Psalm 107:4-9. The Psalm continues telling us four stories to inspire thanksgiving: the wanderers, the prisoners, the sick, and the seafarers. And as with most stories when told, we are to see a bit of ourselves in them. Also, we are to see God’s wonderful deeds and respond with thankful praise. So what can I be thankful for from the wanderer’s story ? That when we wander and cry out to God, He satisfies us . The hunger of the wanderer. The wanderers are searching for a place to settle, but they cannot find it (v4). Rather, the farther they wander, the hungrier, thirstier, and fainter they become (v5). That’s what wandering does. It exposes our hunger. And spiritually, we can do the same. We can wander from God and look to things such as success, relationships, or possessions to satisfy us. But the things we chase can never satisfy the deepest hunger of our souls. So the ...
Psalm 107:1-3. The Bible constantly encourages us to live in a habit of thanksgiving. But it’s not all the time we feel like singing or feel like being thankful. And certainly it’s not all the time our environment and reality present a reason to be thankful. So what motivates thanksgiving always, even in suffering? The revelation of God’s character. The Psalmist says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good.” The Psalmist is thankful that God is good; a character of God he has come to know. The revelation of God’s character births thanksgiving in us. The foundation of thanksgiving is knowing who God is. That’s it. If we don’t know who God is, we can never truly be thankful. And the reverse is also the case. The more we know, the more we’re thankful. The more He is revealed to our hearts, the more we’re thankful for who He is. ...