Today’s reading is Psalm 107.
Why Hide It?
When reading this psalm and celebrating these stories, it’s easy to get excited about redemption. In fact, we may struggle to see why the psalm needed to be written at all. That is, why, with such great stories, would anyone need to be reminded, encouraged, even charged to declare the Lord’s redemption? Wouldn’t people just be so glad they couldn’t help themselves?
That loses sight of the practicalities in the joy of the poetry. To tell the story of my redemption, I have to tell the story of my troubles too. That becomes especially hard when my trouble is my fault. That becomes even more difficult if it is my fault because of my sin. When I tell the story of my redemption, I have to tell why I needed to be redeemed in the first place. That is tough.
Additionally, to tell the story of redemption, I have to admit my own inability. I got lost and couldn’t find my way back. I got myself shackled and chained and I couldn’t break free. I made myself sick and couldn’t make myself well. I got into business and couldn’t handle the storms. I got to my wits’ end. That is, I did everything in my bag of tricks and none of it was good enough. I was weak. I was helpless. I was a failure. I couldn’t fix it. And I desperately wanted to be the one who fixed it.
I could not fix it. The only thing I could do was call on the only One who could. I called on God. He redeemed.
Thank the Lord
In each story, two lines are repeated. First, “Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.” But also, “Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!”
God’s steadfast love was explained back in Psalm 106:44-45:
Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love (ESV).
This steadfast love is the Lord’s “chesed.” It is covenant loyalty. God doesn’t provide this redemption because He owes it to us. He provides it because He has covenanted it with us. God doesn’t provide abundant steadfast love because He remembers how incredible we are or even how loveable we are. He does so because He remembers the covenant He made through Abraham, through Moses, through David, and finally through Jesus.
Let us not act as if we were entitled to redemption. Let us not act as if we were a master, having the right to demand redemption. Instead, let us fall on our faces and thank God for His redeeming steadfast love. Let us always thank Him for His redeeming steadfast love. Let us not pretend somehow we accomplished the redemption ourselves. Let us instead thank God for His redeeming steadfast love.
“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Praise the LORD!
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 107.
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PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does Psalm 107 prompt or improve your trust in God?
Read the Bible 