“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.
“Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
“Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.” Psalm 107:1-16
Calling all the redeemed: Give thanks! The LORD is good and His steadfast love endures forever! Consider His marvelous deeds of deliverance, provision, mercy, and thank Him!
Human troubles are many, and varied. Wandering without direction and purpose, empty of soul, we can cry to the Lord and find direction and satisfaction. In the darkness of affliction and overwhelming sorrow, under the weight of sin’s consequences, we can cry for help and be rescued. When we are fools and choose to transgress God’s ways, we can cry for mercy and be healed. When flooded with a deluge of stress and distress, the pressures of work and responsibility and time constraints and impossibilities, we can cry to the Lord with our every trouble, and He can hush the stormy seas and fill us with peace. This is the cry of the redeemed, and He Who causes the hunger, the hard labor, the afflictions, the stormy winds, is the Redeemer Who makes the parched land fruitful, Who delivers and brings us to His haven. His steadfast love flows through hardships into His raising the needy to bring a wise and wide recognition of His grace. In this we cannot help but give thanks, be glad, and exalt His glory. (Psalm 107:17-43)
O soul, do you see He is good? Can you trace His hand of mercy? Can you feel His invisible comfort? Do you know His supernatural satisfaction and peace? Is His light real in your darkness, His forgiveness palpable in your misery, His calm sure and steadying in your storm? These are His good gifts, ours for the taking, and praising. (Psalm 18:28; Mark 4:39; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:10)
Lord, along with all the redeemed, let me ever say that You are good, Your steadfast love endures forever!
As the rain and snow 