Psalm 107 … Consider His Lovingkindnesses

Originally posted: 11/27/2020

Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things,
And consider the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, (107:43).

Well, there is certainly no question about what we are to consider today; the writer has given us clear direction as he wraps up this beautiful psalm. And if we are wise, we will take heed and follow the psalmist’s advice.

Typically, when Scripture refers to this amazing attribute of God, it speaks of His Lovingkindness as a singular noun. But in the final verse of this psalm, several English translations use the plural form, pointing the readers to His numerous acts of kindness that extend from His very character and nature… as if to say all His Lovingkindnesses (What He does) are a result of His Lovingkindness (Who He Is).

Consider His Lovingkindnesses

• It is His Lovingkindness that redeems us from the hand of the adversary.
  •  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
    Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary, (107:2).

• It is His Lovingkindness that delivers, saves, and brings us out of our distresses.
  • Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
    He delivered them out of their distresses…
    ¹³ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
    He saved them out of their distresses…
    ¹⁹ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble;
    He saved them out of their distresses…
    ²⁸ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    And He brought them out of their distresses, (107:6, 13, 19, 28).

• It is His Lovingkindness that leads us in a straight way.
  •  He led them also by a straight way,
    To go to an inhabited city, (107:7).

• It is His Lovingkindness that satisfies and fills our soul.
  • For He has satisfied the thirsty soul,
    And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good, (107:9).

• It is His Lovingkindness that brings us out of the dark shadow and bondage of death.
  • He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death
    And broke their bands apart, (107:14).

• It is His Lovingkindness that sends His Word to heal and deliver us from destruction.
  • He sent His word and healed them,
    And delivered them from their destructions, (107:20).

• It is His Lovingkindness that stills the storm and guides us to our desired haven.
  •  He caused the storm to be still,
    So that the waves of the sea were hushed.
    ³⁰ Then they were glad because they were quiet,
    So He guided them to their desired haven, (107:29-30).

• It is His Lovingkindness that leads the hungry to His fruitful harvest.
  • And there He makes the hungry to dwell,
    So that they may establish an inhabited city,
    ³⁷ And sow fields and plant vineyards,
    And gather a fruitful harvest, (107:36-37).

• It is His Lovingkindness that sets the needy securely on high away from affliction.
  • But He sets the needy securely on high away from affliction, (107:41a).

• It is His Lovingkindness that multiplies His family.
  • And makes his families like a flock, (107:41b).

How do we respond to His Lovingkindnesses?

So many kindnesses are described in this psalm; how can we possibly be left in a state of complacency? Won’t every fiber of our being be in awe of His gracious gifts; won’t we be undone by His Lovingkindnesses and erupt into a hallelujah song from deep within our soul that finds itself flowing from our lips? Let us pray so!

But we must also be careful to not overlook the many ways His discipline is described. This too is His Lovingkindness. How kind it is that He goes to such lengths to make us aware of our need for Him, that we may turn to Him and be healed.

Let us consider His Lovingkindnesses displayed through His discipline: hunger and thirst, weakness and darkness, misery and chains, afflictions and near death, parched and thirsty land, oppression and misery, sorrow and wandering without direction, (107:5, 10-11, 17-18, 33-34, 39-40).

His discipline is not cruel. His discipline is an extension of Who He Is in His desire to shower us in His Lovingkindnesses.

Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart, (Psalm 37:4).

But when we choose to reject His Lovingkindnesses (as unbelievable as that is), and when we set out to find our delight elsewhere, as we read yesterday, He will give us those desires as well; and that includes their consequences.

They quickly forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
¹⁴ But craved intensely in the wilderness,
And tempted God in the desert.
¹⁵ So He gave them their request,
But sent a wasting disease among them, (Psalm 106:13-15).

Time and time again, God’s people would wander after their fleshly desires and find themselves on a path of sorrow and pain. And time and time again, they would cry out in their distress (107:6, 13, 19, 28); and time and time again He would meet them with His Lovingkindnesses.

Oh that we might choose to get it right the first time, that we would crave Him above all else. And as we also considered yesterday, a thankful heart is the perfect deterrent to self-centered cravings.

Let us be wise and take heed, that we would daily choose to consider His Lovingkindnesses.

Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things,
And consider the lovingkindnesses of the Lord. (107:43).

Let us avoid traveling down the paths of self-gratification that always lead to those places of distress. Rather let us choose the place of wisdom and gratitude as we consider His Lovingkindnesses, that every day we would cry out to Him with ceaseless thanks.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting, (107:1).

Let’s Grow Together!