1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy. 3 And gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. 5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. 6 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. 7 And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place. 8 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! 9 For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness. 10 Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons--11 because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High. 12 Therefore, He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces. 15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! 16 For He has broken the gates of bronze, and cut the bars of iron in two.
17 Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. 19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. 20 He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonder works to the children of men! 22 Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing. 23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters. 24 They see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. 25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. 26 They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their souls melt because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. 28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. 29 He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven. 31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the company of the elders.
33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water, and dry land into watersprings. 36 There He makes the hungry dwell, that they may establish a city for a dwell place, 37 and sow fields and plant vineyards, that they may yield a fruitful harvest. 38 He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; and He does not let their cattle decrease.
39 When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, affliction and sorrow, 40 He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way; 41 Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction, and makes their families like a flock. 42 The righteous see it and rejoice, and all iniquity stops its mouth. 43 Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
This Psalm was part of a lesson in the Redeemed study I am doing. As I read through the words, I thought to myself, "there I am, I did this!" For me, it's disobedience, not listening when God spoke to my heart regarding life decisions. I became bound and imprisoned by my bad choices, my decision to go my own way. Rebellious and stubborn, I sat in misery.
Some may have had others harm them, cause them to run away from anything that was good. Maybe you've chases after riches only to discover how truly unreliable and wavering they are. This Psalms addresses all of this...our rebellions, our idolatry, our suffering, and yet God strives to get our attention and longs for us to turn to Him so He can deliver us from the darkest of places, the "lost-est" of pathways.
As I read the words of this Psalm I was filled with hope. Things may not be what I want them to be, but God is working and He is doing something good! When I yield my heart, circumstances, and times to Him, He will work in ways I can't imagine. This Psalm is full of HOPE!
My prayer is that you find the hope that I did as you read these words. Lord, thank You for the hope You give. Thank You that no matter where we are, how or why we got there....You see us and You will always be our deliver. Set our feet on solid ground and bring us out into an abundant place as You promise. I praise You this morning, my loving Savior! Father Your love is inexhaustible! Your mercy rains down like a flood on those who seek You. Give us peace of heart as we wait on Your deliverance. Thank You forever! In Jesus most beautiful Name. Amen.
Meditate on this Psalm. Find the part that is yours and hold on to it.
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