Psalms 107:31-41

31 Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them.

32 Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation.

33 He changes rivers into deserts, and springs of water into dry, thirsty land.

34 He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands, because of the wickedness of those who live there.

35 But he also turns deserts into pools of water, the dry land into springs of water.

36 He brings the hungry to settle there and to build their cities.

37 They sow their fields, plant their vineyards, and harvest their bumper crops.

38 How he blesses them! They raise large families there, and their herds of livestock increase.

39 When they decrease in number and become impoverished through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,

40 the LORD pours contempt on their princes, causing them to wander in trackless wastelands.

41 But he rescues the poor from trouble and increases their families like flocks of sheep.

Psalms 107:31-41 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.''