Psalms 107:20-30

20 He spoke the word that healed you, that pulled you back from the brink of death.

21 So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;

22 Offer thanksgiving sacrifices, tell the world what he's done - sing it out!

23 Some of you set sail in big ships; you put to sea to do business in faraway ports.

24 Out at sea you saw God in action, saw his breathtaking ways with the ocean:

25 With a word he called up the wind - an ocean storm, towering waves!

26 You shot high in the sky, then the bottom dropped out; your hearts were stuck in your throats.

27 You were spun like a top, you reeled like a drunk, you didn't know which end was up.

28 Then you called out to God in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time.

29 He quieted the wind down to a whisper, put a muzzle on all the big waves.

30 And you were so glad when the storm died down, and he led you safely back to harbor.

Psalms 107:20-30 Meaning and Commentary

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.''