Now this afternoon I'd invite you, in the moments that remain, to turn with me to Psalm 107. If you would, Psalm 107. I'm going to take the time to read the entire psalm through. A little bit longer than some, but no way near the 119th psalm. So, Psalm 107. We'll begin with verse one, and with God's word open before us, let's ask the Lord now to speak to our hearts through his word. Let's pray. O Lord, as we bow now in thy presence with thy word open before us, we pray that the Holy Spirit would tend to it, minister its truth to our hearts. May it please thee to stir our hearts and to draw us out after thee. May it please Thee, O Lord, to instruct us from Thy word, so that we may be equipped to serve Thee in the coming days. I pray, dear Lord, once again, that Thou wilt take me up and make me a vessel fit for Thy use, recognizing as I do my complete dependence upon Thee, my total inability to accomplish anything apart from Thee, I look to Thee, Lord, to strengthen and help me, and to that end I plead the blood of Christ over my life, and ask of Thee, based on the merits of that blood, that Thou wilt grant to me strength of heart and mind, clarity of thought and speech, and especially unction from on high. We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Psalm 107, this is the word of God, let us hear it. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered them out of the lands from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way. They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron, because they rebelled against the words of God, and condemned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore he brought down their heart with labor. They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of the darkness and the shadow of death and break their bands in sunder. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men. For He hath broken the gates of brass and cut the bars of iron in sunder. Fools, because of their transgression and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men, and let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven. They go down again to the depths. Their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet, so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the water springs into dry ground, a fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into water springs. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation, and sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. He blessed them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. Again they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. He poureth contempt upon princes and causeth them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way. Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock. The righteous shall see it and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. Amen. We'll end our reading at the end of the psalm. And we know that the Lord will add his blessing to the reading of his word, for his name's sake. It's always a wonderful thing when in the reading of a psalm, studying a psalm or analyzing it and any other portion for that matter, if you can find a particular text that kind of puts the whole thing in proper perspective and reveals to you the intention behind the psalm or the portion of scripture, the reason why it is written, then that becomes a very valuable guide to aid you in your understanding of the psalm. Of course, we've been noting that all along in our studies from Luke's Gospel. We have a very clear statement that I've referenced a number of times already as to why that Gospel was written to Theophilus, that thou mightest know the certainty of the things wherein thou hast been instructed. Now, when it comes to the psalm we have just read, we find a very helpful aid in understanding the intention, the divine intention behind the psalm, and that intention is given to us in the very last verse. Look at what it says, verse 43. Who so is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. There is the divine intention then behind the psalm. The Lord desires that we understand his lovingkindness. And the word for lovingkindness here is a familiar word in Hebrew. It's the word hesed. or if I could come closer to the actual pronunciation with that guttural sound, hesed, in the Hebrew. And we discover that this word, hesed, translated loving-kindness in the last verse, it occurs throughout the psalm, but is translated in different ways. Let me give those to you in verse one. Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. The word mercy there is the same. It's the hesed, the loving kindness of verse 43. Verse eight, oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness. Now, there's yet another translation of the same Hebrew word, goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Verse 15, O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness. Verse 21, same thing, O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men. Verse 31, translated the same way, O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness. And then verse 43, The verse I cited a moment ago, whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. And so you have then behind this Hebrew word three different terms that are used to describe it, each one giving some aspect of the truth of it. We're referencing the Lord's loving kindness, we're referencing the Lord's mercy, and we're referencing the Lord's goodness. Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the chesed, the goodness, the mercy, the loving kindness of the Lord. And that's something, you know, that as Christians, we should desire to understand as clearly and as fully as we can. I'm reminded of the time when Moses ascended into the mount. It was the revelation of God's goodness that made his countenance glow. So we read in Exodus chapter 33 in verse 18, and he, that is Moses, said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. And he, God, said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. So it is our understanding of his goodness and mercy and loving kindness, arguably, that will cause our countenances to glow. Rather interesting to note in that passage in Exodus 33 that Moses wasn't even aware of this. He came down from the mount having met with the Lord, having had the Lord's goodness pass by before him, and as he came down that mount, he couldn't tell that there had been any change to his countenance, but when the people saw him, they sure could tell. And I think you can certainly draw a spiritual application from that that when our hearts are filled with the goodness and mercy and loving kindness of the Lord, it will impact your demeanor, it will impact your countenance. I don't know that you will shine physically, and I take that very literally, that there was a literal glow about Moses, but certainly you will demonstrate, you will show a change in your own countenance when your heart is filled the same way. In the text now in verse 43, we discover that two things are required in order to understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Whoso is wise, the text says, indicating then that a certain wisdom is required for understanding the lovingkindness of the Lord. Whoso is wise and will observe these things, indicating that not only is wisdom required, but there are certain precepts set forth in this psalm that must be observed or followed in order to understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. So what I would like to do this afternoon in the closing moments is to look at this psalm with the aim of understanding the loving kindness of the Lord. And we'll do this by looking at these two elements that are set before us that have to be heeded in order for this understanding to be gained. Let's think then first of all on the wisdom required. Okay, the wisdom required. Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Now, I believe that the wisdom that's in view here is spiritual wisdom. I don't know that it is great depth of theological knowledge. This is not something that you necessarily pursue by obtaining a degree of some kind. It is something that comes in seeking after the Lord himself, a certain amount of spiritual wisdom. This wisdom is described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 2. where he says, And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world that come to naught, but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory." Paul goes to great lengths here to draw a distinction between the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God. The wisdom of God comes through his revelation of himself and of the gospel. And this wisdom becomes our portion when the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit concerning the truth of what God has revealed in his word. So we're looking for spiritual truths then. We're looking for spiritual wisdom. And when we pursue wisdom along these lines, then this psalm becomes a perfect description of the salvation of various kinds of sinners. The salvation of various kinds of sinners. And what this imparts to us then is the wisdom for you to know where you were when Christ found you. Look at the different kinds of sinners now. Look with me at verse four, if you would. Psalm 107. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way. They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty their soul fainted in them We jump down to verse 9 where he satisfied the longing soul and filleth the hungry soul with goodness we find here then a description of the wandering sinner a sinner who has deep longings But cannot find satisfaction to those longings He's going through life really without a clue. I And I reference this often when I think of our first question and answer in our Shorter Catechism, what is the chief end of man? Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. And I am very fond of emphasizing this to young people especially, that if you know the truth of that, If you know the truth that it is your purpose in life to glorify God and enjoy Him, then you are so far ahead of so many people in the world that might be older than you, that might have more experience than you in various areas, that might have more education than you, and yet they're clueless as to why they're here, how they got here, what they're doing here, where they're going from here. They're wanderers. they're clueless. So that's one kind of sinner that is referenced in the psalm. Look down in verse 10 with me, if you would, where we find another kind of sinner described, such as sin in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron because they rebelled against the words of God and condemned the counsel of the Most High. So we have here what could be described as the darkened sinner, the imprisoned sinner, the one who is in bondage to a sin, and he's in the dark. So we have that kind of sinner. Jump down to verse 17, we find yet another kind of sinner. Keeping in mind that salvation comes to them all, we read verse 17, fools, because of their transgression and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death. So we find here the foolish sinner, the fool who said in his heart that there is no God. The fool who lives as if there's no God. We find him in bondage and unsatisfied. And then jump down to verse 27. We read there, well, yeah, verse 27. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end. These are the ones that are described as being out to sea. He commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths. You can picture a ship on a stormy wave. It's carried high, it's brought low, and these people are just brought to the end of themselves, to their wit's end, on account of what they're experiencing in the world. So we have here then instances of different kinds of sinners, the wandering sinner, the darkened sinner, the foolish sinner, the sinner who has come to his wit's end. Different circumstances, to be sure, that are described in each case, and yet they all bear something in common. They're all in trouble, and they're all in distress. Look at verse six, then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses. Same in verse 13, then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he saved them out of their distresses. Verse 19, same thing, they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. And verse 28, then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. So they all have trouble and distress in common, and in each and every instance, they know deliverance from the Lord. Oh, the Lord's salvation is great. The Lord's salvation is mighty and powerful and reaches us wherever we are. You may fit into one of these categories. You may fit into more than one of these categories. Maybe you fit into every one of these categories. And the thing you must note is that the Lord saves sinners of all sorts who come from different backgrounds and different circumstances, and yet they all know deliverance. when they call upon the Lord. And each category, I might add, carries with it some aspect of the Lord's delivering power. The longing sinner finds satisfaction. Again, back to verse nine. For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. So that satisfaction can and is found in salvation. The darkened and imprisoned sinner finds light and freedom, verse 14. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and break their bands in sunder. So here is light and freedom. that the darkened and imprisoned bondage sinner gains. The foolish sinner finds deliverance from his self-imposed destruction. Verse 20, he sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions. That's the foolish sinner. And the frayed sinner, the one who finds himself at his wit's end, he finds peace, verse 29. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Keeping in mind now that we're dealing with spiritual wisdom, we all find our way then to that heavenly city of habitation, verse seven, and to our desired haven, verse 30. It brings to mind the words of Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 22. But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. And would you note from those words, it says, ye are come to this destination. You have reached the desired haven. We're not there yet, you know, in a literal sense, but we are there now, certainly in a positional sense. in which these blessings are ours. Here is the wisdom then necessary toward knowing the loving kindness of the Lord. You know what you were and you know where you were when the Lord Jesus found you. And you know what the Lord has provided to deliver you from your trouble and your distresses. Now our text goes on to say, whoso is wise and will observe these things. Not only does it require a certain amount of spiritual wisdom to discern the loving kindness of the Lord, but it also requires, secondly and finally, that we observe these things. So this raises the question, what is there in this psalm then that we can and should observe. And the very first verse spells it out for us. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Thanksgiving. We must observe the precept of Thanksgiving. This precept is presented again in verse 22. And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare his works with rejoicing. I find it rather remarkable that thanksgiving is referred to here as a sacrifice. What are you really sacrificing when you give thanks to the Lord? All you're doing simply is giving acknowledgement to how good he's been to you and how he's blessed you. There is, of course, a very close connection between praise and thanksgiving. So we look at verse 21 and 22. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men, and let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. So in similar fashion, we find this recurring refrain, okay? Verse eight, oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Verse 15, oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Verse 21, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. And again, in verse 31, all that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Really does become something of a point of emphasis, doesn't it? That we should praise the Lord. And like I say, it's a pretty fine distinction between praising the Lord and thanking the Lord for His goodness. This is the refrain, then, that recognizes God's goodness and His wonderful works and recognizes that His goodness calls for praise. Praise and thanksgiving. I am very grateful for what this week is going to afford us a little later, for a day that is designated as a day to give thanks to the Lord. I hope you will take full advantage of that opportunity to give the Lord thanks, to contemplate where you were, what you were, And what the Lord has done for you in delivering you from your trouble and your distresses and bringing salvation to your soul, there is yet one more precept that must be observed. I'll just take the time to mention it. It's found in verse 32. It says, let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people and praise him in the assembly of the elders. Let them exalt him. And here we are in the setting of corporate worship. Let's praise Him. Let's exalt Him. And like I say, I don't have to do little more except mention this, because I will refer you back to this morning's sermon where we dealt with this notion at some length. This really ties into the notion of magnifying Him, thinking great thoughts after Him, striving to contemplate the greatness of the God and Savior that you serve. That's what it means to exalt Him. So by observing these precepts, the precept of giving thanks and praise, the precept of exalting Him in your heart and by your words, in that fashion, you stand to gain great increase in your understanding of the loving kindness of the Lord. Oh, may the Lord then stamp the words, His words on our hearts, and bring us to the point where we do gain the wisdom and observe these things so that our understanding and appreciation of the loving kindness of the Lord is indeed deepened and enhanced. Let's close then in prayer. O Lord, as we bow in thy presence now and bring this meeting to a close, We thank Thee for so great salvation. We thank Thee, Lord, for the way Thy grace is able to arrest the wandering sinner, the rebellious sinner, the darkened sinner, the sinner who's at his wit's end. We thank Thee, O Lord, that Thy salvation reaches us in our darkness and in our trouble and distress. And we bless Thee and praise Thee and thank Thee for such great deliverance that has come our way on account of Jesus Christ. O Lord, may we be found to be a thankful people throughout these days and in the days ahead. We pray these things in Jesus' name, amen.