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"Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble...Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!"

~ Psalm 107:2,8

 

This psalm opens up Book 5 within the book of psalms.  The theme of this subset of psalms focuses even more on deliverance, restoration and redemption.  Like the psalms in the first four books of psalms, many of these psalms too were written by David.  But it is likely that even more of them were written by those who had experienced exile from the land of Israel/Judah; by those who were clinging to the promise of YAHWEH to deliver and restore and redeem. 

Book 5 of the Psalms contains, perhaps, the greatest section of God’s Word about God’s Word…Psalm 119.  Book 5 of the Psalms also contains a set of psalms known as the “Songs of Ascent”.  These were psalms rehearsed and prayed and sang as the Jewish people made pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the various feasts and festivals prescribed by the LORD.  The physical roads to Jerusalem geographically increased in elevation.  The city of Jerusalem is built on a mount, therefore these psalms are called the “Songs of Ascent”. 

Psalm 107 has its own repeated theme of God’s faithfulness to his own people.  He hears and helps them in all manner of distress (v.6,13,19,28,41).  We are the redeemed of the LORD and with joy and thankfulness we must SAY SO (v.2,8,15,21-22,31-32).  Be wise, attending to God’s ways; considering his steadfast love (v.43).  Has he not satisfied our souls and filled us with good things (v.9)?  He has freed us from the bonds of sin and the darkness of death (v.14).  He has healed us and kept us from destruction (v.20).  He has calmed the storms that we encounter in our lives and we know that he will bring us safely home (v.29-30). 

We know this is true because of the gospel message of God’s Son Jesus Christ…because of his way of salvation that we could not provide but only he could.  We must acknowledge and confess that this is why and how we have been blessed and redeemed.   This is the message given to us not just for ourselves, but so we would be a conduit of this message of reconciliation, bringing it to others so they too could be blessed and redeemed and brought safely home to be with the LORD (2 Corinthians 5:11-21).