He maketh the storm a calm ,.... As Christ did by a word speaking, Mark 4:39 . So that the waves thereof are still ; and roar and toss no more, but subside; and the sea becomes smooth and quiet, its raging ceases: the angry sea, as Horace F16 "Nec horret iratum mare", Horat. Epod. Ode 2. v. 6. "Nec maris ira manet", Ovid. Metamorph. l. 12. Fab. 7. calls it, becomes calm and peaceable; see Psalm 89:9 . read more
Then are they glad because they be quiet ,.... The mariners are glad that the waves are quiet, and they free from danger, and at ease and in repose themselves. So he bringeth them unto their desired haven ; the port, city, border or tract of land F17 Vid. Kimchii Sepher Shorash. rad. חון , they are bound to; which they desire to be at, and eagerly look out for, and rejoice when arrived at it. This is all the Lord's work in providence: mariners too often take it to themselves, as... read more
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness ,.... Seafaring men particularly, before mentioned, as Jonah's mariners did, Jonah 1:16 , or all the four sorts of persons instanced in, as Kimchi thinks: and even all men whatsoever should do this, high and low, rich and poor, of every age, sex, and condition; since they all receive favours from the Lord, and should return thanks to him; and especially good men, who are blessed with spiritual blessings by him: these should all confess... read more
Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people ,.... Of the people of God, who are gathered out of the world into a church state; and who gather themselves together to attend the worship and service of God in some one place; and here the Lord should be praised, and his name exalted, by those who have received favours from him; see Psalm 111:1 , the Targum explains it, "in the congregation of the people of the house of Israel.' And praise him in the assembly of the elders ;... read more
He turneth rivers into a wilderness ,.... A country abounding with rivers, as the country round about Sodom and the land of Canaan were, Genesis 13:10 . Such an one is sometimes, by the just judgment of God, turned into a desert. And the water springs into dry ground : what was like a well watered garden becomes like dry and barren earth, on which nothing grows. read more
A fruitful land into barrenness ,.... Or, "into saltness" F20 למלחה "in salsuginem", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Vatablus, Piscator, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Junius & Tremellius; "in salsam", Cocceius. ; as Sodom and the land adjacent became a salt sea; and the land of Canaan was threatened to become brimstone, salt and burning, like Sodom; in which nothing was sown, and which bore no grass; see Genesis 14:3 and so the Targum, "the land of Israel, which brought forth fruit,... read more
He turneth the wilderness into a standing water ,.... On the other hand, when it is the pleasure of God, a country uncultivated and like a desert, he makes it fruitful as one that is well watered and tilled; as this country of ours, and the land in America, once waste places, now fruitful ones. And dry ground into water springs : which is expressive of the same thing, and may he figuratively understood of the Gentile world; which, before the coming of Christ, and the preaching of the... read more
And there he maketh the hungry to dwell ,.... In those fruitful places which they find agreeable to them, and so fix upon them as the places of their abode, and build houses, and dwell there; having all the conveniences of life, which they wanted elsewhere: so such as hunger and thirst after righteousness make to such places where the waters are, the word is preached, and ordinances administered; and here they take up their dwelling, their bread being given them, and their waters sure unto... read more
And sow the fields, and plant vineyards ,.... And so raise a sufficient supply of corn and wine for the support of themselves and families. In a spiritual sense the "fields" are the world, and the seed which is sown is the word; the persons that sow it are the ministers of the Gospel, which, by a divine blessing, brings forth fruit, in some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred fold: the "vineyards" are the churches, planted by Christ and by his ministers, as his instruments; believers are... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 107:28
Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble ,.... As in a storm seafaring persons are used to do; so did Jonah's mariners, though Heathens, everyone cried to his god. With the Romans F15 Cicero, de Nat. Deor. l. 3. c. 20. Virgil. Aeneid. l. 5. v. 772. Horat. Epod. Ode 10. v. 23,24. Ovid. Fast. 6. v. 193. tempests were reckoned deities, and had temples erected, and sacrifices offered to them; but these persons were such as knew and owned the true Jehovah, and called upon him in their... read more