Tehillim 107

1 07 O give thanks unto Hashem, for He is tov; ki l’olam chasdo (for His mercy endureth forever).

2 Let the Geulei Hashem (the redeemed of Hashem) say so, whom He hath redeemed from the yad tzar;

3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the mizrach (east), and from the ma’arav (west), from the tzafon (north), and from the yam (sea).

4 They wandered in the midbar in a desolate region; they found no derech to an ir moshav (inhabited city).

5 Re’evim (hungry) and tzeme’im (thirsty), their nefesh fainted within them.

6 Then they cried unto Hashem in their tzoros, and He delivered them out of their distresses.

7 And He led them forth by the derech yesharah that they might go to an ir moshav.

8 Oh that men would praise Hashem for His chesed, and for His nifla’ot (wonderful works) to the Bnei Adam!

9 For He satisfieth the longing nefesh, and filleth the hungry nefesh with the tov.

10 Such as sit in choshech and in tzalmavet, being bound in oni and barzel (iron);

11 Because they rebelled against the words of G-d, and despised the atzat Elyon (counsel of the Most High);

12 Therefore He brought down their lev with amal (toil); they stumbled, and there was no ozer (helper).

13 Then they cried out unto Hashem in their tzoros, and He saved them out of their distresses.

14 He brought them out of choshech and tzalmavet, and broke apart their chains.

15 Oh that men would praise Hashem for His chesed, and for His nifla’ot (wonderful works) to the Bnei Adam!

16 For He hath broken down the dlatot nechoshet, and cut asunder the bars of barzel (iron).

17 Fools because of their derech peysha, and because of their avonot (iniquities), were afflicted.

18 Their nefesh abhorreth all manner of ochel (food); and they drew near unto the sha’arei mavet (gates of death).

19 Then they cried unto Hashem in their tzoros, and He saveth them out of their distresses.

20 He sent His Davar, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions [See Yn 1:1, 14; Mt 4:23].

21 Oh that men would praise Hashem for His chesed, and for His nifla’ot (wonderful works) to the Bnei Adam!

22 And let them sacrifice the zivkhei todah (sacrifices of thanksgiving), and recount His works with joyful singing.

23 They that go down to the yam in oniyot (ships), that do business on mayim rabbim (great waters);

24 These have seen the ma’asei Hashem, and His nifla’ot (wonders) in the deep.

25 For He commandeth, and raiseth up a ruach sa’arah (stormy wind), which lifteth up the galim (waves) thereof.

26 They [the galim] mount up to Shomayim, they went down again to the tehomot (depths); their nefesh melted in ra’ah (peril, trouble).

27 They reeled and staggered like a shikkor, and were at their wit’s end.

28 Then they cried unto Hashem in their tzoros, and He brought them out of their distresses.

29 He made the sa’arah (storm) a calm, so that the galim (waves) thereof were still [Mk 4:41].

30 Then were they glad because they were quiet; so He brought them unto their makhoz chefetz (desired haven, city, district, boundary).

31 Oh that men would praise Hashem for His chesed, and for His nifla’ot (wonderful works) to the Bnei Adam!

32 Let them exalt Him also in the Kehal Am, and praise Him in the moshav zekenim (council of the elders).

33 He turneth neharot (rivers) into a midbar, and the springs of water into dry ground;

34 An eretz p’ri (fruitful land) into salt wasteland, because of the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

35 He turneth the midbar into an agam (pool, lake) of mayim, and dry ground into springs of water.

36 And there He maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may found an ir moshav (an inhabited city);

37 And sow the sadot, and plant kramim, and acquire p’ri tevu’ah (fruits of increase).

38 He made a brocha on them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and He doth not permit their behemah to decrease.

39 Again, they are diminished and brought low through otzer (oppression), ra’ah (calamity, peril, trouble) and yagon (sorrow, grief).

40 He poureth contempt upon nedivim (nobles), and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no derech.

41 Yet setteth He the evyon (needy) up above oni (affliction), and maketh him mishpekhot like a tzon (flock).

42 The yesharim (upright ones) shall see it, and rejoice with simchah; and all iniquity shall shut its mouth.

43 Whosoever is chacham, and will be shomer over these things, even they shall understand the chasdei Hashem (lovingkindnesses of Hashem).

Tehillim 107 Commentary

Chapter 107

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)

Verses 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.

Verses 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.

Verses 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.

Verses 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.

Verses 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 107

This psalm, from its style, and from its connection with the preceding psalms, seems to have been written by David. The two foregoing psalms respect the children of Israel; this is generally thought to concern all mankind, and its view to assert a general providence which attends all, in whatsoever condition and circumstance; and to encourage men in their distresses to cry unto the Lord. According to Kimchi, Aben Ezra, and others, four sorts of persons are mentioned, travellers through a wilderness, prisoners, sick persons, and such who use the seas; to which some add a fifth, husbandmen; these are instanced in, not to the exclusion of others, but from them it may be concluded that whatsoever state or condition persons may be in, they are known and taken notice of by the Lord, and are relieved by him when they call upon him. Some restrain the whole to the Israelites, as the Targum, R. Obadiah, Arama, and others, where they make any application; and others apply the psalm to New Testament times; and indeed, though the literal sense should be attended unto and preserved, yet it seems to be applicable to spiritual persons and things. The title of it in the Syriac version is pretty remarkable,

``it is said concerning Joab and Abiah the sons of Samuel, who recited the commandments of the Lord. God gathered the Jews out of captivity, and brought them out from Babylon. Also the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, gathered the Gentiles from the four corners of the world, by preaching to baptism.''