I pray God to give you the spirit of enlightenment to understand what does Psalm 107 teach us in this sermon, hence we wre going to see what is the meaning of Psalm 107.
As human beings, we are faced with so much problems, of which if we knew the cause; it would be really easy for us to solve them.
But since we can’t find the cause even after running from one false prophet and herbalist to the other, we continue to wallow in them and if God does not intervene at the right time, we perish.
But thank God because He had secretly shown us the cause of our problems and how to solve them.
And we can find it in no other place than His Word-the bible, which He gave freely to us; and the exact place or rather portion we can find it is in Psalm 107.
If you read it carnally you will never be able to discover that cause because it is buried in mystery; but through the Spirit of God we will discover that the meaning of Psalm 107 is as follows:
- Thanksgiving. – Verse 1-3.
- The cause of poverty. – Verse 4-9.
- How people become slaves and are imprisoned. – Verse 10-16.
- What causes sickness. – Verse 17-22.
- What cause misfortune in business and careers. – Verse 23-32.
- Cause of famine and abundance. – Verse 33-38.
- Why we have bad leadership (dictatorship) – Verse 39-42.
1. Thanksgiving – Verse 1-3.
OH, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For his mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.
And gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
The above verses opens by telling the righteous, who do not experience the problems of life any longer; to thank the Lord who redeemed them from its clutches, when they were still in sin.
2. The cause of poverty – Verse 4-9.
They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.
And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.
Interpretation and solution.
‘They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way’ symbolizes sin.
To be ‘hungry and thirsty their soul fainted in them’ symbolizes poverty i.e. lack of the basic amenities of life i.e. food, shelter and clothing.
Thus we discover that, sin is the cause of poverty.
So for one to be saved, he must cry out to God; and crying out to God means forsaking your sinful ways and returning to the LORD who will now lead you in through the right way to riches i.e. ‘a city for a dwelling place’.
And you must thank Him when He gives you more and more riches, which will make you ‘satisfy all your longings and fill your hungry soul with all goodness’.
3. How people become slaves and are imprisoned – Verse 10-16.
Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in afflictions and irons-because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High.
Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble.
And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He has broken the gates of bronze, and cut the bars of iron in two.
Interpretation and solution.
‘Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death bound in afflictions and irons’ symbolizes slavery, life in a prison yard/spiritual captivity.
‘Because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High’ symbolizes disobeying God’s commandment.
Thus we discover in the meaning of Psalm 107 that disobeying God’s commandment is the cause of slavery and imprisonment. E.g. God said ‘thou shall not steal’ but you went and stole, and the police arrested and locked you up in prison.
To be saved you must cry out to God i.e. repent; accept Jesus into your life, fast and pray to God who will cause your divine release; even if you were given life imprisonment He can make the president, governor etc. grant you amnesty.
Even if the witches are set to slaughter you, He will send Jesus (Who came to set the captives free) to deliver you.
And you must afterwards thank Him when He has ‘broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron in two’.
4. What causes sickness – Verse 17-22.
Fools, because of their transgressions, and because f their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses.
He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.
Interpretation and solution.
‘Fools because of their transgressions and because of their iniquities were afflicted’ symbolizes wrongdoings, sin etc.
‘Their soul abhorred all manner of food and they drew near to the gates of death’ symbolizes ‘sickness, illness.
Thus we see in the meaning of Psalm 107 that sin is the cause of sickness; e.g. God says ‘thou shall not commit adultery’ but you went and slept with someone’s wife, and now the husband has used juju to inflict you with a disease that has defied all medical test.
In order to be saved you must cry out to God i.e. confess your sins and resolve never to live that way again, and God will now perform a miracle in your life when He sends His word and heal you, and prevent you from dying.
Afterwards you must thank Him and testify in the church of what He has done in your life amidst much rejoicing.
5. What cause misfortune in business and careers – Verse 23-32.
Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, they see the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.
They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the company of the elders. (Verses 23-32)
Interpretation and solution.
‘those who go down to the sea in ships who do business on great waters they see the works of the LORD and His wonders in the deep For He commands and raises the stormy wind which lifts up the waves of the sea they mount up to the heavens they go down to the depths their soul melts because of trouble’. symbolizes business men and women, and careers of all kinds e.g. ministers, artists-musicians, actors/actresses, comedians etc. doctors, engineers, teachers etc.
‘They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end’. Symbolizes pride i.e. they are boastful because even after they have seen the mighty works of God they don’t worship Him.
Thus we can discover that pride and forsaking God is the reason rich, influential and popular people encounter misfortune in their businesses.
To be saved they must acknowledge God and worship Him, and after God has granted their heart desires they must pay Him back by testifying Him in front of the whole congregation and praising Him in the company of the elders.
6. Cause of famine and abundance – Verse 33-38.
He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it. He turns a wilderness into pools of water. And dry land into watersprings.
There He makes the hungry dwell. That they may establish a city for a dwelling place, and sow fields and plant vineyards, that they may yield a fruitful harvest. He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; and He does not let their cattle decrease.
Interpretation and solution.
From the meaning of Psalm 107, we discover that famine in the land is caused by the wickedness of those that live there, but still in the midst of that God provides for the righteous i.e. ‘the hungry’, in abundance, as well as bless and make them and their livestock multiply greatly.
7. Why we have bad leadership (dictatorship) – Verse 39-42.
When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way; yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction, and make their families like a flock. The righteous see it and rejoice, and all iniquity stops its mouth.
Interpretation and solution.
From the above text we see that the people are diminished and brought low by those who rules them, and since this rulers are evil God makes them to disagree and go against each other, which results in their plunging deeper and deeper into their sinful ways unable to repent i.e. ‘wander in the wilderness where there is no way’.
And while that happens God elevates the poor, and never allows them to face no more problems and uses them to elevate their family members also.
After all these things sin which is the cause of all human problems, is no more found among God’s people.
Conclusion.
Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the loving kindness of the LORD. (Verse 43)
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