Psalms 107:1

PSALMS 107

BOOK V (PSALMS 107-150)

This book has forty-four psalms, a number of which appear to be of late date. Dummelow noted that, "The contents, here and there, give appropriate hints as to the date in some instances."[1] For example, Psalms 107:10-16 refers to the years of captivity, as does Psalms 137. Some, but not all, of the psalms in this book are alleged to be liturgical. Psalms 108, for example, is made up of Psalms 57:7-11 as united with Psalms 60:5-12, "Which was obviously complied for liturgical purposes."[2] Fifteen of the psalms in this section are ascribed to David.

PSALM 107

ISRAEL RESTORED FROM CAPTIVITY TO CANAAN

We have paid little attention in this commentary to the theory that the Five Books of Psalms, in some way, are similar to the Five Books of Moses (The Pentateuch). Nevertheless, Delitzsch's comparison of Book Five to Deuteronomy is of interest.

"At the beginning of Deuteronomy, Israel stood on the threshold of the Land of Promise, after the two and one half tribes had settled themselves on the east of Jordan; so here, at the beginning of this Fifth Book of Psalms, we see Israel restored to the soil of its fatherland.

"There it was Israel redeemed out of Egypt; here it is Israel redeemed out of Exile. There Moses admonished the people to obey the Law of Jehovah; here the psalmist calls upon Israel to show gratitude toward God who has redeemed them from exile and distress and death."[3]

Delitzsch was of the opinion that Psalms 104; Psalms 105 and Psalms 107, each of which is almost the same length, were all written by the same author, developing one continuous theme. "These three anonymous psalms form a trilogy in the strictest sense."[4]

(1) Psalms 104 derives its material from the history of creation; (2) Psalms 105 takes its material from the history of Israel; and (3) Psalms 107 takes its presentation from the times of the restoration from Exile.

The organization of this psalm appears to be: (1) announcement of the theme (Psalms 107:1-3); (2) the metaphor of the perils of travel (Psalms 107:4-9); (3) the metaphor of release from prison (Psalms 107:10-16); (4) the metaphor of recovery from sickness (Psalms 107:17-22); (5) the metaphor of escape from a dangerous voyage at sea (Psalms 107:23-32); (6) a general statement of God's gracious mercies (Psalms 107:33-43).

Rhodes described this psalms as, "A litany of thanksgiving by four groups of redeemed pilgrims: (a) desert travelers; (b) prisoners; (c) sick men; and (d) seafarers."[5] However, we fail to find four different groups of people in this psalm. The psalm evidently concerns God's people, especially with regard to their deliverance from Babylonian captivity.

As Leupold observed, "The first three verses announce the theme, namely, the Restoration of Israel from Babylon. It would seem more than strange that the psalmist would then begin to thank God for all manner of other deliverances."[6]

The restoration of Israel from Babylon is almost incredibly wonderful. There is nothing that remotely resembles it in the whole history of mankind. Putting that unique restoration of Israel to Canaan in the same class with such things as recovering from sickness, getting lost in a desert, getting out of jail, or surviving a dangerous sea-voyage appears to us as an intellectual impossibility.

To us, therefore, these four deliverances are best understood as metaphors of what had so gloriously happened to Israel.

Psalms 107:1-3

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE THEME

"O Give thanks unto Jehovah for he is good;

For his lovingkindness endureth forever.

Let the redeemed of Jehovah say so,

Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary,

And gathered out of the lands,

From the east and from the west,

From the north and from the south."

"Whom he hath redeemed ... and gathered" (Psalms 107:2-3), These verses announce the theme of the psalm, namely, the deliverance from the captivity in Babylon, and the gathering of Israel from all the lands whither the people of God had been scattered. This marvelous event included two principal things (i) "redemption" from the adversary (Babylon), and (ii) "gathering," that is, the return of Israel to Canaan.

"Let the redeemed of Jehovah say so" (Psalms 107:2). No Christian has the right to remain silent with regard to the salvation that has been conferred upon him through the gospel of Christ. Satan has tried to foster a social campaign to the effect that it is "impolite to speak of religion." God's saints need to be vocal about their redemption. If it was required of ancient Israel that they should extol the wonders of God's delivering them from Babylon, is it not equally binding upon the New Israel to proclaim the wonders of "salvation in Jesus Christ?"

METAPHOR OF THE WEARY TRAVELER