Psa 107:17 | KingComments | STEP | This section describes the distress of the people just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The people of God are a people of fools ( ; cf. ). They don’t take God into account ( ). The way of such people cannot but be a “rebellious way”. In the lives of such people, “iniquities” pile up (cf. ). The result cannot be other than that they “were afflicted” with all kinds of plagues and diseases (cf. ). They brought those plagues and diseases on themselves by their lifestyle without God. Certainly disease is not always a consequence of sin ( ), but it can be, as it is here (cf. ). The afflictions they brought upon themselves resulted in “their soul abhorring all kinds of food” ( ). At the same time, we can also say of such sickness that it is a speaking from God to man ( ). Their abhorrence of food did not come from Him, but from their sickened lifestyle, which had made them sick. A sick person not only has no strength to take food, he also does not want it, he gags at the thought of it. It is a situation where they have come close to death, “to the gates” of it ( ). For the third time, there is a situation where there is no prospect of improvement or salvation. For the third time, this situation of distress prompts them to cry out “to the LORD” ( ; ). And again He responds by saving “them out of their distresses”. The cry in distress implies the recognition that God has rightly allowed the distress to arise. God saved them out of their distresses because of the deadly diseases by sending His word and healing them ( ; cf. ). What happened to Hezekiah is an illustration of this ( ). We can see its fulfillment in the coming of the Son of God, the Word of God Who became flesh. The accounts we have of His life on earth in the Gospels testify to this. We read that during His life on earth He healed people and delivered them “from their destructions”. These people were near death, but He took them from the gates of death so that they did not become prey to death ( ; ; ). These wondrous healings and deliverances are again the occasion to give thanks to the LORD ( ; ; cf. ). Again, the exhortation to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated by answering prayer ( ) and offering sacrifices of thanksgiving ( ) instead of a sinful walk. They are the proofs of “His lovingkindness”. They are also “His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. God shows time and again how good He is to people. We may thank God that He has not forgotten His guilty and suffering people and wish that all those around us see this. They can show their gratitude for the experienced lovingkindness and wonders of healing by offering Him “sacrifices of thanksgiving” ( ). A sacrifice of thanksgiving is a form of the peace offering. It speaks of fellowship with the LORD and with the members of God’s people as a result of what He, Who has been so good to them, has done. Next, He also wants them to “tell of His works with joyful singing”. True gratitude expresses itself first of all in giving thanks to God, and it will not stop there. A grateful heart also wants others to hear of it and to believe in that God. Therefore, they will testify with passionate joy to what God has done in their lives.

‏ Psalms 107:17

Delivered From Destructions

This section describes the distress of the people just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The people of God are a people of fools (Psa 107:17; cf. Deu 32:6a). They don’t take God into account (Psa 53:1-6). The way of such people cannot but be a “rebellious way”. In the lives of such people, “iniquities” pile up (cf. Isa 59:12).

The result cannot be other than that they “were afflicted” with all kinds of plagues and diseases (cf. Isa 38:1). They brought those plagues and diseases on themselves by their lifestyle without God. Certainly disease is not always a consequence of sin (Jn 9:1-3), but it can be, as it is here (cf. Jam 5:15).

The afflictions they brought upon themselves resulted in “their soul abhorring all kinds of food” (Psa 107:18). At the same time, we can also say of such sickness that it is a speaking from God to man (Job 33:14). Their abhorrence of food did not come from Him, but from their sickened lifestyle, which had made them sick. A sick person not only has no strength to take food, he also does not want it, he gags at the thought of it. It is a situation where they have come close to death, “to the gates” of it (Job 33:19-22).

For the third time, there is a situation where there is no prospect of improvement or salvation. For the third time, this situation of distress prompts them to cry out “to the LORD” (Psa 107:19; Psa 107:6 ; 13). And again He responds by saving “them out of their distresses”. The cry in distress implies the recognition that God has rightly allowed the distress to arise.

God saved them out of their distresses because of the deadly diseases by sending His word and healing them (Psa 107:20; cf. Deu 32:39). What happened to Hezekiah is an illustration of this (Isa 38:1-22). We can see its fulfillment in the coming of the Son of God, the Word of God Who became flesh. The accounts we have of His life on earth in the Gospels testify to this. We read that during His life on earth He healed people and delivered them “from their destructions”. These people were near death, but He took them from the gates of death so that they did not become prey to death (Mt 8:17; Mk 1:34; Acts 10:38).

These wondrous healings and deliverances are again the occasion to give thanks to the LORD (Psa 107:21; Psa 107:1 ; 8 ; 15 ; 31; cf. Isa 38:20). Again, the exhortation to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated by answering prayer (Psa 107:20) and offering sacrifices of thanksgiving (Psa 107:22) instead of a sinful walk.

They are the proofs of “His lovingkindness”. They are also “His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. God shows time and again how good He is to people. We may thank God that He has not forgotten His guilty and suffering people and wish that all those around us see this.

They can show their gratitude for the experienced lovingkindness and wonders of healing by offering Him “sacrifices of thanksgiving” (Psa 107:22). A sacrifice of thanksgiving is a form of the peace offering. It speaks of fellowship with the LORD and with the members of God’s people as a result of what He, Who has been so good to them, has done.

Next, He also wants them to “tell of His works with joyful singing”. True gratitude expresses itself first of all in giving thanks to God, and it will not stop there. A grateful heart also wants others to hear of it and to believe in that God. Therefore, they will testify with passionate joy to what God has done in their lives.