and let others who see him
rescued from the jaws of death unite in his thanksgiving.
Verse
32. Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people.
Thanks for such mercies should be given in public in the place where men
congregate for worship. And praise him in the assembly of the elders. The
praise should be presented with great solemnity in the presence of men of
years
experience
and influence. High and weighty service should be rendered
for great and distinguished favours
and therefore let the sacrifice be
presented with due decorum and with grave seriousness. Often when men hear of a
narrow escape from shipwreck they pass over the matter with a careless remark
about good luck
but it should never be thus jested with. When a heart has been
in great spiritual storms and has at last found peace
there will follow as a duty
and a privilege the acknowledgment of the Lord's mercy before his people
and
it is well that this should be done in the presence of those who hold office in
the church
and who from their riper years are better able to appreciate the
testimony.
Verse
33. He turneth rivers into a wilderness
and the watersprings into
dry ground. When the Lord deals with rebellious men he can soon deprive
them of those blessings of which they feel most assured: their rivers and
perennial springs they look upon as certain never to be taken from them
but
the Lord at a word can deprive them even of these. In hot climates after long
droughts streams of water utterly fail
and even springs cease to flow
and
this also has happened in other parts of the world when great convulsions of
the earth's surface have occurred. In providence this physical catastrophe
finds its counterpart when business ceases to yield profit and sources of
wealth are made to fail; as also when health and strength are taken away
when
friendly aids are withdrawn
and comfortable associations are broken up. So
too
in soul matters
the most prosperous ministries may become dry
the most
delightful meditations cease to benefit us
and the most fruitful religious
exercises grow void of the refreshment of grace which they formerly yielded.
Since
"It
is God who lifts our comforts high
Or sinks them in the grave"
it
behooves us to walk before him with reverential gratitude
and so to live that
it may not become imperative upon him to afflict us.
Verse
34. A fruitful land into barrenness. This has been done in
many instances
and notably in the case of the psalmist's own country
which
was once the glory of all lands and is now almost a desert. For the wickedness
of them that dwell therein. Sin is at the bottom of sorrow. It first made the
ground sterile in father Adam's day
and it continues to have a blighting
effect upon all that it touches. If we have not the salt of holiness we shall
soon receive the salt of barrenness
for the text in the Hebrew is—"a fruitful
land into saltness." If we will not yield the Lord a harvest of obedience
he may forbid the soil to yield us a harvest of bread
and what then? If we
turn good into evil can we wonder if the Lord pays us in kind
and returns our
baseness into our own bosoms? Many a barren church owes its present sad estate
to its inconsistent behaviour
and many a barren Christian has come into this
mournful condition by a careless
unsanctified walk before the Lord. Let not
saints who are now useful run the risk of enduring the loss of their mercies
but let them be watchful that all things may go well with them.
Verse
35. He turneth the wilderness into a standing water. With
another turn of his hand he more than restores that which in judgment he took
away. He does his work of mercy on a royal scale
for a deep lake is seen where
before there was only a sandy waste. It is not by natural laws
working by some
innate force
that this wonder is wrought
but by himself—HE TURNETH. And dry
ground into watersprings. Continuance
abundance
and perpetual freshness are
all implied in watersprings
and these are created where all was dry. This
wonder of mercy is the precise reversal of the deed of judgment
and wrought by
the selfsame hand. Even thus in the church
and in each individual saint
the
mercy of the Lord soon works wonderful changes where restoring and renewing
grace begin their benign work. O that we might see this verse fulfilled in all
around us
and within our own hearts: then would these words serve us for an exclamation
of grateful astonishment
and a song of well deserved praise.
Verse
36. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell
where none could
dwell before. They will appreciate the change and prize his grace; as the
barrenness of the land caused their hunger so will its fertility banish it for
ever
and they will settle down a happy and thankful people to bless God for
every handful of corn which the land yields to them. None are so ready to
return a revenue of praise to God for great mercies as those who have known the
lack of them. Hungry souls make sweet music when the Lord fills them with his
gracious gifts. Are we hungry? Or are we satisfied with the husks of this poor
swinish world? That they may prepare a city for habitation. When the earth is
watered and men cultivate it
cities spring up and teem with inhabitants; when
grace abounds where sin formerly reigned
hearts find peace and dwell in God's
love as in a strong city. The church is built up where once all was a waste
when the Lord causes the broad rivers and streams of gospel grace to flow
forth.
Verse
37. And sow the fields
and plant vineyards
which may yield
fruits of increase. Men work when God works. His blessing encourages the
sower
cheers the planter
and rewards the labourer. Not only necessaries but
luxuries are enjoyed
wine as well as corn
when the heavens are caused to
yield the needed rain to fill the watercourses. Divine visitations bring great
spiritual riches
foster varied works of faith and labours of love
and cause
every good fruit to abound to our comfort and to God's praise. When God sends
the blessing it does not supersede
but encourages and develops human exertion.
Paul plants
Apollos waters
and God gives the increase.
Verse
38. He blesseth them also
so that they are multiplied greatly;
and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. God's blessing is everything.
It not only makes men happy
but it makes men themselves
by causing men to be
multiplied upon the earth. When the Lord made the first pair he blessed them
and said "be fruitful and multiply"
and here he restores the
primeval blessing. Observe that beasts as well as men fare well when God
favours his people: they share with men in the goodness or severity of divine
providence. Plagues and pests are warded off from the flock and the herd when
the Lord means well towards a people; but when chastisement is intended
the
flocks and herds rot from off the face of the earth. O that nations in the day
of their prosperity would but own the gracious hand of God
for it is to his
blessing that they owe their all.
Verse
39. Again they are minished and brought low through oppression
affliction
and sorrow. As they change in character
so do their
circumstances alter. Under the old dispensation
this was very clearly to be observed;
Israel's ups and downs were the direct consequences of her sins and repentance.
Trials are of various kinds; here we have three words for affliction
and there
are numbers more: God has many rods and we have many smarts; and all because we
have many sins. Nations and churches soon diminish in number when they are
diminished in grace. If we are low in love to God
it is small wonder that he
brings us low in other respects. God can reverse the order of our prosperity
and give us a diminuendo where we had a crescendo; therefore let
us walk before him with great tenderness of spirit
conscious of our dependence
upon his smile.
Verses
40-41. In these two verses we see how the Lord at will turns the wheel
of providence. Paying no respect to man's imaginary grandeur
he puts princes
down and makes them wander in banishment as they had made their captives wander
when they drove them from land to land: at the same time
having ever a tender
regard for the poor and needy
the Lord delivers the distressed and sets them
in a position of comfort and happiness. This is to be seen upon the roll of
history again and again
and in spiritual experience we remark its counterpart:
the self sufficient are made to despise themselves and search in vain for help
in the wilderness of their nature
while poor convicted souls are added to the
Lord's family and dwell in safety as the sheep of his fold.
Verse
42. The righteous shall see it
and rejoice. Divine providence
causes joy to God's true people; they see the hand of the Lord in all things
and delight to study the ways of his justice and of his grace. And all iniquity
shall stop her mouth. What can she say? God's providence is often so conclusive
in its arguments of fact
that there is no replying or questioning. It is not
long that the impudence of ungodliness can be quiet
but when God's judgments
are abroad it is driven to hold its tongue.
Verse
43. Those who notice providence shall never be long without a
providence notice. It is wise to observe what the Lord doth
for he is
wonderful in counsel; has given us eyes to see with
and it is foolish to close
them when there is most to observe; but we must observe wisely
otherwise we
may soon confuse ourselves and others with hasty reflections upon the dealings
of the Lord. In a thousand ways the lovingkindness of the Lord is shown
and if
we will prudently watch
we shall come to a better understanding of it. To
understand the delightful attribute of lovingkindness is an attainment as
pleasant it is profitable: those who are proficient scholars in this art will
be among sweetest singers to the glory of Jehovah.
EXPLANATORY
NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Whole
Psalm. Dr. Lowth
in his 20th prelection
remarks of this psalm:—No
doubt the composition of this psalm is admirable throughout; and the
descriptive part of it adds at least its share of beauty to the whole; but what
is but most to be admired is its conciseness
and withal the
expressiveness of the diction
which strikes the imagination with inimitable
elegance. The weary and bewildered traveller
the miserable captive
in the hideous dungeon
the sick dying man
the seaman foundering in a
storm
are described in so affecting manner
that they far exceed anything of
the kind
though never so laboured. I may add that had such an Idyle appeared
in Theocritus or Virgil or had it been found as a scene in any of the Greek
tragedians
even in Aeschylus himself
it would probably have been produced as
their master piece.—Adam Clarke.
Whole
Psalm. I do not believe that the special care of God over his own people
is here rather indirectly than directly touched upon
and that
therefore this Psalm is composed to illustrate the general care of God:
1.
Because the subjects of the various deliverances are called the redeemed of
Jehovah
Ps 107:2
which is the customary title of the people of God.
2.
Because among the instances given
there are those which are peculiar to the
people of God
as in Ps 107:3 the return of the dispersed out of every part of
the globe
a singular blessing
promised in the prophecies to the people of
God
see Ps 106:47.
3.
The sick of Ps 106:17 are those who are spiritually sick even unto death
as is
clear from the fact of their being healed by the word of God; which is
not in the order of common providence. The imprisoned of Ps 107:2 are
those who on account of the worship of God fall into the power of their
enemies
you cannot well apply to any other than the people of God. If you
understand the wicked
for others among the heathen cannot be said to be
thrust into prison on account of the violation of the laws
then the liberation
belongs not to them.
4. Calling
upon God
especially upon Jehovah
under name He was known only to his
people
you cannot apply unless in a diluted and partial sense to those who are
afflicted in the general cause of providence.
5.
He commands those who are delivered to celebrate the divine goodness in the
congregation of the people and the assembly of the elders
Ps 107:32
which
is the mark of the true Church and her usual description.
6.
Lastly
instances of general providences are not wont to come under the name of
dox
grace
by which these deliverances are described
not do they
require such great and such careful attention in their consideration
as here
the sacred poet enjoins upon the pious and the wise: such things are easily
observed
and are of every day occurrence.—Venema.
Whole
Psalm. The psalm divides itself into five parts; the four first
as it
should seem
describing four divisions of the returning Israelites
and recounting
the particular accidents that had befallen each party on their journey
and the
particular mercies for which they ought to be thankful. The fifth part
describes what befalls the collected nations
or a part of them
when they
arrive at the land which was the object of their journey—I think the first
restoration or colonization before the general gathering. Whether the four
divisions of travellers are supposed to come exactly from the four distinct
quarters of the earth
perhaps is not quite certain. The first divisions are
plainly described (Ps 107:4-5)
as coming across the desert
and meeting with
all the disasters usual on that route.—John Fry.
Whole
Psalm. Without insisting on an exclusive application of this psalm to
Israel
there may be traced
I think
not indistinctly
the leading incidents
of the nation's changeful experience in the descriptive language of the
narrative part. In Ps 107:4-7 the story of the wilderness is briefly told
to
the praise of the glory of his grace who satisfieth the longing soul and
filleth the hungry soul with goodness. The strong discipline of national
affliction which visited the rebellious house
until the turning again of their
captivity
when the appointed term of Babylonish exile was accomplished
appears to form the historical groundwork of Ps 107:10-16; but in its prophetic
intention this passage would demand a far wider interpretation. The
resuscitation of Israel
both spiritually and politically
would alone
adequately fulfil these words. The sufferings of the "foolish nation"
when
filled with Jehovah's indignation they find a snare in that which should
have fed them
and pine beneath the pressure of a more grievous famine than
that of bread
until
in answer to their cry of sorrow
the word of saving health
is sent them from above
seem to be indicated in the next division (Ps
107:17-20). The language of Ps 107:22 is in agreement with this. They who had
daily gone about to establish their own righteousness are called on now to
offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and to declare his works with singing.
Besides the obvious force and beauty of the following verses (Ps 107:23-30) in
their simple meaning and their general application
we have
I believe
a
figure of Jacob's restless trouble when
like a vexed and frightened mariner
he wandered up and down the wide sea of nations without ease
a friendless
pilgrim of the Lord's displeasure
until the long desired rest was gained at
last
under the faithful guidance of him who seeks his people in the dark and cloudy
day. Accordingly we find in the hortatory reminder of praise which follows (Ps
107:32)
a mention of the gathered people and their elders
who are now called
on to celebrate
in the quiet resting places of Immanuel's land
his faithful
goodness and his might
who had turned their long endured tempest of affliction
to the calm sunshine of perpetual peace.—Arthur Pridham
in "Notes
and Reflections on the Psalms"
1869.
Verse
1. O give thanks unto the LORD. Unto no duty are we more dull
and untoward
than to the praise of God
and thanksgiving unto him; neither is
there any duty whereunto there is more need that we should be stirred up
as
this earnest exhortation doth import.—David Dickson.
Verse
1. For he is good
etc. The first words of the psalm are abundant
in thought concerning Jehovah. "For he is good." Is not this
the Old Testament version of "God is love"? 1Jo 4:8. And then
For
his mercy endureth for ever. Is not this the gushing stream from the
fountain of Love?—the never failing stream
on whose banks the redeemed of
the Lord walk
those whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy
Hengstenberg
"hand of trouble"
ru. Nor is the rich significance of
these clauses diminished by our knowing that they were
from time to time
the
burden of the altar song. When the ark came to its resting place (1Ch
16:34)
they sang to the Lord—"For he is good: for his mercy endureth
for ever!" In Solomon's temple
the singers and players on instruments
were making the resplendent walls of the newly risen temple resound with these
very words
when the glory descended (2Ch 5:13); and these were the words that
burst from the lips of the awe struck and delighted worshippers
who saw the
fire descend on the altar (2Ch 7:3). And in Ezra's days (Ezr 3:11)
again
as soon
as the altar rose
they sang to the Lord—"Because he is good; for his
mercy endureth for ever." Our God is known to be "Love"
by
the side of the atoning sacrifice. Jeremiah (Jer 33:11) too
shows how restored
Israel shall exult in this name.—Andrew A. Bonar.
Verse
1. His mercy endureth for ever. St. Paul assures us
that the
covenant of grace
which is the fountain of all mercy
was made before the
foundation of the world
and this he repeats in several of his epistles. The
Psalmist teaches the same doctrine
and frequently calls upon us to thank God
because his mercy is for ever and ever—because his mercy is everlasting—and in
the text
because "his mercy endureth for ever; "the word "endureth"
is inserted by the translators
for there is no verb in the original neither in
strictness of speech could there be any; because there was no time when this mercy
was not exercised
neither will there be any time when the exercise of it will
fail. It was begun before all worlds
when the covenant of grace was made
and
it will continue to the ages of eternity
after this world is destroyed. So
that mercy was
and is
and will be
"for ever"
and sinful
miserable man may always find relief in this eternal mercy
whenever the sense
of his misery disposes him to seek for it. And does not this motive loudly call
upon us to "give thanks"? Because there is mercy with
God—mercy to pity the miserable—and even to relieve them—although they do not
deserve it: for mercy is all free grace and unmerited love. Oh! How adorable
then
and gracious is this attribute! How sweet is it and full of consolation
to the guilty.—William Romaine (1714-1795)
in "A Practical
Comment on the Hundred and Seventh Psalm."
Verse
2. Redeemed. Moses has given us in the law a clear and full
idea of what we are to understand by the word gal
here rendered "redeemed."
If any person was either sold for a slave or carried away for a captive
then
his kinsman
who was nearest to him in blood
had the right and equity of
redemption. But no other person was suffered to redeem. And such a kinsman was
called "the redeemer"
when he paid down the price for which his
relation was sold to be a slave
or paid the ransom for which he was led
captive. And there is another remarkable instance in the law
wherein it was
provided
that in any case any person was found murdered
then the nearest to
him in blood was to prosecute the murderer
and to bring him to justice
and
this nearest relation thus avenging the murder is called by the same name
a redeemer.
And how beautifully is the office of our great Redeemer represented under these
three instances; he was to us such a Redeemer in spirituals
as these were in
temrporals: for sin had brought all mankind into slavery and captivity
and had
murdered us ...This most high God
who was also man
united in one Christ
came
into the world to redeem us
and the same person being both God and man
must
merit for us as God in what he did for us as man. Accordingly
by the merits of
his obedience and sufferings
he paid the price our redemption
and we were no
longer the servants of sin; and by his most precious blood shed upon the cross
by his death and resurrection
he overcame both death
and him who had the
power of death
and by delivering us in this manner from slavery and captivity
he fulfilled the third part of the Redeemer's office: for Satan was the
murderer from the beginning
who had given both body and soul a mortal wound of
sin
which was certain death and eternal misery
and the Redeemer came to
avenge the murder. He took our cause in hand
as being our nearest kinsman
and
it cost him his own life to avenge ours.—William Romaine.
Verse
2. From the hand of the enemy. From all their sins which war
against their souls; from Satan their implacable adversary
who is stronger
than they; from the law
which threatens and curses them with damnation and
death; from death itself
the last enemy
and indeed from the hand of all their
enemies
be they who they may.—John Gill.
Verse
3. And gathered. If anything can inspire us with gratitude
this motive should prevail
because we cannot but feel the force of it
as it
reminds us of that misery from which we in particular were redeemed. The
Gentiles had wandered from God
and were so lost and bewildered in the mazes of
error and superstition
that nothing but the almighty love of our Lord Jesus
could have gathered them together into one church.—William Romaine.
Verse
3. Gathered them. The Syriac gives as the title of this
psalm: God collects the Jews out of captivity
and brings them back out of
Babylon the only begotten Son of God also
Jesus Christ
collects the nations
from the four corners of the world
by calling upon man to be baptized.—E.W.
Hengstenberg.
Verse
3. From the west. The mention of the west leads the psalmist's
thoughts to Egypt; and the remembrance of the bondage and labours of the
ancestors of the Israelites in Egypt
coupled with the description in a
previous psalm (Ps 105:17) of the imprisonment of Joseph.—Joseph Francis
Thrupp.
Verse
4. They wandered
etc. In these words it is not easy to
ascertain the persons immediately intended. But this is a circumstance not to
be lamented. It is even an advantage; it constrains us to a more spiritual and
evangelical interpretation of the subject. And thus the whole representation is
fully and easily embodied. For the people of God are "redeemed"—redeemed
from the curse of the law
the powers of darkness
and the bondage of
corruption. They are "gathered"—gathered by his grace out of
all the diversities of the human race; "out of all nations and kindreds
and peoples and tongues." Whatever this world is to others
they find it
to be "a wilderness"; when they are often tried
but their trials
urge them to prayer
and prayer brings them relief. And being divinely conducted
they at length reach their destination: and this is the conclusion of the
whole
and it applies to each of them: And he led them forth by the right
way
that they might go to a city of habitation.—William Jay.
Verse
4. Wandered. Their passage through the wilderness was not a
journeying
such as when men pass on in a road to some inhabited place; but a
wandering up and down away from all path and road
and so in an endless maze of
desolation.—Henry Hammond.
Verse
4. Wandered in the wilderness
etc. He has lost his way.
When he was in the world
he had no difficulties; the path was so broad that he
could not mistake it. But when the work of divine grace begins in a sinner's
heart
he loses his way. He cannot find his way into the world; God has driven
him out of it
as he drove Lot out of Sodom. He cannot find his way to heaven;
because he at present lacks those clear testimonies
those bright
manifestations whereby alone he can see his path. This is his experience then
that he has lost his way; having turned his back upon the world; and yet unable
to realise those enjoyments in his soul that would make heaven his home. He has
so lost his way
that whether he turns to the right hand or the left
he has no
plain land marks to show him the path in which his soul longs to go. We need
not stray from the text to find where the wanderer is. "They wandered in
the wilderness." The wilderness is a type and figure of what this life
is to the Lord's people. There is nothing that grows in it fit for their food
or nourishment. In it the fiery flying serpents—sin and Satan—are perpetually
biting and stinging them: and there is nothing in it that can give them any
sweet and solid rest. The barren sands of carnality below
and the burning sun
of temptation above
alike deny them food and shelter. But there is a word
added which throws a further light upon the character of the wilderness.
"They wandered in the wilderness
in a solitary way; "a way not
tracked; a path in which each has to walk alone; a road where no company cheers
him
and without landmarks to direct his course. This is a mark peculiar to the
child of God—that the path by which he travels is
in his own feelings
a
solitary way. This much increases his exercises
that they appear peculiar
to himself. His perplexities are such as he cannot believe any living soul is
exercised with; the fiery darts which are cast into his mind by the Wicked One
are such as he thinks no child of God has ever experienced; the darkness of his
soul
the unbelief and infidelity of his heart
and the workings of his
powerful corruptions
are such as he supposes none ever knew but himself. It is
this walking "in a solitary way"
that makes the path of trial
and temptation so painful to God's family.—J.C. Philpot (1802-1869)
in
a Sermon entitled "The Houseless Wanderer."
Verse
4. In a solitary way.—The greater part of the desert being
totally destitute of water is seldom visited by any human being; unless where
the trading caravans trace out their toilsome and dangerous route across it. In
some parts of this extensive waste the ground is covered with low
stunted
shrubs
which serve as landmarks for the caravans
and furnish the camels with
a scanty forage. In other parts
the disconsolate wanderer
wherever he turns
sees nothing around him but a vast interminable expanse of sand and sky; a
gloomy and barren void
where the eye finds no particular object to rest upon
and the mind is filled with painful apprehensions of perishing with thirst.
Surrounded by this dreary solitude
the traveller sees the dead bodies of
birds
that the violence of the wind has brought from happier regions; and
as
he ruminates on the fearful length of his remaining passage
listens with
horror to the driving blast
the only sound that interrupts the awful repose of
the desert. ("Proceedings of the African Association.")—Mungo
Park
1771-1806
Verse
4. In a solitary way. See the reason why people in trouble
love solitariness. They are full of sorrow; and sorrow
if it have taken deep
root
is naturally reserved
and flies all conversation. Grief is a thing that
is very silent and private. Those people that are very talkative and clamorous
in their sorrows
are never very sorrowful. Some are apt to wonder why
melancholy people delight to be so much alone
and I will tell you the
reason of it.
1.
Because the disordered humours of their bodies alter their temper
their
humours
and their inclinations
that they are no more the same that they
used to be; their very distemper is averse to what is joyous and diverting;
and they that wonder at them
may as wisely wonder why they will be diseased
which they would not be
if they knew how to help it; but the disease of
melancholy is so obstinate
and so unknown to all but those who have it
that
nothing but the power of God can totally overthrow it
and I know no other cure
for it.
2. Another
reason why they choose to be alone
is
because people do not generally
mind what they say
nor believe them
but deride them
which they do not use so
cruelly to do with those that are in other distempers; and no man is to be
blamed for avoiding society
when it does not afford the common credit to his
words
that is due to the rest of men. But
3.
Another
and the principal reason why people in trouble and sadness choose to
be alone
is
because they generally apprehend themselves singled out to be
the marks of God's peculiar displeasure
and they are often by their sharp
afflictions a terror to themselves
and a wonder to others. It even breaks
their hearts to see how low they are fallen
how oppressed
that were once as
easy
as pleasant
as full of hope as others are
Job 6:21; "Ye see my
casting down
and are afraid." Ps 71:7; "I am as a wonder unto
many." And it is usually unpleasant to others to be with them. Ps 88:18;
"Lover and friend hast thou put far from me
and mine acquaintance into
darkness." And though it was not so with the friends of Job; to see a man
whom they had once known happy
to be so miserable
one whom they had seen so
very prosperous
to be so very poor
in such sorry
forlorn circumstances
did
greatly affect them; he
poor man
was changed
they knew him not
Job 2:12-13:
"And when they lifted up their eyes afar off
and knew him not
they
lifted up their voice and wept; and they rent every one his mantle
and sprinkled
dust upon their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground
seven days and seven nights
and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that
his grief was very great." As the prophet represents one under spiritual
and great afflictions
that "he sitteth alone
and keepeth silence"
La 3:28.—Timothy Rogers (1660-1729) in "Trouble of Mind
and the
Disease of Melancholy."
Verse
4. They found no city to dwell in; nor even to call at or
lodge in
for miles together; which is the case of travellers in some parts
particularly in the desert of Arabia. Spiritual travellers find no settlement
rest
peace
joy
and comfort
but in Christ; nor any indeed in this world
and
the things of it; here they have no continuing city
Heb 13:14.—John Gill.
Verse
5. Their soul fainted in them. The word here used
pje
ataph
means properly to cover
to clothe
as with a garment
Ps 73:6; or a field with
grain
Ps 65:13; then
to hide oneself
Job 23:9; then to cover with darkness
Ps 77:3 and the title of Ps 102:1-28 thus it denotes the state of mind when
darkness seems to be in the way—a way of calamity
trouble
sorrow; of
weakness
faintness
feebleness. Here it would seem from the connexion to refer
to the exhaustion produced by the want of food and drink.—Albert Barnes.
Verse
6. Then they cried
etc. In these words we find three things
remarkable; first
the condition of God's church and people
trouble and
distress: Secondly
the practice and the exercise of God's people in this
state: "Then they cried unto the Lord": Thirdly
their
success
and the good issue of this practice: "And he delivered
them"
etc.—Peter Smith
in a Sermon preached before the House of
Commons
1644.
Verse
6. Then they cried. The root qeu has here a peculiar force:
it denotes a cry of that kind into which any one
when shaken with a violent
tempest of emotion
in the extremity of his grief and anxiety
breaks with a crash
and with complaining
as the heavens send forth thunder and lightning.
The original idea of the word being a crash
it indicates such
complaints and cries as they send forth
who are oppressed by others
or are
held fast in straits
in imploring public protection and help. See De 22:24 1Ki
20:39 Isa 19:20.—Venema.
Verse
6. In their trouble. observe the words
"Then they cried
unto the Lord in their trouble." Not before
nor after
but in it. When they were in the midst of it; when trouble was wrapped
round their head
as the weeds were wrapped round the head of Jonah; when they
were surrounded by it
and could see no way out of it; when
like a person in a
mist
they saw no way of escape before or behind; when nothing but a dark cloud
of trouble surrounded their souls
and they did not know that ever that cloud
would be dispersed;—then it was that they cried.—J.C. Philpot.
Verse
6. "Trouble." "Distresses." The condition
of the Church
or its most usual lot
is to be under sorrows and afflictions. I
say
most usual: "For I will not contend for ever
neither will I be
always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me
and the souls which I have
made"
Isa 57:16. But as we say of the several callings and trades of
life
this man professes such a calling
and that man another; and as the poet
said of Hermogenes
Though he hold his peace (peradventure being asleep) yet
he's a good singer
and a musician by profession: so say I of the people of
God
their trade of life is suffering: and as Julian told the Christians
when
they complained of his cruelty
It is your profession to endure tribulation.—Peter
Smith.
Verse
7. He led them forth. Forth out of the world—forth out of a
profession—forth out of a name to live—forth out of every thing hateful in his
holy and pure eyes.—J.C. Philpot.
Verse
7. And he led them forth by the right way
etc. Alexander
translates this verse—"And he led them in a straight course
to go to a
city of habitation"; and adds
"No exact version can preserve or
imitate the paronomasia arising from the etymological affinity of the first
verb and noun
analogous to that between the English walk and to
walk
though the Hebrew forms are only similar and not identical. The idea
of physical rectitude or straightness necessarily suggests that of moral
rectitude or honesty
commonly denoted by the Hebrew word."
Verse
7. A city of habitation. Not a city of inspection!
Many—(Eternal God
will it be any of this company?)—will look in; and
"there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth
when they shall
see Abraham
Isaac
and Jacob in the kingdom of God
and they themselves shut
out." Not a city of visitation. Christians shall not only enter
but abide. They shall go no more out—it is "a city of habitation."
This conveys the idea of repose. The Christian is now a traveller; then
he will be a resident: he is now on the road; he will then be at home:
"there remaineth a rest for the people of God." It reminds us
of a social state. It is not a solitary condition; we shall partake of
it with an innumerable company of angels
with all the saved from among men
with patriarchs
prophets
apostles
martyrs
our kindred in Christ.
"These are fellow citizens of the saints
and of the household of
God." It suggests magnificence. It is not a village
or a town
but
a city of habitation. A city is the highest representation of civil
community. There have been famous cities; but what are they all to this!—William
Jay.
Verse
8. He does wonders for the children of men; and therefore
men should praise the Lord. And he is the more to be praised because
these wonders
twalpn
niphlaoth
miracles of mercy and grace
are done
for the undeserving. There are done Mda ynbl
libney Adam
for
the children of Adam
the corrupt descendants of a rebel father.—Adam
Clarke.
Verse
8. Oh that men would praise the LORD
etc. Hebrew
That they
would confess it to the Lord
both in secret
and in society. This is all the
rent that God requireth; he is content that we have the comfort of his
blessings
so he may have the honour of them. This was all the fee Christ
looked for for his cures: go and tell what God hath done for thee. Words seem
to be a poor and slight recompense; but Christ
saith Nazienzen
called himself
the Word.—John Trapp.
Verse
8. To the children of men! We must acknowledge God's goodness
to the children of men
as well as to the children of God; to others as well as
to ourselves.—Matthew Henry.
Verse
9. For he satisfieth the longing soul. This is the reason
which the psalmist gives for the duty of thankfulness which he
prescribes. "The longing soul"
hqqs vpn
nephesh shokekah
the soul that pushes forward in eager desire after salvation.—Adam
Clarke.
Verse
10. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death
being
bound in affliction and iron. Every son of Adam in his natural state before
he is redeemed is in "darkness" and "the shadow of
death"
and is fast "bound" with the chains of sin
and misery
and there is no help for him upon earth—the Almighty God and
Saviour alone is able to deliver him.—William Romaine.
Verse
11. Because they rebelled against the words of God. There is
in the Hebrew a play upon similar sounds—Himru Imree. God's words
are those spoken in the Law and by the prophets. And contemned the
counsel of the Most High—another play upon like sounds in the Hebrew—Hatzath
Naatzu.—A.R. Fausset.
Verse
12. He brought down their heart. O believer
God may see you
have many and strong lusts to be subdued
and that you need many and sore
afflictions to bring them down. Your pride and obstinacy of heart may be
strong
your distempers deeply rooted
and therefore the physic must be
proportioned to them.—John Willison.
Verse
12. He brought down their heart with labour. Those towering
passions by which they vainly vaunted themselves above the law and the worship
of God
he weakened and curbed
so that they began to submit themselves to God.
The root enk taken from the Arabic
describes a process of weakening by compressing
the wings or shrinking the fingers
and is properly applied to birds
which when their wings are compressed are obliged to fall to the ground
or to
men
who by the shrivelling up of their fingers lose the power of working;
whence it is transferred to oppressions or depressions of any
kind.—Venema.
Verse
12. They fell down
and there was none to help. Affliction is
then come to the height and its complete measure
when the sinner is made sensible
of his own weakness
and doth see there is no help for him
save in God alone.—David
Dickson.
Verse
12. They fell down. They threw themselves prostrate at his
feet for mercy; their heart and strength failed them
as the word signifies
and is used in Ps 31:10; terrified with a sense of divine wrath
they could not
stand before the Lord
nor brave it out against him. And there was none to
help. They could not help themselves
nor was there any creature that
could. There is salvation in no other than in Christ; when he saw there was
none to help him in that work
his own arm brought salvation to him; and when
sinners see there is help in no other
they apply to him.—John Gill.
Verse
17. Fools. There is nothing more foolish than an act of
wickedness; there is no wisdom equal to that of obeying God.—Albert Barnes.
Verses
17-20. Fools because of their transgression
and because of their
iniquities
are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat (they
are so sick that they can relish
take down nothing
)and they draw near unto
the gates of death
they are almost in
they were on the brink of hell;
what course must be used for their cure? Truly this
He sent his word
and
healed them
and delivered them from their destructions. No herb in the
garden of the whole world can do these distressed creatures the least good.
Friends may speak
and ministers may speak
yea
angels may speak
and all in
vain; the wounds are incurable for all their words; but if God please to speak
the dying soul revives. This word is the only balm that can cure the wounded
conscience: he sendeth his word and healeth them. Conscience is God's
prisoner
he claps it in hold
he layeth it in fetters
that the iron enters
the very soul; this he doth by his word
and truly he only who shuts up can let
out; all the world cannot open the iron gate
knock off the shackles
and set
the poor prisoner at liberty
till God speak the word.—George Swinnock
1627-1673.
Verse
17.
etc. A Rescue from Death
with a Return of Praise.—R. Sibbes'
Works
Vol. 51; Nichol's edition.
Verses
17-21.
1.
The distress of the sick.
2. Their cure by the Great Physician.
3. Their grateful behaviour to him.
—W. Romaine.
Verses
17-22. A Visit to Christ's Hospital.
1.
The names and characters of the patients—"fools"; all sinners are
fools.
2.
The cause of their pains and afflictions—"because of their
transgressions"
etc.
3.
The progress of the disease—"their soul abhorreth all manner of
meat"; and
"they draw near onto the gates of death."
4.
The interposition of the physician—"then they cry"
etc.
Verses
19-20.
(a)
Note
when the physician comes in—when "they cry
" etc.
(b)
The kind of prayer—a cry.
(c)
What the physician did—"saved
" "healed
"
"delivered."
(d)
How this was effected—"He sent his word
" etc.
5.
The consequent conduct of those who were healed; they praised God for his
goodness. They added sacrifice to this praise
Ps 107:22. In addition to
sacrifice the healed ones began to offer songs—"sacrifice of
thanksgiving." They added a declaration of joy—"Let them declare his
works with rejoicing."
Verse
18. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat. Nor is it without
emphasis that it is not the sick man who is said to spurn food
but his soul
...The Hebrew word vpn which properly means a breath
hence a panting appetite
is applied to a very vehement appetite for food. When
therefore
the soul
is said to abhor food
it is equivalent to saying for the vehement
appetite for food abhors food: that is
in the place of an appetite for
food
they are oppressed with a loathing; when they ought to be moved with a
sharp desire of food
that their exhausted powers might be refreshed
appetite
itself becomes a loathing of food
which is a most vivid description of
the utmost loathing
and utter prostration of all desire.—Venema.
Verse
18. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat. The best of
creature comforts are but vain comforts. What can dainty meat do a man good
when he is sick and ready to die? Then gold and silver
lands and houses
which
are the dainty meat of a covetous man
are loathsome to him. When a man is sick
to death
his very riches are sapless and tasteless to him; wife and children
friends and acquaintance
can yield but little comfort in that dark hour
yea
they often prove miserable comforters: when we have most need of comfort
these
things administer least or no comfort at all to us. Is it not our wisdom
then
to get a stock of such comforts
as will hold and abide fresh with us
when all
worldly comforts either leave us
or become tasteless to us? Is it not good to
get a store of that food
which how sick soever we are
our stomachs will never
loathe? yea
the sicker we are
our stomachs will the more like
hunger after
and feed the more heartily upon. The flesh of Christ is meat indeed (Joh
6:55). Feed upon him by faith
in health and sickness
ye will never loathe
him. His flesh is the true meat of desires
such meat as will fill and fatten
us
but never cloy us. A hungry craving appetite after Christ
and sweet
satisfaction in him
are inseparable
and still the stronger is our appetite
the greater is our satisfaction. And (which is yet a greater happiness) our
souls will have the strongest appetite
the most sharp set stomach after
Christ
when
through bodily sickness
our stomachs cannot take down
but
loathe the very scent and sight of the most pleasant perishing meat
and
delicious earthly dainties. Look
that ye provide somewhat to eat
that will go
down upon a sick bed; your sick bed meat is Christ; all other dainty food may be
an abhorring to you.—Joseph Caryl.
Verse
18. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat. The case is then
growing desperate
and there seems to be no hope left
when it comes to the
last stage here described
viz.
to loathe and "abhor all manner
of meat." The stomach turns at the sight of it
and the man has this
loathing and abhorrence of "all manner of meat." What he most
loved
and had the best appetite for
is now become so very offensive
that at
the smell of it he grows sick and faints away. Nature cannot support itself
long under this disorder. If this loss of appetite
and loathing even the smell
of the most simple food continue
it must wear the patient out. Indeed
it is
not always a mortal distemper; there may be an entire loathing of food
and even
fainting away at the smell of it
and the patient may sometimes recover; but in
the present case the distemper had continued so long
and was grown so
inveterate that there were no hopes
for they draw nigh
the Psalmist
says
to the gates of death. Those gates of brass and bars of iron with
which death locks up his prisoners in the grave; and you may judge how great
must be the strength of these gates and bars
since only one person was ever
able to break through them
and if he had not been more than man
he could
never have broken these gates of brass
nor cut these bars of iron in sunder.—William
Romaine.
Verse
18. They draw near unto the gates of death. Death is a great
commander
a great tyrant
and hath gates to sit in
as judges and magistrates
used to `sit in the gates.' There are three things implied in this phrase.
1.
First
"They draw near unto the gates of death"
that is
they
were "near to death"; as he that draws near the gates of a
city is near the city
because the gates enter into the city.
2.
Secondly
gates are applied to death for authority. They were almost in
death's jurisdiction. Death is a great tyrant. He rules over all the men in the
world
over kings and potentates
and over mean men; and the greatest men fear
death most. He is "the king of fears"
as Job calls him
Job 18:14;
aye
and the fear of kings ...Therefore it is called "the gate of
death." It rules and overrules all mankind. Therefore it is said "to
reign"
Ro 5:21. Death and sin came in together. Sin was the gate that let
in death
and ever since death reigned
and will
till Christ perfectly triumph
over it
who is the King of that lord and commander
and hath "the key of
hell and death"
Re 1:18. To wicked men
I say
he is a tyrant
and hath a
gate; and when they go through the "gate of death"
they go to
a worse
to a lower place
to hell. It is the trap door to hell.
3.
Thirdly. By the "gate of death"
is meant not only the
authority
but the power of death; as in the gospel
"The gates of
hell shall not prevail against it"
Mt 16:18; that is
the power and
strength of hell. So here it implies the strength of death
which is very
great
for it subdues all. It is the executioner of God's justice.—Richard
Sibbes.
Verse
18. The sin sick soul without appetite for invitations
encouragements
or promises
however presented. Milk too simple
strong meat
too heavy
wine too heating
manna too light
etc.
Verse
18.—Teacheth us
that even appetite to our meat is a good gift of the
Lord; also that when men are in greatest extremity
then is God most commonly
nigh unto them.—T. Wilcocks.
Verse
20. When George Wishart arrived at Dundee
where the plague was
raging (1545)
he caused intimation to be made that he would preach; and for
that purpose chose his station upon the head of the East gate
the infected
persons standing without
and those that were whole within. His text was Ps
107:20
He sent his word and healed them
etc.
wherein he treated of
the profit and comfort of God's word
the punishment that comes by contempt of
it
the readiness of God's mercy to such as truly turn to him
and the
happiness of those whom God takes from this misery
etc. By which sermon he so
raised up the hearts of those that heard him
that they regarded not death
but
judged them more happy that should then depart
rather than such as should
remain behind
considering that they knew not whether they should have such a
comforter with them.—Samuel Clarke (1599-1682)
in "A General
Martyrologie."
Verse
20. He sent his word. The same expression occurs in Ps
147:15
18; compare Isa 55:11. We detect in such passages the first glimmering
of St. John's doctrine of the agency of the personal Word. The Word by which
the heavens were made
Ps 33:6
is seen to be not merely the expression of
God's will
but his messenger mediating between himself and his creatures. It
is interesting to compare with this the language of Elihu in the parallel
passage of Job 33:23
where what is here ascribed to the agency of the Word is
ascribed to that of the "mediating angel
or messenger."—J.J.
Stewart Perowne.
Verse
20. His word who healed them was his essential Word
even the second person in the Godhead
our Lord Jesus Christ
the word who was
made flesh and dwelt among us: of this divine Word it was foretold in the Old
Testament
that he should arise with the glory of the morning sun
bringing
healing in his wings for all our maladies; and accordingly the New Testament
relates
that Jesus went about all Galilee
preaching the gospel of the
kingdom
and healing ALL manner of sickness
and ALL manner of disease among
the people. He healed the bodily disease miraculously
to prove that he was the
Almighty Physician of the soul. And it is remarkable that he never rejected any
person who applied to him for an outward cure
to demonstrate to us
that he
would never cast out any person who should apply to him for a spiritual cure.—William
Romaine.
Verse
20. And delivered them from their destructions. From their
pits: or
From their sepulchres. That is
from the deaths to which they were
near. Others render
From their nets or snares
Others
their destructions
the diseases in which they were miserable prisoners.—Franciscus Vatablus.
Verse
20. And delivered them from their destructions. From the
destruction of the body
of the beauty and strength of it by diseases;
restoring to health is a redeeming of the life from destruction; from the
grave
the pit of corruption and destruction
so called because in it bodies
corrupt
putrefy
and are destroyed by worms; and such who are savingly
convinced of sin
and blessed with pardoning grace and mercy
are delivered
from the everlasting destruction of body and soul in hell.—John Gill.
Verse
22. And let them sacrifice. For their healing they
should bring a sacrifice; and they should offer the life of the
innocent animal unto God
as he has offered their lives; and let them
thus confess that God has spared them when they deserved to die;
and let them declare also "his works with rejoicing"; for who
will not rejoice when he is delivered from death?—Adam Clarke.
As
a specimen of medieval spiritualizing we give the following from the Hermit of
Hampole:
Verse
23. They that go down to the sea in ships
etc. They that
(are true prelates and preachers
)go down from the sublimity of
contemplation
to the sea
that is
suiting themselves to the lowly
that they also may be saved
in ships
that is
in the faith
hope and charity
of the church
without which they would be drowned in the waters of pleasure
that
do business
that is
continue preaching
in great waters
that is
among many people in order that they may become fishers of men.—Richardus
Hampolitanus.
Verse
23-27.
While
thus our keels still onward boldly strayed—
Now tossed by tempest
now by calms delayed;
To tell the terrors of the deep untried
What toils we suffered
and what storms defied;
What rattling deluges the black clouds poured
What dreary weeks of solid darkness lowered;
What mountain surges mountain surges lashed
What sudden hurricanes the canvas dashed;
What bursting lightnings
with incessant flare
Kindled in one wide flame the burning air;
What roaring thunders bellowed over our head
And seemed to shake the reeling ocean's bed:
To tell each horror in the deep revealed
Would ask an iron throat with tenfold vigour steeled.
Those dreadful wonders of the deep I saw
Which fill the sailor's breast with sacred awe;
And what the sages
of their learning vain
Esteem the phantoms of a dreamful brain.
—Luiz de Camoens (1524-1579)
in "the Lusiad."
Verse
23-31. No language can be more sublime than the description of a storm
at sea in this Psalm. It is the very soul of poetry. The utmost simplicity of
diction is employed to convey the grandest thoughts. The picture is not
crowded; none but the most striking circumstances are selected; and everything
is natural
simple
and beyond measure interesting. The whole is an august
representation of the Providence of God
ruling in what appears the most
ungovernable province of nature. It is God who raises the storm; it is God who stilleth
it. The wise men of this world may look no farther than the physical laws by
which God acts; but the Holy Spirit
by the Psalmist
views the awful conflict
of the elements as the work of God.—Alexander Carson.
Verse
23-32. This last picture springs naturally from the mention in Ps 107:3
of the sea; and here the psalmist may have directed his imagination to the
usual tempestuousness of the season at which the psalm was sung.—Joseph
Francis Thrupp.
Verse
24. These see the works of the LORD. There are sinners who
like Jonah
fleeing from the face of God
go down to the sea
to the cares and
pleasures of the world
away from the solid land of humility
quiet
and grace.
They occupy themselves in many waters
in needless toils and excessive
pleasures
and yet even there God does not leave them
but causes them to see
his works and wonders even in the deep of their sins
by giving them timely and
sufficient warnings
and alarming them with fear of the abyss.—Le Blanc
in
Neale and Littledale.
Verse
25-31.
Think
O my soul
devoutly think
How
with affrighted eyes
Thou saw'st the wide extended deep
In all its horrors rise!
Confusion
dwelt in every face
And fear in every heart;
When waves on waves
and gulfs on gulfs
Overcame the pilot's art.
Yet
then from all my griefs
O Lord
Thy mercy set me free
Whilst in the confidence of prayer
My soul took hold on thee.
For
though in dreadful whirls we hung
High on the broken wave
I knew thou wert not slow to hear
Nor impotent to save.
The
storm was laid
the winds retired
Obedient to thy will;
The sea that roared at thy command
At thy command was still.
In
midst of dangers
fears
and death
Thy goodness I will adore
And praise thee for thy mercies past;
And humbly hope for more.
My
life
if thou preservest my life
Thy sacrifice shall be;
And death
if death must be my doom
Shall join my soul to thee.
—Joseph Addison.
Verse
26. They mount up to the heaven. There be three heavens. 1. Coelum
aerium. 2. Coelum astriferum. 3. Coelum beatorum. It is not the
latter now they go to in storms
but the two former.—Daniel Pell
in "An
Improvement of the Sea"
1659.
Verse
26. They mount up to the heaven
they go down again to the depths.
To
larboard all their oars and canvas bend;
We on a ridge of waters to the sky
Are lifted
down to Erebus again
Sink with the falling wave; thrice howled the rocks
Within their stony caverns
thrice we saw
The splashed up foam upon the lights of heaven.
—Virgil.
Verse
28. They cry unto the LORD. His attributes are much honoured
in calling upon him
especially in times of danger and distresses.
1.
When you call upon God at sea
you honour his sovereignty. God says to
these proud waves
"So far and no farther!" So
"the storm and
hail"
they fulfil his will
and when he pleases he commands a calm.
2.
Prayer in time of danger honours God's wisdom
when we see no way open
for mercies and deliverance to come in at
then to look up to him
believing
"He knows how to deliver out of temptation." O how much of the wisdom
of God appears in preservation in time of danger! and is it not a good token of
mercy coming in when persons pray
though all visible ways are blocked up? This
honours God's wisdom
which we acknowledge is never at a loss as to ways
of bringing in mercy and deliverance.
3.
The faithfulness of God is much honoured in times of danger
when he is
called upon. The faithfulness of a friend doth most appear in a strait: now if
you can rely upon his promise
God's faithfulness is the best line men sinking
at sea can lay hold on. So I might add
calling upon God honours all his other
attributes.—John Ryther (1632-1681) in "A Plat for Mariners; or
The Seaman's Preacher
" 1675.
Verse
28. Then they cry. Tempestuous storms and deadly dangers have
brought those upon their knees
that would never had bent in a calm: "Then
they cry." If any one would know at what time the sailors take up the
duty of prayer
let me say it is when death stares them in the face. If ever
you see the heavens veiled in sable blackness
the clouds flying
and the winds
roaring under them; you may conclude that some of them (though God knows but
few) are at prayer
yea
hard at it with their God. But never believe it that
there is any prayer amongst them when the skies are calm
the winds down
and
the seas smooth. David tells you not of their praying in good and comfortable
weather
but that it is in time of storms
for I believe that neither he nor I
ever saw many of them on that strain. . . . God hears oftener from an afflicted
people
than he either does or can from a people that are at ease
quiet
and
out of danger. Then they cry. The prodigal son was very high
and
resolved never to return till brought low by pinching and nipping afflictions
then his father had some tidings of him. Hagar was proud in Abraham's house
but humbled in the wilderness. Jonah was asleep in the ship
but awake and at
prayer in the whale's belly
Jon 2:1. Manasses lived in Jerusalem like a
libertine
but when bound in chains at Babel
his heart was turned to the Lord
2Ch 33:11-12. Corporal diseases forced many under the gospel to come to Christ
whereas others that enjoyed bodily health would not acknowledge him. One would
think that the Lord would abhor to hear those prayers that are made only out of
the fear of danger
and not out of the love
reality
and sincerity of the
heart. If there had not been so many miseries of blindness
lameness
palsies
fevers
etc.
in the days of Christ
there would not have been that flocking
after him.—Daniel Pell.
Verse
28. Then they cry unto the LORD. "Then"
if ever:
hence that speech of one
Qui nescit orare
discat navigare
He that
cannot pray
let him go to sea
and there he will learn.—John Trapp.
Verse
28. Then they cry
etc. Gods of the sea and skies (for what
resource have I but prayer?) abstain from rending asunder the joints of our
shattered bark.—Ovid.
Verse
29. He maketh the storm a calm
etc. The image is this.
Mankind before they are redeemed are like a ship in a stormy sea
agitated with
passions
tossed up and down with cares
and so blown about with various
temptations
that they are never at rest. This is their calmest state in the
smiling day of smooth prosperity: but afflictions will come
the afflictions of
sin and Satan
and the world will raise a violent storm
which all the wit and
strength of man cannot escape. He will soon be swallowed up of the devouring
waves: unless that same God who created the sea speak to it
"Peace
be
still." We are all in the same situation the apostles were
when they were
alone in the evening in the midst of the sea
and the wind and the waves were
contrary; against which they toiled rowing in vain
until Christ came to them
walking upon the sea
and commanded the winds to cease and the waves to be
still. Upon which there was a great calm; for they knew his voice
who had
spoken them into being
and they obeyed. His word is almighty to compose and
still the raging war of the most furious elements. And he is as almighty in the
spiritual world
as he is in the natural. Into whatever soul he enters
he
commands all the jarring passions to be still
and there is indeed a blessed
calm. O may the Almighty Saviour speak thus unto you all
that you may sail on
a smooth unruffled sea
until you arrive safe at the desired haven of eternal
rest!—William Romaine.
Verse
29. If the sailor can do nothing so wise and oftentimes indeed can do
nothing else than trust in the Lord
so is it with us in the storms of life.
Like the mariner
we must use lawful means for our protection; but what are
means without the divine blessing?—William S. Plumer.
Verse
30. Desired haven. At such a time as this sweet April morning
indeed
a breakwater like this (of Portland) may seem of little value
when the
waves of the ocean only just suffice to break its face into gems of changing
brilliance
and to make whispering music; while vessels of all sizes
like
those whose clustering masts we see yonder under the promontory
ride with
perfect security in the open road. But in the fierce gales of November or
March
when the shrieking blasts drive furiously up the Channel
and the huge
mountain billows
green and white
open threatening graves on every side
how
welcome would be a safe harbour
easy of access
and placed at a part of the
coast which else would be unsheltered for many leagues on either side! Blessed
be God for the gift of his beloved Son
the only Harbour of Refuge for poor
tempest tossed sinners! We may think lightly of it now
but in the coming day
of gloom and wrath
when "the rain descends
and the floods come
and the
winds blow"
they only will escape who are sheltered there!—Philip
Henry Gosse
in "The Aquarium
" 1856.
Verse
31. Oh. This verse seems to include the ardent earnestness of
the psalmist's spirit
that seamen would be much in thankfulness
and much and
frequent in praising of the Lord their deliverer out of all their distresses. "Oh"
seems he to say
that I could put men upon this duty
it would be more
comfortable to me
seems the psalmist to say
to find such a principle in the
hearts of those that are employed in the great waters
than any one thing in
the world again whatsoever. "Oh" is but a little word
consisting of two letters
but no word that ever man utters with his tongue
comes with that force and affection from the heart as this doth. "Oh"
is a word of the highest expression
a word when a man can say no more. This
interjection oftentimes starts out of the heart upon a sudden from some
unexpected conception
or admiration
or other.—Daniel Pell.
Verse
33. He turneth rivers into a wilderness
etc. God is the
father of the rain. If he withholds that refreshment for a long time
all
nature droops
and every green thing dies. The imagery is drawn from Palestine
where there were but two annual rainy seasons
and if either of them was long
deferred
the effect was frightful. The channels of considerable rivers were
dried up.—William S. Plumer.
Verse
33. Rivers...Watersprings. A church enriched with the graces
of heaven is compared by the prophets to a well watered garden (Isa 63:11 Jer
31:12)
to the paradise of God
watered with its four fruitful rivers: for as
everything useful and ornamental in the vegetable world is raised up by water
so is everything in the spiritual world raised up by the Holy Spirit.—William
Romaine.
Verse
34. A fruitful land into barrenness. Hereof Judaea is at this
day a notable instance (besides many parts of Asia
and Africa
once very
fruitful
now
since they became Mahometan
dry and desert). Judaea
saith one
hath now only some few parcels of rich ground found in it; that men may guess
the goodness of the cloth by the fineness of the shreds.—John Trapp.
Verse
34. For the wickedness of them that dwell therein. When I meet
with a querulous husbandman
he tells me of a churlish soil
of a wet seed
time
of a green winter
of an unkindly spring
of a lukewarm summer
of a
blustering autumn; but I tell him of a displeased God
who will be sure to
contrive and fetch all seasons and elements
to his own most wise drifts and
purposes.—Joseph Hall.
Verse
34. For the wickedness. God locks up the clouds
because we
have shut up our mouths. The earth is grown hard as iron to us
because we have
hardened our hearts against our miserable neighbours. The cries of the poor for
bread are loud
because our cries against sin have been so low. Sicknesses run
apace from house to house
and sweep away the poor unprepared inhabitants
because we sweep not out the sin that breeds them.—Richard Baxter
1615-1691.
Verse
35. Dry ground into watersprings. If God afflict
his justice
findeth the cause of it in man; but if he do good to any man
it is of his own
good pleasure
without any cause in man: therefore no reason is given here of
this change
as was of the former
but simply
"He turneth dry ground
into watersprings."—David Dickson.
Verse
40. He poureth contempt upon princes. Mighty potentates
who
have been the terror and dread of the whole world
when once denuded of their
dignity and power
have become the sport even of their own dependants.—John
Calvin.
Verse
40. Princes. Persons of high rank are the most exempt
in
ordinary times
from destitution and want
and misery must reach a great height
when it invades them. No part of the world probably has witnessed so many and
great reverses of this kind as the regions and countries of the East.—William
Walford.
Verse
41. He setteth the poor on high from affliction. How high?
Above the reach of the curse
which shall never touch him; above the power of
Satan
which shall never ruin him; above the reigning influence of sin
which
"shall not have dominion over him"; above the possibility of being
banished from his presence
for "Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an
everlasting salvation." This is the way God sets his people on high
instructing them in the mysteries of his word
and giving them to partake the
joys that are contained therein.—Joseph Irons
1786-1852.
Verse
42. The righteous shall see it. The word here rendered
"righteous" is not what the Scripture commonly uses to signify
righteous or justified persons; but it is another word
and conveys another
idea. It signifies to direct
to set right; and the "righteous" here
mentioned are they
who are directed in the right way
and walk
as Enoch did
with God in his way
and not in the way of the world. And these "shall
see" the goodness and mercy of God's dealings with the fallen race of man.
They shall have eyes to see the ways of his providence. The same grace which
set them right
will manifest to them the reasonableness of the plan of
redemption. They shall see and admire
and be thankful for the wonders of his
redeeming love
which are recorded in this divine hymn.—William Romaine.
Verse
42. "All iniquity shall stop her mouth."
"Iniquity" is here personified
and denotes the iniquitous;
but the abstract is more poetical
"Stop her mouth." Tongue
tied
literally
moistly shut; which
perhaps
might be not improperly
vernaculized.—Alexander Geddes.
Verse
43. Whoso is wise
etc. Or as it may be read interrogatively
"Who
is wise?" as in Jer 9:12 Ho 14:9; that is
spiritually wise
wise unto
salvation; who is made to know wisdom in the hidden part; for not such as
possessed of natural wisdom
or worldly wise men
much less who are wise to do
evil
are here meant. "And will observe these things"; the
remarkable appearances of divine Providence to persons in distress; the various
changes and vicissitudes in the world; the several afflictions of God's people
and their deliverances out of them; the wonderful works of God in nature
providence
and grace; these will be observed
taken notice of
laid up in the
mind
and kept by such who are truly wise
who know how to make a right use and
proper improvement of them. Even they shall understand the lovingkindness of
the LORD; every one of the wise men; they will perceive the kindness of God
unto men
in the several dispensations of his providence towards them
and his
special love and kindness towards his own people
even in all their afflictions
they will perceive this to be at the bottom of every mercy and blessing; they
will understand more of the nature and excellency of it
and know more of the
love of God and Christ
which passeth knowledge. Or
the kindnesses of the
Lord shall be understood; that is
by wise men; so R. Moses in Aben Ezra
renders the words.—John Gill.
Verse
43. Will observe these things
etc. Will carefully note and
remark what is here said of the fall and recovery of mankind
of our state by
nature and by grace. True wisdom consists in observing these two things
what
we are in ourselves
and what we are in Christ; in a deep sense of our misery
by sin
stirring us up to seek our remedy in the Redeemer. This is wisdom. And
whosoever is thus wise unto salvation shall understand the lovingkindness of
the Lord; shall be able to apply what he understands of it to his own private
use and benefit. The verb in the original rendered "shall
understand"
is in the conjugation called Hithpael
which signifies to
act upon itself. Whosoever observes those things properly finds his own
interest in them. He makes the understanding of them useful to himself. He does
not study them as a science or theory
but as interesting points in which he is
nearly concerned
and which he therefore tries to bring home for his own
private advantage. When he hears of the mercies of the Lord Jesus recorded in
this psalm he desires to partake of them. When he hears of the great
deliverances vouchsafed to sinful ruined man
he studies to have his own share
in them. What is said of these persons who wandered out of the way in the
wilderness
and fell into the bondage of sin
and were afflicted with its
diseases
and troubled like a stormy sea
with its continual tempests; all this
he knows was his own case
and therefore what follows of their flourishing
state after Christ delivered them may be his also if he cry unto the Lord
as
they did
for help. And he never ceases praying and seeking
until the blessed
Jesus brings him to the haven of the church
where he would be. And if he find
the church diminished and brought low
he is not discouraged; but relies on the
promises of his God
who will set him on high out of the reach of public
calamity
when he comes to destroy an infidel church. He observes what is said
on this psalm concerning those things; and he knows it to be true
by his own
experience. And therefore the lovingkindness of the Lord here recorded is to
him a subject of exceeding great joy
because he has tasted of it. Whoso is
wise will bring his knowledge of this psalm home to his own heart
and he shall
understand the lovingkindness of the Lord
he shall be able to apply what he
understands to his own benefit
and shall therefore be continually praising the
Lord for his goodness
and declaring the wonders which he hath done for the
salvation of men.—William Romaine.
Verse
43. Observe these things. "To observe
signifieth not
only with our eyes to behold it; but so to stir up our minds to the
consideration of a thing
that one may grow the better by it"
saith a
grave author. Now in this notion of it
how few are they that observe "these
things"? . . . If you would by observing the providence of God
understand his loving kindness
and gain a spiritual wisdom
let your eye
affect your heart. Mollerus telleth us
such an observation is here
intended unde ad pietatem exuscitemur
ut inde meliores evadamus
"as will quicken us to piety
and help to make us better." There are
many careless observers of providence
who indeed see events rather than
providence; they see much that comes to pass in the world
but consider nothing
of God in them...They do by the book of providence
as Augustine complained of
himself
that in his unregenerate state he did by the book of Scripture; he
rather brought to it discutiendi acumen
than discendi pietatem.
So men bring to the great works of God rather an acute eye and wit to find out
the immediate causes
and reasons natural and political
than a trembling
humble heart
that they might learn by them more to acknowledge
love
fear
adore
and revere the great and mighty God whose works these are. Let
not yours be such an observation; but let your eye
beholding God in his
providential dispensations
affect your hearts with that adoration and
veneration
that love and fear of the great and mighty God
which such works of
God do call to you for.—John Collinges (1623-1690)
in "Several
Discourses concerning the actual Providence of God."
Verse
43. Observe these things. These mighty doings of our Saviour
and our God in delivering his feeble creatures from the trackless wilderness of
error
—from the noisome chain of carnal lust
—from the deadly sickness of a
corrupt nature
—and from the wild tempest of earthly passion
deserve the
thoughtful joy of all who would be faithful servants of their Lord. The mouth
of unbelief and the excuses of iniquity are stopped by the sight of the marvels
of that mercy which endureth for ever. "The accuser of the brethren"
is silenced and cast down. The truly wise will ponder these things
for in the
knowledge of them is true wisdom; and so pondering
there shall open before
them
ever plainer
fuller
clearer
brighter
the revelation of that mighty
love of their eternal Father which surpasses all understanding
and is more
vast than all thought.—"Plain Commentary."
Verse
43. How great a volume might be wrote
de observandis
Providentiae
concerning the observable things of Divine Providence. I have
seen a picture (one of those you call kitchen pieces) concerning which it hath
been proposed to me
that for so many hours I should view it as curiously as I
could; yet the proposer would for any wager undertake to show me something in
it which I did not observe. Truly Providence is such a thing
I can never look
upon it
I can never take the motions of it into my thoughts
but some new
observation tenders itself into my thoughts
I must turn my eyes from this
wonderful work
for I see they will not be satisfied with seeing
my mind will
never be filled with observation.—John Collinges.
Verse
43. When we speak of the love and favour of God to his people
we are
prone to understand by it nothing but pleasing providence
grateful to our
senses: now the lovingkindness of God is not only seen in pleasing
dispensations
but in adverse providence also: "Whom he loveth he
chasteneth
and scourgeth every child whom he receiveth": "all things
are yours"
saith the apostle. This knowledge must be gained by observation.—John
Collinges.
HINTS TO THE
VILLAGE PREACHER
Whole
Psalm. This psalm is like the Interpreter's house in Bunyan's
"Pilgrim's Progress." Pilgrim is told that he will there see
excellent and profitable things. The same promise is given in the introduction
to this psalm
where we have
1.
The source of these excellent things—the goodness and all enduring mercy of
God; mercy not exhausted by the unworthiness of its objects.
2.
Their acknowledgment
"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so." Men will
not own it
but the redeemed of the Lord will. It is the experience of such
that is pictorially represented in this psalm. Let every one speak of God as he
finds. Is he good when he takes away as well as when he gives "The
redeemed of the Lord will say so." Is he merciful when he frowns as well
as when he smiles? "The redeemed of the Lord say so." Does he make
all things work together for good to them that love him? "Let the redeemed
of the Lord say so."
3.
Their end. Praise and thanksgiving: "Oh give"
etc.
(a)
For general mercies;
(b) For redemption;
(c) For spacial deliverances.—G.R.
Verses
1-2. The duty of praise is universal
the real presentation of it
remains with the redeemed. Particular redemption should lead to specific
praise
special testimony to truth and special faith in God: "Let the
redeemed of the Lord say so."
Verse
3. The ingathering of the chosen.
1.
All wandered.
2.
Their ways different.
3.
All observed of the Lord.
4.
All brought to Jesus as to one centre. Note ways
and times of gathering.
Verse
4. Wandering Jews. Illustrate the roaming of a mind in search of
truth
peace
love
purity
etc.
Verse
4. The words contain a brief history of man's fall and misery and of
his restoration by Jesus Christ; which are described under these particulars.
1.
The lost state of men by nature.
2.
They are brought to a right sense of it
and cry to the Lord Jesus for
deliverance.
3.
He hears them and delivers them out of all their distresses.
4.
The tribute of thanks due to him for this great deliverance.
—W.
Romaine.
Verse
5. Spiritual hunger the cause of faintness. Necessity of feeding the
soul.
Verse
7. Divine grace stimulating our exertions. "He led them forth
...that they might go."
Verse
8. He who has enjoyed God's help should mark
1.
In what distress he has been;
2. How he has called to God;
3. How God has helped him;
4. What thanks he has returned; and
5. What thanks he is yet bound to render.
—Lange's Commentary.
Verse
9. A great general fact. The condition
the benefactor
the blessing
"goodness"
the result—"satisfieth." Then the further
result of praise as seen in Ps 107:8.
Verses
12-13.
1.
The convicted soul's abject condition—humbled
exhausted
prostrate
deserted.
2.
His speedy deliverance. Cried
cried while in trouble
unto the Lord
he saved
out of their distresses.
Verse
13. Man's work and God's work. They cried and He saved.
Verse
14. God gives light
life
liberty.
Verse
20. Recovery from sickness must be ascribed to the Lord
and
gratitude should flow forth because of it. But the text describes spiritual and
mental sickness. Notice
1.
The Patient in his extremity.
(a)
He is a fool: by nature inclined to evil.
(b)
He has played the fool (see Ps 107:17)
"transgression"
"iniquities."
(c)
He now has lost all appetite and is past all cure.
(d)
He is at death's door.
(e)
But he has begun to pray.
2.
The Cure in its simplicity.
(a)
Christ the Word is the essential cure. He heals the guilt
habit
depression
and evil results of sin. For every form of malady Christ has healing; hence
preachers should preach him much
and all meditate much upon him.
(b)
The word in the Book is the instrumental cure: its teachings
doctrines
precepts
promises
encouragements
invitations
examples.
(c)
The word of the Lord by the Holy Spirit is the applying cure. He leads us to
believe. He is to be sought by the sick soul. He is to be relied upon by those
who would bring others to the Great Physician.
Verse
26. The ups and downs of a convicted sinner's experience.
Verse
27. The awakened sinner staggered and nonplussed.
Verses
33-34. The scene which here opens with a landscape of beauty and
fertility is suddenly changed into a dry and barren wilderness. The rivers are
dried up
the springs cease to flow among the hills
and the verdant fields are
scorched and bare. The reason assigned for this is "the wickedness of them
that dwell therein." This picture needs no interpretation to the people of
God. It is precisely what happens within them when they have fallen into sin.—G.R.
Verse
34. The curse
cause
and cure of barrenness in a church.
Verse
35. Hope for decayed churches lies in God; he can work a marvellous
change
he does do it—"turneth": he will do it when the cause of barrenness
is removed by repentance.
Verses
35-38. Here the scene again changes. The springs again gush forth
calm
lakes again repose in the midst of foliage and flowers
the hills are clothed
with luxuriant vines
and the fields are covered with corn; plenty abounds both
in town and country
and men and cattle increase. This picture
too
has its
counterpart in experimental godliness. "Instead of the thorn shall come
up"
etc.
"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for
them"
etc. The one scene precedes prayer
the other follows it. A
desolate wilderness before
the garden of Eden behind.—G.R.
Verses
39-41. The scene again is reversed. There is a change again from freedom
to oppression; from plenty to want; from honour to contempt. Then a revival
again as suddenly appears. The poor and afflicted are lifted up
and the
bereaved have "families like a flock." Such are the changeful scenes
through which the people of God are led; and such the experience by which they
are made meet for the pure
perfect
and perpetual joys of heaven.—G.R.
Verses
42-43. Such surprising turns are of use
1.
For the solacing of saints; they observe these dispensations with pleasure:
"The righteous shall see it
and rejoice"
in the glorifying of God's
attributes
and the manifestation of his dominion over the children of men.
2.
For the silencing of sinners: "all iniquity shall stop her mouth"; i.e.
it shall be a full conviction of the folly of those that deny the divine
presence.
3.
For the satisfying of all concerning the divine goodness: "Whoso is wise
and will observe these things"—these various dispensations of divine
providence
"even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the
Lord."—M. Henry.
Verse
43. The best observation and the noblest understanding.
WORKS
UPON THE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH PSALM
Pe
lagov. Nec inter vivos
nec inter mortuos
Neither amongst the Living
nor amongst the Dead. Or
an IMPROVEMENT of the SEA. Upon
The
Nine Nautical Verses in the 107th Psalme...By DANIEL PELL
Preacher of the Word.
London...1659 (8vo.).
A
Special Treatise of God's Providence
and of Comforts against all kinds of
crosses and calamities to be fetched from the same. With an exposition of the
107th Psalme. By P. Baro. Englished by I.L. (John Ludham) B.L. (London 1588
8vo. Black Letter.)
A
Practical Comment on the Hundred and Seventh Psalm. Preached at the Thursday's
Lecture
at St. Dunstan's Church in the West
London. By William Romaine
Lecturer of the said Church. London
1767. (8vo.)
── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》