Thoughts on Psalm 107

Psalm 107: 10-16 (10) Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; (11) Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: (12) Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. (13) Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.  (14) He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.  (15) Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!  (16) For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

Psalm 107 has long been one of my favorite psalms, mainly because it presents so many different situations where people are in trouble and cry to God for help and He delivers them.  While reading this psalm, the above passage stuck out to me, particularly verses 11 and 12.  Here was a people seemingly without hope, completely without light, and even worse, the shadow of death hovered over them, seeking to swallow them whole.  Their strength had given out to the point they couldn’t even stand, much less find a way out of their prison.

How did these people chosen by God find themselves in such a dire situation, “bound in affliction and iron?”  What crime did they commit, or poor choices did they employ?  We are not given a detailed explanation but a very sufficient reason.  These people called of God to freedom, life, joy, peace, and meaning from their relationship with Him found themselves in a prison (whether physical or metaphorical or both, certainly a spiritual one) because they rebelled against the words of God.  The Israelites should have known better, and they could even recognize God’s words but chose to rebel against them.

Why are these people sitting down (verse 10)?  Instead of trusting and obeying God, He brought down their heart with labor and they fell down (verse 12).  The strength they spent chasing their own whims and rebelling against God’s ways had finally given out.  They no longer possessed the ability or inclination to get up any more for they were bound and in the shadow of death.  Even worse, they could find no one to deliver them.  These people’s ignorance of God’s words led them to a place so desperate that no one even cared enough to help them.

To rebel against the words of God is to court danger.  It is in fact sin, and sin when it is finished, brings forth death (James 1:15.)  If sin were a person, it would be the enticer and promisor of everlasting pleasure- the lover that leaves when the fun is gone, and love is truly needed the most.  Ultimately, it is an illusion of happiness which proudly shouts more than it can deliver and will not hear your screams to stay or your whispers for help.  Sin leaves you broken and distraught, unwanted and uncared for in the shadow of death.

Despite God’s efforts of reaching out all day long to a rebellious people as illustrated in Isaiah 65:2, pleading with them to follow Him, look to Him, and obey His Word, His chosen people  decided to walk in a way that was not good.  How? They walked after their own thoughts and not God’s thoughts.  This choice is prevalent in many places in the Bible.  In the book of Judges, we see over and over the Israelites doing only that which was right in their own eyes, not God’s eyes and suffering the consequences of affliction, attacks from their enemies, and loss.

What else led these people to this desperate situation?  Just as bad as rebelling against God’s words, this people contemned the counsel God mercifully provided to guide, help, and heal them.  But what exactly does it mean to contemn God’s counsel? (Incidentally, I have long liked the word “contemn” and always assumed it was an antiquated version of “condemn.”)  According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, we see a somewhat different and more expressive meaning:

Mid-15c., contempnen, “to slight or spurn,” from Old French contemner (15c.) or directly   from Latin contemnere “to despise, scorn, consider (something or someone) as of small value,” from assimilated form of com-, here probably an intensive prefix, + *temnere “to   slight, scorn” which is of uncertain origin.

In other words, they despised, scorned, and considered God’s counsel as of small value.  Their own thoughts and ways were more important to them, so they lightly esteemed His counsel and didn’t tremble at His Word, let alone live it.  They thought it only worthy of scorn and ignored its wisdom, promises, and warnings.  For them, God’s counsel was only to be mocked and not honored.

So, what is the application or takeaway from this passage today?  If we find ourselves in a prison of affliction of our own making due to poor choices by disdaining and disobeying God’s Word, we must turn and choose to diligently obey God’s Word.  Simply put, if we don’t believe the Word and do it, we will be rebelling against His Word and contemning His counsel.  In another psalm, the psalmist gives us an encouragement but also warning:  “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.” (119:92)  God’s words must be a delight and not something to disdain.  We must be still before God and seek His wisdom in His presence and through His Word.  If we give up by surrendering to thoughts as “why bother trying anymore, it is pointless to seek God, I have tried and failed, God doesn’t care, etc.…” then contemning His counsel is exactly what we will be doing.

The good news is that these people, despite their rebellion and inability to get free from their affliction and prison, eventually cried out to the only one who could help- the only deliverer- The One with everlasting mercy who is nothing but good.  And what did He do, despite their rebellion?  Ignore their cries for help?  Leave them in their prison since it was their own fault?  No, verses 13-14 and 16 make it clear that He saved them out of their distresses. “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.”  (verse 14)  God showed yet again His goodness and wonderful works to a people undeserving.  Praise ye the Lord.