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
He turneth rivers into a wilderness - After having, as above, illustrated the state of the Jews in their captivity, and the deliverance which God wrought for them, he now turns to the general conduct of God in reference to the poor and needy; and his gracious Interpositions in their behalf, the providential supply of their wants, and his opposition to their oppressors. On account of the wickedness of men, he sometimes changes a fruitful land into a desert. See the general state of Egypt in... read more
Verse 33 33.He turneth rivers into a wilderness Here then is an account of changes which it would be the height of folly to attribute to chance. Fruitful lands become unfruitful, and barren lands assume the new aspect of freshness and fruitfulness. And how happens it that one district becomes sterile, and another becomes fat and fertile, contrary to what they were wont to be, but because that God pours out his wrath upon the inhabitants of the one, by taking his blessing from them, and renders... read more
Verse 35 35.He turneth the desert into a pool of water This change, in contrast with the former, places the miraculous power of God in a more luminous position. Because, were the fields ceasing to be so productive as in former times, men of the world, as was common of old, would attribute this to the frequent crops which exhausted their productive power. But whence is it that parched grounds become so fruitful, that one would almost say that the atmosphere, as well as the nature of the soil,... read more
Formally, the psalm falls into seven divisions: read more
Wherefore men should praise the Lord. Such is the theme of this glorious psalm. "It contains the thanksgiving of exiles ( Psalms 107:3 ) apparently not yet returned to Jerusalem, but already escaped from the thraldom of Babylon." Note— I. ITS GENERAL LESSONS . 1. It tells of present earthly troubles . They were such as the returning exiles had met with, for Babylon was not the alone place of exile. There had been weary wanderings in the barren, waterless, and burning... read more
God's watchful care. "Whatever the circumstances under which the psalm was written, there can be no doubt as to the great lesson which it inculcates"—that God watches over men, and his ear is open to their prayers. Look at some illustrations. I. GOD HAD ANSWERED THE CRY OF THE JEWS IN EXILE , AND RESTORED THEM TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY . ( Psalms 107:2 , Psalms 107:8 , Psalms 107:9 .) They were called on to give thanks for thou wonders, and to... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 107:33-43
The psalmist, having given God the glory of the providential reliefs granted to persons in distress, here gives him the glory of the revolutions of providence, and the surprising changes it sometimes makes in the affairs of the children of men. I. He gives some instances of these revolutions. 1. Fruitful countries are made barren and barren countries are made fruitful. Much of the comfort of this life depends upon the soil in which our lot is cast. Now, (1.) The sin of man has often marred the... read more