Psa 107:35 | KingComments | STEP | In the previous verses, four situations have made it clear that the LORD delivers from distress when His people cry out to Him. We have also seen these situations in Israel’s history, with the ultimate result of arriving at their desired haven, which is the promised land in the realm of peace. In the section that now follows, the situation of God’s people is not viewed from the perspective of those who are in distress, but from the perspective of Him Who has everything in His hand and controls everything ( ; ). He is not only the Savior, He is also the exalted, almighty God. He is mighty in redemption, whereby He is also mighty in bringing destruction upon the enemies of His people who seek to keep them in bondage. To deliver His people from the power of Egypt, He changed rivers into a wilderness and springs of water into thirsty land ( ; ; cf. ). Once the people were in the land, He did the opposite: He changed “fruitful land into a salt waste because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it” ( ). What He did to Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of this. It was a prosperous land ( ), but the “the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD” ( ). Therefore, God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole plain and made it a salt plain, making that area completely barren ( ). Because of the people’s unfaithfulness – they violated the covenant and disobeyed the LORD – the fate of Sodom also became their fate. They have come into exile. That fate comes upon them as a result of the curse of the covenant ( ). For the faithful, He does the opposite ( ). For them “He changes a wilderness into a pool of water” and “a dry land into springs of water”. This will be seen in the realm of peace ( ). Then there will not only be the fruitful rain from heaven, but fountains will spring up from the ground from which fresh water flows constantly. The realm of peace is in every sense a time of refreshment ( ). “The hungry” no longer wander hungrily and thirstily through a wilderness ( ), but “dwell” in the land of refreshment ( ). In a spiritual sense, “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” are satisfied here ( ). They also “establish an inhabited city” (cf. ). They “establish” that city, that is, they made it habitable (cf. ). The cities were depopulated and turned into ruins by the unfaithfulness of God’s people. Now that the people are back with God, they can rebuild the cities and live there. To dwell means to enjoy the rest that has come after all the wanderings and hardships (cf. ). Entering the realm of peace does not mean that there is no longer any need to work. It is a restoration of the situation in paradise, where there was also work. Work is a blessing. The curse has been removed from creation. Now the land can begin to give its full yield. To this end, they “sow fields and plant vineyards” ( ). Their work will be blessed, they will “gather a fruitful harvest”. It is all due to the blessing of God. “He blesses them” ( ). Only because of this “they multiply greatly”. This is the blessing He has promised ( ) and then gives. He also “does not let their cattle decrease”. Previously He had to do so because of their unfaithfulness, but now they are faithful to Him. This is because He has given them a new heart and written in it His law. As a result, they keep His commandments and He blesses them ( ). However, the time of the realm of peace has not yet arrived. There are periods when God blesses His people. This is the case when there is a faithful judge or a faithful king who governs God’s people according to His law. But then the people deviate again. Then “they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, misery and sorrow” ( ). Then God must send enemies to afflict them, or crop failures, so that they will cry out to Him again in their distress. Especially “the princes” will He make feel how much they have deviated ( ). “He pours contempt” upon them (cf. ). They have been especially privileged by Him in position and wealth, in order to do good to others with it. But they have used those privileges only for themselves. We see this in the future in the false shepherds and especially the false chief shepherd, the antichrist ( ; ). Therefore, “He makes them wander in a pathless waste”. They return to a state of emptiness, displacement and hopelessness. It seems to refer to the world beyond the grave, the land of eternal darkness. There is no path for them. This is the horror of hell and the fate of all who have rejected the Lord Jesus as the Way to God. Those who do not have Him have no way, not now and not ever. This is what awaits the antichrist and with him the apostate masses of Israel. Opposite the noble is “the needy” ( ). He has nothing on which to boast. He is dependent on grace. That grace God gives him. He delivers him “from affliction” because he has cried out to Him and sets him “securely on high [literally: in an inaccessibly high place]”. The poor, needy remnant He will deliver from their misery and set in a safe fortress. The final and complete fulfillment of this will be enjoyed by the remnant in the realm of peace. And He does not stop there, for He “makes [his] families like a flock”. Within that secure, inaccessibly high place, God provides a numerous offspring. A large family is a special blessing from God to which great pleasure is attached. “The upright see” the blessing with which the LORD showered them “and are glad” ( ). In them, as in “the needy” of the previous verse, we recognize the faithful remnant who will be blessed after the great tribulation. They owe all their blessings to the favor of God. The blessing that God gives to His people silences the wicked ( ). Iniquity has long held sway and sought to silence God by oppressing and killing His own. The perpetrators of iniquity have arrogated to themselves the rights of God and have thought they can take possession of God’s kingdom. The time will come when God confronts them with the truth. Then they will have no defense and will be silent ( ).

‏ Psalms 107:35

The Supremacy of the LORD

In the previous verses, four situations have made it clear that the LORD delivers from distress when His people cry out to Him. We have also seen these situations in Israel’s history, with the ultimate result of arriving at their desired haven, which is the promised land in the realm of peace.

In the section that now follows, the situation of God’s people is not viewed from the perspective of those who are in distress, but from the perspective of Him Who has everything in His hand and controls everything (Mt 28:18; Deu 32:39). He is not only the Savior, He is also the exalted, almighty God. He is mighty in redemption, whereby He is also mighty in bringing destruction upon the enemies of His people who seek to keep them in bondage. To deliver His people from the power of Egypt, He changed rivers into a wilderness and springs of water into thirsty land (Psa 107:33; Exo 14:21; cf. Isa 50:3).

Once the people were in the land, He did the opposite: He changed “fruitful land into a salt waste because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it” (Psa 107:34). What He did to Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of this. It was a prosperous land (Gen 13:10), but the “the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD” (Gen 13:13). Therefore, God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole plain and made it a salt plain, making that area completely barren (Gen 18:20-21 ; Gen 19:13 ; 24-25).

Because of the people’s unfaithfulness – they violated the covenant and disobeyed the LORD – the fate of Sodom also became their fate. They have come into exile. That fate comes upon them as a result of the curse of the covenant (Deu 29:22-28).

For the faithful, He does the opposite (Psa 107:35). For them “He changes a wilderness into a pool of water” and “a dry land into springs of water”. This will be seen in the realm of peace (Isa 35:6-7). Then there will not only be the fruitful rain from heaven, but fountains will spring up from the ground from which fresh water flows constantly.

The realm of peace is in every sense a time of refreshment (Acts 3:19). “The hungry” no longer wander hungrily and thirstily through a wilderness (Psa 107:4-9), but “dwell” in the land of refreshment (Psa 107:36). In a spiritual sense, “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” are satisfied here (Mt 5:6).

They also “establish an inhabited city” (cf. Psa 107:7). They “establish” that city, that is, they made it habitable (cf. Isa 54:3). The cities were depopulated and turned into ruins by the unfaithfulness of God’s people. Now that the people are back with God, they can rebuild the cities and live there. To dwell means to enjoy the rest that has come after all the wanderings and hardships (cf. Isa 65:21-22).

Entering the realm of peace does not mean that there is no longer any need to work. It is a restoration of the situation in paradise, where there was also work. Work is a blessing. The curse has been removed from creation. Now the land can begin to give its full yield. To this end, they “sow fields and plant vineyards” (Psa 107:37). Their work will be blessed, they will “gather a fruitful harvest”.

It is all due to the blessing of God. “He blesses them” (Psa 107:38). Only because of this “they multiply greatly”. This is the blessing He has promised (Gen 13:16 ; Gen 22:17 ; Gen 26:4 ; Gen 32:12) and then gives. He also “does not let their cattle decrease”. Previously He had to do so because of their unfaithfulness, but now they are faithful to Him. This is because He has given them a new heart and written in it His law. As a result, they keep His commandments and He blesses them (Deu 28:1-12).

However, the time of the realm of peace has not yet arrived. There are periods when God blesses His people. This is the case when there is a faithful judge or a faithful king who governs God’s people according to His law. But then the people deviate again. Then “they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, misery and sorrow” (Psa 107:39). Then God must send enemies to afflict them, or crop failures, so that they will cry out to Him again in their distress.

Especially “the princes” will He make feel how much they have deviated (Psa 107:40). “He pours contempt” upon them (cf. Job 12:21a). They have been especially privileged by Him in position and wealth, in order to do good to others with it. But they have used those privileges only for themselves. We see this in the future in the false shepherds and especially the false chief shepherd, the antichrist (Eze 34:1-6; Zec 11:15-17).

Therefore, “He makes them wander in a pathless waste”. They return to a state of emptiness, displacement and hopelessness. It seems to refer to the world beyond the grave, the land of eternal darkness. There is no path for them. This is the horror of hell and the fate of all who have rejected the Lord Jesus as the Way to God. Those who do not have Him have no way, not now and not ever. This is what awaits the antichrist and with him the apostate masses of Israel.

Opposite the noble is “the needy” (Psa 107:41). He has nothing on which to boast. He is dependent on grace. That grace God gives him. He delivers him “from affliction” because he has cried out to Him and sets him “securely on high [literally: in an inaccessibly high place]”. The poor, needy remnant He will deliver from their misery and set in a safe fortress. The final and complete fulfillment of this will be enjoyed by the remnant in the realm of peace.

And He does not stop there, for He “makes [his] families like a flock”. Within that secure, inaccessibly high place, God provides a numerous offspring. A large family is a special blessing from God to which great pleasure is attached.

“The upright see” the blessing with which the LORD showered them “and are glad” (Psa 107:42a). In them, as in “the needy” of the previous verse, we recognize the faithful remnant who will be blessed after the great tribulation. They owe all their blessings to the favor of God.

The blessing that God gives to His people silences the wicked (Psa 107:42b). Iniquity has long held sway and sought to silence God by oppressing and killing His own. The perpetrators of iniquity have arrogated to themselves the rights of God and have thought they can take possession of God’s kingdom. The time will come when God confronts them with the truth. Then they will have no defense and will be silent (Mt 22:11-14).