“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” (Psalm 107:1)
Psalm 107 is eminently practical, pointing our hearts to humble instruction. The psalmist writes to the spiritually thirsty so that God’s children will ask the important question “Who is wise?” The answer is the one who pays careful attention to the steadfast love (mentioned six times for emphasis) of Yahweh (v. 43).
The centerpiece of Psalm 107 includes a set of four vignettes describing predicaments and the sure guarantee of divine intervention. The first is travelers thirsty and lost, wandering in a solitary desert (vv. 4-9). Second is prisoners rotting in jail, left to die (vv. 10-16). Third, fools knocking on death’s door because of their sinful lifestyles (vv. 17-22). And fourth, seasoned sailors caught in a storm, at their wits' end and nearing shipwreck (vv. 23-32).
Look at this imbedded template (the four p’s: problem, prayer, pardon, praise) as believers are pictured in each of these illustrations. When one has a spiritual problem, he should first cry out to our Creator in prayer. Oftentimes, we instead first reach out to friends, social media, or the “fixers” of this life. We can be so unwise, behaving as practicing atheists. Indeed, the Lord always hears our cry, and He never turns away the spiritually contrite but always pardons the humble. And when our Lord answers, consider the exhortation to praise Yahweh—repeated six times for wisdom’s reminder.
The bottom line is whom do we have in heaven but God? We need to call out to Him in prayer. When we do, He hears us and answers, bringing Himself the ultimate glory. His mercy endures forever. CM
Days of Praise Podcast is a podcast based on the Institute for Creation Research quarterly print devotional, Days of Praise. Start your day with devotional readings written by Dr. Henry Morris, Dr. Henry Morris III, Dr. John Morris, and others to strengthen and encourage you in your Christian faith.
