In Psalm the One Hundred and Seventh, we see four judgments and four instances of restoration. And later, we see two national or “universal” workings of God. Blessed with the conclusion to these matters, here’s verse 43 to examine by way of establishing goals in understanding God’s purposes in leaving us these lessons.

“Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.” – Psalm 107:43

So, the purpose of this Psalm is that having first salvation, we gain an understanding of the lovingkindness of the Almighty, having been set on a course to endure and grow thereby at the hand of His workings, becoming wise that we might observe these things. Observe does not mean watch; it means do! When you find yourself in the midst, these can be arduous, even hard-fought matters.

“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” – Job 28:28

This verse from Job instructs us to be obedient to God, departing or separating from evil so that we might gain wisdom. It fits with this Psalm. Wisdom is knowledge applied by experience so that we might know God and His mind toward us. Judgment upon the believer is for us to gain wisdom in experiential learning from the Lord our God. The self-centered and hyper-personalized teaching of the New Religion forgets that God’s whole purpose is not to glorify you but to bring glory to Himself through you.

This is a favorite verse, and with good reason. “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:24

As general instruction in every section of scripture, be looking for God’s great purposes in judgment, in mercy and grace, and for instruction in righteousness. When teaching and training, especially the young and especially boys, they need to be weaned off of Bible Stories, as the purpose in instruction becomes to make Christian soldiers for Jesus Christ. This is done, in part, by showing them why God does what He does so that when the time of testing comes, they don’t shrink away from being a follower of Jesus Christ, and they continue in the works He has given them. And this applies to all age ranges, keeping in mind Spiritual maturity is not the same as the number of trips around the sun. As we’ll see later, these judgments scale beyond personal to marriage, family, Church, and State.

Some, much smarter, see the sections of this Psalm differently; nonetheless, we’ll break this scripture apart thus.

“1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.”

Permanent infant Christians at the hand of inferior Church teachers, Pastors, and Preachers will seldom leave this first judgment. We all love the day of salvation; joy remains in our hearts for the grace and mercy of the Almighty toward us. It’s a good refreshing to meditate on that initial time, the first work in our heart, our first love (Revelation 2:4), the moment Christ made us His, but He further admonishes that church in Revelation to do the first works. But those leaders harm the hearer or reader of their work and do a disservice to Holy God by not showing the weightier things of the Law (Matthew 23:23). When trials come, Christians under their care are lost in a sea of ignorance for lack of proper instruction, know not the chief Sheppard’s purposes in judgment and for instruction in righteousness. Christianity is not about basking in the love of God from this day forward, being consumerists of the Word of God. He gave you His love and His peace that you might carry out the work of a disciple, preaching the Gospel to every creature.

In this first section and verse two, we see that essential truth all men face, captured by the hand of the enemy under the curse of sin from the start; their eyes are blinded to Christ. Their hearing dull by strongholds abounding in their hearts and minds to keep them under the lie that wisdom may be attained without God, making themselves into unredeemed fools headed to the resurrection damned. But we see God’s great mercy in redemption to those whose eyes He has opened to the truth of salvation in Christ unto eternal life.

Verse 4 is undoubtedly historical of the Israelites, but the Messianic implications to us in the first several verses and especially 3 are of His church. He is gathering a people unto Himself (Revelation 7:9), His church which is the body of Christ, to worship Him before the throne. Zionists won’t or can’t hear this verse; God help them. Dear reader, Revelation 7:9 is taking place now, which means that the preceding and following verses in Revelation 7 already happened, just as Jesus said.

“And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.” – Luke 13:29

So we see, in the Psalm, verses 5 through 7, those in need of a Saviour, led forth in the right way to that, the promise of a great city of safe habitation, a refuge, and stronghold in the Lord for the redeemed. Verse seven is the first of two mentions of a city; we know that we have a heavenly city.

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” – Revelation 21:2

With verse 8 and three other slightly varying instances, 15, 21, and 31, it becomes apparent those are the chorus of this song. One cannot praise the Lord enough, but in each judgment, there is a lesson to be learned. Praise His holy name for salvation, then beseech Him for the sincere milk of the word that you might grow thereby, take meat, walk in His works, and become a teacher, instructing in the whole counsel of God, to all nations as He has commissioned.

As we see it, the second judgment type is in verses 10-16.

“10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.

13 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.”

Sadly, having been redeemed, they resort to rebellion in verse 11 against the Law-word and are set by God bound as in irons with afflictions (verse 10). Rebellion against the almighty for the believer can be devastating, blessings removed, wickedness creeping in, and the mercies of protection by a wall of fire about you and your family are removed. All manner of not “circumstances” but poor judgment, seeming endless effort to no avail, money and position gone, ill favor all around come upon you.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters; all people sit on the precipice into wanton abandon; without Him, all the world would resort to violence as before the days of the flood. The earth is cursed with sin; His mighty favor holds it back. He doesn’t have to do much for the rebellious to come into trouble; removing a bit of providential love and sin from all quarters comes knocking.

Verse 12 explains it well and concludes that there was none to help. That you might learn this primary lesson of rebellion, always depend upon the Lord, for if you hear and heed, rebellion is averted in the first. But, having fallen into rebellion, we have instruction (Verse 13); cry unto the Almighty, by Christ, our great High Priest; He ever liveth to make intercession. He will break the bands of shackles upon you, brought out of darkness, loosed from your self-created prison of the sin of rebellion against Mighty God. And verse 15, again, the chorus, study it closely, praise His holy name, for His judgments are just and true. Amen.

And a secondary lesson but vital, having salvation unto eternal life but rebelling against God, we learn a lesson the worth of which is immeasurable; we are to be assaulting the gates of hell, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation. We’re not to be picking the lock of that gate that we, if it were possible, having rebelled against Christ, try to re-join the kingdom of death and eternal torment.

“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” – Matthew 16:18

In the next post, we’ll discuss, if Christ allows, the third and fourth types of judgment. It’s most important for one maturing in Christ, a discerner of good and evil (Hebrews 7:25), to distinguish this second type of judgment above (Verses 10-16) from the fourth. Coming before the King admitting fault, or accepting the season of trial with a heart toward growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:17-18) is a lesson of paramount importance.