Psalm 107 – Give Thanks to the Lord
Wednesday, 1st February 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
SECTION ONE V1-3 THOSE WHO ARE CALLED WILL GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD
We are the ones being called by God, He saved us from the bondage of this world. But because of our fear and worry, we cannot see God and we cannot hear God. V2-3 ‘Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.’ God has called us and gathered us from all over the world, we must come before Him and give thanks to Him every day.
SECTION TWO V4-32 OVERCOME THE ENVIRONMENT AND GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD
V4-5 ‘They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.’ We are walking in the wilderness, we cannot see the hope from God and we cannot see the Promises from God. God wants us to lift up His Name in our darkness, to cry out to Him in our troubles, and He will save us and deliver us. We must admit that we are poor in spirit, and that we need Him to fulfil our empty hearts. V8-9 ‘Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.’ God’s Will for us is good, but death brings fear. Is there fear in our hearts?
V12 ‘Therefore He brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.’ When we don’t see God as God, but use our own strength, we stop relying on God and we stop giving thanks to Him. At the end we will fall, we will feel weak, and we will burn out. God wants us to return and repent, He does not want us to worship Him like worshipping an idol, to ask Him to do what we want Him to do. Instead, we should honour God first, stop trying to control God, but let Him be our guide and lead our way.
V17 ‘Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted.’ God wants to give us peace, but when we reject the peace from God, then we will receive sufferings. The fools disliked the blessings from God and ended up in the snares of the death. Death means they stopped beliving God and their hearts for God have died. But in our lowest point, when we return and cry out to God, He is love and He will save us. Do not let the environment bind us, but to lift up the Name of God, then He will lead us overcoming all tourbles and hardship.
V22 ‘Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.’ God wants us to testify for Him, to praise His Name and to share the Good News. When we praise God and give thanks to God, we will bring His works and wonders to the people, and people can also be saved. When the environment comes, let us praise God and give thanks to Him. The worldly worries keep us away from God but when we speak the Name of God, peace and comfort will come to us, and we can meet God face to face.
He is the God who saves, do we believe that God’s salvation is at hand?
SECTION THREE V33-43 GOD WILL WORK HIS WONDERFUL WORKS
V33-34 ‘He turns rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground; a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it.’ God gave us a promised land and a land flowing of milk and honey, but because we our sins, our land is also cursed. Do not think that once we have received God’s blessings, we will no longer need to worry. Everything from God may be taken away because of our sin.
V40-41 ‘He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way; yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction, and makes their families like a flock.’ God wants people to see us, because He wants people to see His Works in us, but when we choose to go away from God, then God will no longer put us in the high place.
God wants us to overcome our suffering and He wants to lift us up, but we must have a hunger heart, to fear the Lord, and to always think about His Goodness. God wants to bless us, He longs to be with us, let us praise His Name and give thanks to Him.
诗篇107 – 称谢耶和华
2023年2月1日 星期三
潘锡安牧师
我们与民间信仰不一样，不是要求神来满足我们的欲望。我们要称谢耶和华神。“称谢”不仅是赞美，也包括认识、高举神的名，明白神的名是多么大而可畏。在我们的患难、困难中，其实神一直都在，然而我们因为环境不顺而害怕，就不与神同在了，我们的焦虑和恐惧会让我们成为撒旦的猎物。因此，无论在何种环境中都要称谢神。
一、v.1-3 蒙召的人要称谢耶和华
V1-2 我们是被救赎的，因为我们之前都是被撒旦掳掠的。
V3 这里回应以赛亚书60章所讲的，神要兴起我们，让人从东南西北来到我们当中。我们都是被神召聚来的，不要让任何环境阻止我们来称谢耶和华。如果我们让忧虑和恐惧控制我们，我们就成为撒旦的猎物。
二、v.4-32 要胜过环境来称谢
V4-5 “旷野”就是干渴、没有指望的地方，那里没有我们想要的东西，“发昏”就是我们看不到指望和神的应许。
V6 神要我们在“患难”中哀求他，而不是只看环境。
V9 我们所遭遇的环境不是自己所期待的，但我们是否仍渴慕、哀求神？在任何环境我们都不要倚靠自己，而是高举神。神会让那些灵里贫乏、心里渴慕他的人得饱足。
V10 人在“在黑暗中死荫里”就没有看到盼望、被困苦的铁链困住，我们没有从神而来的平安就会害怕。
V11-12 当我们没有以神为神、倚靠自己的时候，神就让我们用人的方法自己去做事，最后陷入劳苦重担中。
V13 神不要我们把他当成偶像一样操控，而是要我们回转、敬畏他。
V15-16 神是能够打破铜门铁闩的！
V17 愚妄人就是不以神为神的人，他们倚靠自己，便受苦楚。神本来要赐给我们平安，但当我们看环境大过神的时候，吃亏的是我们自己。
V18 神在创世的时候就预备各样食物给我们，但愚妄人厌恶这些食物，心里已经死了。
V19-20 唯有当我们在低点回转的时候才看到神是慈爱的。我们若不被环境困住，而是高举、称谢神，神就从患难中搭救我们。
V21-22 神要我们高举他的名，为他作见证。
V23-27 大海就是世界，当我们的心在世界里的时候，我们就离神很远。我们要先神后人再大地，不然那些我们以为很重要的属“大地”的事会让我们跌落海底。若我们单顾大地的事，神给我们的智慧就“无法可施”了。
V30 我们如果没有整天盯着手中的事情时，神就会带领我们到“到所愿去的”地方。
V31-31 神要我们在教会、在权柄的面前见证神的伟大。我们是否愿意突破环境？不要被环境打败，而是在其中都称赞神的名，就能经历真正的风平浪静！
三、v.33-43 耶和华必行奇事
V33-34 本来神给我们的是流奶与蜜之地，但因我们的罪恶，我们的地无法耕种，我们的江河也变为干涸。不要以为我们到应许之地后就可以为所欲为，当我们不以神为神的时候，这些祝福都会过去。
V35-36 饥渴的人就是饥渴慕义的人。当我们真正在灵里十分渴慕神的时候，神就会让我们得干地成为水泉，城邑适合居住，使我们重得祝福。
V39-40 神可以收回他的奇事。神的心意是让我们居上不居下，但是当我们这些蒙召的人因为环境而没有谦卑称赞神的时候，他就会“使君王蒙羞被辱，使他们在荒废无路之地漂流”，我们就不能在高位上发挥正面的影响了。
V41-43 穷乏人不是没有钱，而是虚心的人。我们若虚心，神就将我们放置高位。神要高举我们，让我们在高位见证他。神要保守我们每一个蒙召的人，因此，让我们都来称谢他！