Sermon: Observe and You Shall Understand, Psalm 107

 

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12202015ObserveAndYouShallUnderstandPsa107DonRuhl

 

Purpose: That we might learn to thank the Lord for His lovingkindness

Observe and You Shall Understand 

See man’s sin and the Lord’s deliverance, then you shall understand the Lord’s lovingkindness

Psalm 107

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • December 20, In the year of our Lord, 2016

Scripture Reader and Reading: Wayne Duncan – Hosea 14.4–9

Song Leader and Song Suggestions: Kevin Michael – Songs of thanksgiving

Prelude: 

  1. Five times Psalm 107 expresses the wish that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and for His mercy. 
  2. The Psalm begins in this manner, 
    1. then states briefly what He does.
    2. From there, there are four sections that follow a literary pattern.
      1. Then towards the end
      2. the psalmist shows two things that the Lord does.
    3. Finally he ends with a point of wisdom.
  3. The four sections, covering verses 4–32, follow this pattern: 
    1. He begins with a problem.
      1. In the first three sections, the problem is a sin.
      2. In the fourth section, the problem is fear of natural forces.
    2. The people cried out to the Lord.
    3. The Lord saved the people and the psalmist explains how.
    4. Finally, the psalmist makes his earnest plea that men would thank the Lord, and the psalmist specifies why men should thank the Lord.

Persuasion: 

  1. Psalm 107.1–3 – The Lord Is Good (Preparatory to the rest of the Psalm)

    1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
    For His mercy endures forever.
    2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
    Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
    3 And gathered out of the lands,
    From the east and from the west,
    From the north and from the south.
  2. Psalm 107.4–9 – The Goodness of the Lord: He satisfies the longing soul

    4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
    They found no city to dwell in.
    5 Hungry and thirsty,
    Their soul fainted in them.
    6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
    And He delivered them out of their distresses.
    7 And He led them forth by the right way,
    That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
    8 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
    And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
    9 For He satisfies the longing soul,
    And fills the hungry soul with goodness.
  3. Psalm 107.10–16 – The Goodness of the Lord: He breaks the gates of bronze

    10 Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    Bound in affliction and irons—
    11 Because they rebelled against the words of God,
    And despised the counsel of the Most High,
    12 Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
    They fell down, and there was none to help.
    13 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
    And He saved them out of their distresses.
    14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
    And broke their chains in pieces.
    15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
    And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
    16 For He has broken the gates of bronze,
    And cut the bars of iron in two.
  4. Psalm 107.17–22 – The Goodness of the Lord: Make a sacrifice of thanksgiving

    17 Fools, because of their transgression,
    And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
    18 Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
    And they drew near to the gates of death.
    19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
    And He saved them out of their distresses.
    20 He sent His word and healed them,
    And delivered them from their destructions.
    21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
    And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
    22 Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
    And declare His works with rejoicing.
  5. Psalm 107.23–32 – The Goodness of the Lord: Exalt Him in the assembly

    23 Those who go down to the sea in ships,
    Who do business on great waters,
    24 They see the works of the Lord,
    And His wonders in the deep.
    25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
    Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
    26 They mount up to the heavens,
    They go down again to the depths;
    Their soul melts because of trouble.
    27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
    And are at their wits’ end.
    28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
    And He brings them out of their distresses.
    29 He calms the storm,
    So that its waves are still.
    30 Then they are glad because they are quiet;
    So He guides them to their desired haven.
    31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
    And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
    32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people,
    And praise Him in the company of the elders.
  6. Psalm 107.33–38 – The Goodness of the Lord: He reverses people’s lives

    33 He turns rivers into a wilderness,
    And the watersprings into dry ground;
    34 A fruitful land into barrenness,
    For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
    35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
    And dry land into watersprings.
    36 There He makes the hungry dwell,
    That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
    37 And sow fields and plant vineyards,
    That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
    38 He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly;
    And He does not let their cattle decrease.
  7. Psalm 107.39–42 – The Goodness of the Lord: He exalts the humble and humbles the exalted

    39 When they are diminished and brought low
    Through oppression, affliction and sorrow,
    40 He pours contempt on princes,
    And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way;
    41 Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction,
    And makes their families like a flock.
    42 The righteous see it and rejoice,
    And all iniquity stops its mouth.
  8. Psalm 107.43 – Observe and You Shall Understand

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

Exhortation: 

  1. You have sinned, you have had trouble, you had fears, but
    1. you cried out to the Lord for help, and
    2. He helped you.
      1. Did you remember to thank Him for His goodness?
      2. Did you specify in your prayer for what you thanked Him?
  2. Finally, brethren, heed the instruction of the psalmist at the end.
    1. Observe your life.
    2. Observe biblical events.
      1. Do not go through life unaware of the Lord’s presence and work.
      2. Understand what He is dong.