Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Work of Deliverance

“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. 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.” (Psalm 107: 1-3; 8-9) [Read Psalm 107]

Psalm 107 is a long psalm containing 43 verses. A short devotional can but mention the wonderful truths the psalm contains. The psalm opens with an invitation to give thanks for God’s goodness and for His mercy. Four sections of the psalm give details of troubles through which God delivered the people. (1) 4-9. The people were nomads, aimless wanderers, and God led them to a place of their own. This is reflective of the years of wilderness wanderings following their release from Egyptian bondage. (2) 10-16. They were prisoners (literally, in bondage, or in the bondage of sin). This could refer to the years of exile in Babylon or elsewhere. They cried out, God heard, pardoned and redeemed them. (3) 17-22. They suffered sickness, sin-sickness, distress and God healed them. (4) Man was on the seas (afloat, unanchored) and God e piloted, guided, stilled the storm at sea (as Jesus did on the Sea of Galilee). After each section that lists the Lord’s wonderful work in delivering His people, the psalm repeats a refrain in verses 8, 15, 21 and 31: “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” The epilogue in verses 33-43 extols God as Lord of nature and nations. The psalm’s theme is that God’s deliverance is always available to those who call upon Him. He loves us despite our not deserving to be loved. His help is always available to us.

In application, think of times when you wandered and God found you.
Think of when you were in a prison of your own making and God freed you.
Recall a time of suffering and distress and God relieved you.
Remember when you were adrift and afloat and God rescued you.

Then “give thanks for God’s goodness and for His wonderful works!”
May we bring to Him sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare His works with rejoicing” (v. 22). And we will have a wonderful thanksgiving season!

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, November 23, 2010