Psa 107:13 | KingComments | STEP | This section refers to the captivity among the nations and their deliverance from it. They “dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death” ( ; cf. ; ; ). To “dwell” in such a situation indicates a hopeless situation. That they, added to that, were “prisoners in misery and chains” made their situation utterly hopeless (cf. ). The Lord says in His end time address in Matthew 25 that this will be the portion “of these brothers of Mine, [even] the least [of them]”. By them He means the faithful remnant in the time of the great tribulation ( ). There was darkness in their souls, “the shadow of death” surrounded them, they felt miserable, and they could not move because of the iron chains. The occasion of the captivity was their rebellion “against the words of God” ( ; cf. ; ). The people as a whole rebelled against what God has said, His law. Daniel acknowledges this in his confession ( ). The words of God, His law, contain “the counsel of the Most High”. These are perfect counsels with the highest wisdom to live to His honor and their own good. God’s words, His counsel, serve for good to the people ( ). God never gives a command that is not a counsel and is not wise to obey. But His people have rejected His counsel. Yet it is still the counsel “of the Most High”. It is not only foolish to reject His counsel because of its content, but also impudent and presumptuous because of the loftiness of the Counselor. Who has ever “defied Him without harm” ( )? If a man does not humble himself, God must humble him ( ; ). He humbled the proud, haughty heart of His people in Babylon ( ). He did that “with labor”, through misery, tribulation, disappointment, sorrow (cf. ). That broke their strength, causing them to “stumble” and fall down. There they lay, utterly humbled. Because they had rejected the counsel of the Most High, there was “none to help” them get back up. No man had mercy and God had to hand them over because of their rejection of Him. It shows again the hopelessness of their situation. Then we hear again that “they cried out to the LORD in their trouble” ( ; ). That is what God has been waiting for. He is ready to answer a cry out of trouble. Then He proceeds to act. He “saved them out of their distresses”. The words “trouble” and “distresses” indicate that they were in great oppression inwardly and outwardly, so they had no room to express their distress or to move. But the way up was open and they took advantage of that way. Wicked King Manasseh is an example of how the LORD acts when Israel would humble themselves ( ; cf. ; ). God answered and saved. He “brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke their bands apart” ( ). Because they had cried out to God, they were brought out by Him from the situation they had fallen into by rebellion against the words of God ( ). The bands of “misery and chains”, the symbols of their bondage, in which they had been trapped, He broke by sending His Servant, the Messiah ( ). For this unanticipated turn for the better, they are again called to give thanks to the LORD ( ). As with the first stanza ( ), this call is encapsulated between two answers to prayer: is the answer to the prayer of , and is the answer to the prayer of (cf. ). Only through “His lovingkindness” were they saved from their misery. To Him be given all the glory for that. It is also God’s intention that they give thanks to Him “for His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. It is a testimony to those around us when we give thanks to God for the wonder of redemption He has given us through His Son. Do we all actually give thanks to Him? Or must the Lord also ask us, as He did with the cleansing of the ten leprous men, where only one of whom returned to honor Him: “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they?” ( ). As a reason to give thanks to the LORD, it is emphasized again what He has done for them ( ). He has “shattered gates of bronze” of the prison. Isn’t that an amazing thing? Those gates could only be broken open by the power of God. Those prison gates were also closed with “bars of iron” (cf. ; ). It was, so to speak, doubly impossible to redeem oneself from it. But even these iron bars were “cut … asunder” by God. God has not merely opened the gates and loosened chains, but radically broken them, put them out of order. The breaking is so thorough that re-use is impossible.

‏ Psalms 107:13

Brought Out of Darkness

This section refers to the captivity among the nations and their deliverance from it. They “dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Psa 107:10; cf. Psa 23:4; Lk 1:79; Isa 9:2). To “dwell” in such a situation indicates a hopeless situation. That they, added to that, were “prisoners in misery and chains” made their situation utterly hopeless (cf. Psa 105:18). The Lord says in His end time address in Matthew 25 that this will be the portion “of these brothers of Mine, [even] the least [of them]”. By them He means the faithful remnant in the time of the great tribulation (Mt 25:39b-40).

There was darkness in their souls, “the shadow of death” surrounded them, they felt miserable, and they could not move because of the iron chains. The occasion of the captivity was their rebellion “against the words of God” (Psa 107:11; cf. Lev 26:33-39; Neh 9:33-37). The people as a whole rebelled against what God has said, His law. Daniel acknowledges this in his confession (Dan 9:5-8). The words of God, His law, contain “the counsel of the Most High”. These are perfect counsels with the highest wisdom to live to His honor and their own good.

God’s words, His counsel, serve for good to the people (Deu 10:3). God never gives a command that is not a counsel and is not wise to obey. But His people have rejected His counsel. Yet it is still the counsel “of the Most High”. It is not only foolish to reject His counsel because of its content, but also impudent and presumptuous because of the loftiness of the Counselor. Who has ever “defied Him without harm” (Job 9:4b)?

If a man does not humble himself, God must humble him (Jam 4:10; 1Pet 5:6). He humbled the proud, haughty heart of His people in Babylon (Psa 107:12). He did that “with labor”, through misery, tribulation, disappointment, sorrow (cf. Deu 26:7). That broke their strength, causing them to “stumble” and fall down.

There they lay, utterly humbled. Because they had rejected the counsel of the Most High, there was “none to help” them get back up. No man had mercy and God had to hand them over because of their rejection of Him. It shows again the hopelessness of their situation.

Then we hear again that “they cried out to the LORD in their trouble” (Psa 107:13; Psa 107:6). That is what God has been waiting for. He is ready to answer a cry out of trouble. Then He proceeds to act. He “saved them out of their distresses”. The words “trouble” and “distresses” indicate that they were in great oppression inwardly and outwardly, so they had no room to express their distress or to move. But the way up was open and they took advantage of that way. Wicked King Manasseh is an example of how the LORD acts when Israel would humble themselves (2Chr 33:12-13; cf. Lev 26:40-42; Deu 30:1-3).

God answered and saved. He “brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke their bands apart” (Psa 107:14). Because they had cried out to God, they were brought out by Him from the situation they had fallen into by rebellion against the words of God (Psa 107:10-11). The bands of “misery and chains”, the symbols of their bondage, in which they had been trapped, He broke by sending His Servant, the Messiah (Isa 42:6 ; Isa 49:9 ; Isa 61:1).

For this unanticipated turn for the better, they are again called to give thanks to the LORD (Psa 107:15). As with the first stanza (Psa 107:4-9), this call is encapsulated between two answers to prayer: Psa 107:14 is the answer to the prayer of Psa 107:10a, and Psa 107:16 is the answer to the prayer of Psa 107:10b (cf. Psa 50:15).

Only through “His lovingkindness” were they saved from their misery. To Him be given all the glory for that. It is also God’s intention that they give thanks to Him “for His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. It is a testimony to those around us when we give thanks to God for the wonder of redemption He has given us through His Son. Do we all actually give thanks to Him? Or must the Lord also ask us, as He did with the cleansing of the ten leprous men, where only one of whom returned to honor Him: “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they?” (Lk 17:16-17).

As a reason to give thanks to the LORD, it is emphasized again what He has done for them (Psa 107:16). He has “shattered gates of bronze” of the prison. Isn’t that an amazing thing? Those gates could only be broken open by the power of God.

Those prison gates were also closed with “bars of iron” (cf. Psa 107:10; Psa 105:18). It was, so to speak, doubly impossible to redeem oneself from it. But even these iron bars were “cut … asunder” by God. God has not merely opened the gates and loosened chains, but radically broken them, put them out of order. The breaking is so thorough that re-use is impossible.