Psa 107:25 | KingComments | STEP | After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza ( ), being in captivity in the second stanza ( ), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza ( ), we now see the people “go down to the sea” ( ). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. ). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships ( ). It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” ( ) are also mentioned in and , where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths ( ; cf. ). The sea is also threatening, full of dangers ( ). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD. In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship ( ). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today. Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” ( ). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say. The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” ( ). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God ( ). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose ( ; ). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them. The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD. What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses ( ; ; cf. ). Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” ( ). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God ( ; ; cf. ). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart. Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground ( ), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth. The silence after the storm is a cause of joy ( ). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them ( ). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase. After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD ( ). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer ( ) to their prayer ( ) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders ( ). By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory. What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” ( ). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. ). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases ( ; ). A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

‏ Psalms 107:25

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psa 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psa 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psa 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psa 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Gen 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1Kgs 9:26-28 ; 1Kgs 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psa 107:24) are also mentioned in Psa 107:21 and Psa 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psa 107:25 ; 29; cf. Mt 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psa 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psa 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psa 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12 ; Job 41:31; Psa 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psa 107:28; Psa 107:6 ; 13 ; 19; cf. Exo 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psa 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Mt 8:26; Mk 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (Jn 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psa 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deu 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psa 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psa 107:30) to their prayer (Psa 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psa 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psa 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psa 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psa 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2Cor 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.