The world isn’t looking for facts, and they are unlikely to be convinced if we proved them wrong. What they need to see is the genuineness of our faith.
Have you ever struggled with how to share your faith with a friend or family member? We are living in a hostile world that is critical of Christianity. Our tendency is to anticipate their objections and be ready to defend our beliefs with a convincing argument.
But the world isn’t looking for facts, and they are unlikely to be convinced if we proved them wrong. What they need to see is the genuineness of our faith. Psalm 107 shows us how to witness by praising God, proclaiming Christ, and declaring that we have been redeemed.
GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD
The opening words, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” were first used in a song of thanksgiving from King David when the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem (I Chronicles 16:24). It was later incorporated into the liturgy of their worship (I Chronicles 16:41). Under the reign of Solomon, it was used when the temple was completed, when the Ark was brought inside (II Chronicles 5:13), and when the Shekinah Glory filled the temple at its dedication (II Chronicles 7:3, 6).
A few generations later, Jehosephat, one of the few good kings of Judah, appointed worshippers to lead their army into battle crying out, “Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever” (II Chronicles 20:21). This praise, however, would fall out of use, as the generations that followed grew more and more wicked until they were carried off into exile in Babylon.
The next time we see it used is after the people returned from captivity and laid the foundation for the temple under the leadership of Ezra, at which point it says they sang responsively, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel” (Ezra 3:11). For further study, read Psalm 136. This may have been the very Psalm the people sang in Ezra’s day.
This became the anthem for the worship of God, but what does it mean?
GOD IS GOOD
When I was a teenager, I went on a short-term mission trip to Kenya. There we were introduced to a phrase in the local churches and Christian schools. To call the people to attention at the beginning of the service the speaker would say, “God is good.” The congregation would respond, “All the time.” Then the leader would ask, “All the time?” And everyone would answer, “God is good because that’s His nature, and that is why we all say, Amen.”
At the foundation of this call to worship is the declaration that God is good, but why not great? Is there a difference? Is there anyone greater than the LORD our God? Absolutely not. But this term is not being used to expound on the majesty of God, but to relate Him to us.
God is all-powerful, that is undeniable, but He only ever uses His power for good. This phrase demonstrates the goodness of God as a reminder that all He does is worthy of our praise.
HIS STEADFAST LOVE ENDURES FOREVER
God is good, because that is His nature. This is further emphasized once the character of God is fleshed out more thoroughly, “His steadfast love endures forever.” The Hebrew word translated here as ‘steadfast love’ is, ‘Hesed.’ It carries a great deal of meaning and is often translated diversely across modern translations.
The English language seems to lack the depth of this word. That is why a translator in the sixteenth century, named Myles Coverdale, coined a new word, ‘Lovingkindness.’ ‘Hesed’ is so rich that we need more than one word to explain what is meant in the original Hebrew text.
Of course it would require an impossibly complex word to describe the immeasurable riches of God’s character. He is loving. He is kind. All of His attributes are enduring and eternal. There is no end to the wonders of God.
LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO!
The call to worship gives way to our witness. How will we give thanks? By declaring that we have been redeemed.
The bulk of Psalm 107 tells the story of redemption from the perspective of four different groups. This correlates to the directions on a compass: North, South, East, and West.
The first category, representing the South, is trapped in a desert wasteland (v. 4-9). This not only chronicles the history of Israel wandering in the wilderness, but it demonstrates the individual who has come to the end of themselves, seeking refuge, but unable to find any place of rest.
The second group were those who had been held captive in Babylon to the East (v. 10-16). They had rebelled against God and He sent them off into exile. This represents those who have heard the truth and rejected it. They have gone their own way, leading to their destruction.
Those coming from the North are described as fools (v. 17-22). The Northern Kingdom of Israel split from Judah after the death of King Solomon. They were so corrupt that God had given them up to the natural consequences of their behavior.
West of Israel is the Mediterranean Sea. The next section describes those who went down into ships, seeking their fortunes abroad (v. 23-32). They experienced the devastating power of nature's storms and were stripped of their courage. All of their treasures and pursuits were unable to save them in their time of trouble.
Each of these four categories describe different experiences, but there is something that unites them all. The same phrase is used in the middle of each of their stories, “Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress” (v. 6, 13, 19, 28). They called on the name of the LORD and were saved. Furthermore, each of them were given the same instruction after they were saved, “Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man” (v. 8, 15, 21, 31). This draws us back to the main theme: Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!
CONSIDER THE STEADFAST LOVE OF THE LORD
There are so many lessons that we can draw from this Psalm.
First, we should not be ashamed to acknowledge the error of our own ways. We have been redeemed, purchased out of our slavery to sin. While we should not glorify our lives before we were saved, we should not give the impression to others that we were saved based on our own merit.
Second, we should not remain quiet. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so! We who have experienced the goodness of God ought to shout it from the rooftops. I have found that people don’t need to be pressured to talk about things that they love. If we love God, it shouldn’t require a great deal of convincing to share our testimony with others.
Finally, the last words of this Psalm give us a strong admonition, “Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD” (v. 43). This comes after a stern warning that although God turns deserts into pools of water, He also turns rivers into deserts.
Consider the steadfast love of the LORD. Spend time reflecting on what Christ has done. We need to preach the gospel to ourselves and surround ourselves with those who are recounting the wonders of God’s love. Then, we ought to join the many voices as we declare the one message that we, too, have been redeemed.
Adam Miller is the President and host of Songtime Radio and serves as the pastor of South Chatham Community Church.
You can hear his teaching on our daily broadcast on the radio or online, watch his preaching live on Facebook, and read his articles on our website.
