Psalm 107: Edit history

Psalm 107 is the first psalm of Book V (Psalms 107–150) of the 150 psalms in the Book of Psalms. The preceding Psalm 106 closes with the petition "gather us from among the heathen" (106:47), and Psalm 107 opens as if in reply: "And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south" (107:3).

Structure

• Verses 1–3 A call to give thanks to the LORD. The redeemed are called to make this confession.
• Verses 4–9 Those lost and hungry in the wilderness cry out, and God leads them to a city to dwell in.
• Verses 10–16 Those who rebelled against God's word and sit bound in darkness and iron chains cry out, and God breaks the gates of brass and cuts the bars of iron.
• Verses 17–22 Those who have drawn near to the gates of death because of their iniquities are healed when God sends his word.
• Verses 23–32 Those caught in a stormy wind at sea cry out, and God stills the waves and brings them to their desired haven.
• Verses 33–43 God reverses the condition of lands and peoples. He brings princes low and raises up the needy, and the wise are called to understand his lovingkindness.

The four scenes follow the same pattern. Each contains the refrains "Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble" (vv. 6, 13, 19, 28) and "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness" (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31).

Key Verses

• Psalm 107:1 "O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." This verse states the theme of the entire psalm. The same confession appears in Psalm 118 and Psalm 136.
• Psalm 107:9 "For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness." Its wording resembles that of Mary's song, the Magnificat, in Luke 1 (1:53).
• Psalm 107:29–30 "He maketh the storm a calm … so he bringeth them unto their desired haven." This is the climax of the fourth scene.

People and Places

No individuals or places are named. Four groups appear: wanderers in the wilderness, prisoners, the sick, and sailors. The word rendered "mercy" (v. 1) and "goodness" (in the refrain) in the KJV translates the Hebrew hesed (steadfast love, lovingkindness).

Interpretive Considerations

Readings of the four groups fall into two broad approaches. One interpretation, based on verses 2–3, takes them to refer to Israel returning from exile; another sees them as pictures of the plight of all people in distress. In Jewish tradition, these four cases are said to have given rise to the custom of a prayer of thanksgiving offered by one who has been delivered from danger.

Christian interpretation often connects this psalm with the New Testament. Verses 23–30 are read alongside Jesus' calming of the storm, and the phrase "He sent his word, and healed them" in verse 20 is compared with the centurion's request, "speak the word only" (Matthew 8). Such connections, however, are later interpretations and are not stated directly in the text of the psalm.

In the Korean Church

In Korean Protestant churches, the confession of thanksgiving in verse 1 makes the psalm a frequent sermon text for Thanksgiving and for Wheat Harvest Thanksgiving (Maekchu Gamsajeol). The phrase "desired haven" in verse 30 is commonly quoted in Korean sermons that comfort believers passing through times of crisis.