Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.
Let the people the Lord defended repeat these words.
They are the people he defended from the power of their enemies and gathered from other countries, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
They wandered around the desert on a deserted road without finding an inhabited city. They were hungry and thirsty. They began to lose hope.
In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He rescued them from their troubles.
He led them on a road that went straight to an inhabited city. [vss 1-7]
Let them give thanks to the Lord because of his mercy. He performed his miracles for Adam’s descendants.
He gave plenty to drink to those who were thirsty. He filled those who were hungry with good food. Those who lived in the dark, in death’s shadow were prisoners in misery.
They were held in iron chains because they had rebelled against God’s words and had despised the advice given by the Most High.
So he humbled them with hard work. They fell down, but no one was there to help them.
In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He saved them from their troubles.
He brought them out of the dark, out of death’s shadow. He broke apart their chains. [vss 8-14]
Let them give thanks to the Lord because of his mercy. He performed his miracles for Adam’s descendants. He shattered bronze gates and cut iron bars in two.
Fools suffered because of their disobedience and because of their crimes. All food was disgusting to them, and they came near death’s gates.
In their distress they cried out to the Lord. He saved them from their troubles. He sent his message and healed them. He rescued them from the grave.
Let them give thanks to the Lord because of his mercy. He performed his miracles for Adam’s descendants.
Let them bring songs of thanksgiving as their sacrifice. Let them tell in joyful songs what he has done. [vss 15-22]
Let those who ⌊think⌋ they are wise pay attention to these things so that they may understand the Lord’s blessings. [vs 43]
(Psalms 107:1-22, 43 GW)
It's common to all of us. It's referred to as the darkness of the soul. The expression is linked to a 16th-century poem written by a Spanish monk.
The dark night of the soul is more than depression or a crisis in life. It is related to a crisis of faith that leads to hope and meaning in life.
While in it, it's easy to focus on the darkness itself—a time of spiritual depression—but there's light at the end of the tunnel when we turn our hearts to God.
I remember a time when I experienced this darkness in a different way than a point of crisis. Still young in my faith, I went through a prolonged time of trial and testing.
I couldn't put my finger on why I was experiencing it. Darkness seemed to hover over me but with no apparent reason. I prayed a lot as I went about life with my young family and daily routine of my job.
As I read through this psalm I realized it applied to me. I was struck by the repeated refrain expressed in the first verse—
Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his mercy endures forever. (Ps 107:1 GW)
I needed to remember God's goodness and faithfulness in the midst of trials and testing.
And then... the sense of darkness continued. At first, I couldn't understand why the darkness didn't leave now that I realized my need to be continuously thankful. We all tend to get hung up on the why of things in life.
As I questioned this in my heart and mind, the Lord seemed to correct my thinking. I expected and wanted an immediate resolve and a lifting of this darkness.
But God was teaching me to walk by faith in a deeper way. I needed to be thankful and trust the Lord regardless of my feelings or circumstances.
Do you get hung up on the why's of life or have you learned to be thankful instead?
Take time to reflect on God's faithfulness and goodness and give thanks to Him!
©Word-Strong_2017
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I won't cover all 150 Psalms, but do selective devotionals through the rest of Psalms.
So if I skip one that you like... let me know and I'll try to cover it!
