Psalms 145

Psalms 145:1

Brought Out of Darkness

This section refers to the captivity among the nations and their deliverance from it. They “dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Psalms 107:10; cf. Psalms 23:4; Luke 1:79; Isaiah 9:2). To “dwell” in such a situation indicates a hopeless situation. That they, added to that, were “prisoners in misery and chains” made their situation utterly hopeless (cf. Psalms 105:18). The Lord says in His end time address in Matthew 25 that this will be the portion “of these brothers of Mine, [even] the least [of them]”. By them He means the faithful remnant in the time of the great tribulation (Matthew 25:39b-40).

There was darkness in their souls, “the shadow of death” surrounded them, they felt miserable, and they could not move because of the iron chains. The occasion of the captivity was their rebellion “against the words of God” (Psalms 107:11; cf. Leviticus 26:33-39; Nehemiah 9:33-37). The people as a whole rebelled against what God has said, His law. Daniel acknowledges this in his confession (Daniel 9:5-8). The words of God, His law, contain “the counsel of the Most High”. These are perfect counsels with the highest wisdom to live to His honor and their own good.

God’s words, His counsel, serve for good to the people (Deuteronomy 10:3). God never gives a command that is not a counsel and is not wise to obey. But His people have rejected His counsel. Yet it is still the counsel “of the Most High”. It is not only foolish to reject His counsel because of its content, but also impudent and presumptuous because of the loftiness of the Counselor. Who has ever “defied Him without harm” (Job 9:4b)?

If a man does not humble himself, God must humble him (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). He humbled the proud, haughty heart of His people in Babylon (Psalms 107:12). He did that “with labor”, through misery, tribulation, disappointment, sorrow (cf. Deuteronomy 26:7). That broke their strength, causing them to “stumble” and fall down.

There they lay, utterly humbled. Because they had rejected the counsel of the Most High, there was “none to help” them get back up. No man had mercy and God had to hand them over because of their rejection of Him. It shows again the hopelessness of their situation.

Then we hear again that “they cried out to the LORD in their trouble” (Psalms 107:13; Psalms 107:6). That is what God has been waiting for. He is ready to answer a cry out of trouble. Then He proceeds to act. He “saved them out of their distresses”. The words “trouble” and “distresses” indicate that they were in great oppression inwardly and outwardly, so they had no room to express their distress or to move. But the way up was open and they took advantage of that way. Wicked King Manasseh is an example of how the LORD acts when Israel would humble themselves (2 Chronicles 33:12-13; cf. Leviticus 26:40-42; Deuteronomy 30:1-3).

God answered and saved. He “brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke their bands apart” (Psalms 107:14). Because they had cried out to God, they were brought out by Him from the situation they had fallen into by rebellion against the words of God (Psalms 107:10-11). The bands of “misery and chains”, the symbols of their bondage, in which they had been trapped, He broke by sending His Servant, the Messiah (Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:9; Isaiah 61:1).

For this unanticipated turn for the better, they are again called to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:15). As with the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), this call is encapsulated between two answers to prayer: Psalms 107:14 is the answer to the prayer of Psa 107:10a, and Psalms 107:16 is the answer to the prayer of Psa 107:10b (cf. Psalms 50:15).

Only through “His lovingkindness” were they saved from their misery. To Him be given all the glory for that. It is also God’s intention that they give thanks to Him “for His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. It is a testimony to those around us when we give thanks to God for the wonder of redemption He has given us through His Son. Do we all actually give thanks to Him? Or must the Lord also ask us, as He did with the cleansing of the ten leprous men, where only one of whom returned to honor Him: “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they?” (Luke 17:16-17).

As a reason to give thanks to the LORD, it is emphasized again what He has done for them (Psalms 107:16). He has “shattered gates of bronze” of the prison. Isn’t that an amazing thing? Those gates could only be broken open by the power of God.

Those prison gates were also closed with “bars of iron” (cf. Psalms 107:10; Psalms 105:18). It was, so to speak, doubly impossible to redeem oneself from it. But even these iron bars were “cut … asunder” by God. God has not merely opened the gates and loosened chains, but radically broken them, put them out of order. The breaking is so thorough that re-use is impossible.

Psalms 145:2

Delivered From Destructions

This section describes the distress of the people just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The people of God are a people of fools (Psalms 107:17; cf. Deuteronomy 32:6a). They don’t take God into account (Psalms 53:1-6). The way of such people cannot but be a “rebellious way”. In the lives of such people, “iniquities” pile up (cf. Isaiah 59:12).

The result cannot be other than that they “were afflicted” with all kinds of plagues and diseases (cf. Isaiah 38:1). They brought those plagues and diseases on themselves by their lifestyle without God. Certainly disease is not always a consequence of sin (John 9:1-3), but it can be, as it is here (cf. James 5:15).

The afflictions they brought upon themselves resulted in “their soul abhorring all kinds of food” (Psalms 107:18). At the same time, we can also say of such sickness that it is a speaking from God to man (Job 33:14). Their abhorrence of food did not come from Him, but from their sickened lifestyle, which had made them sick. A sick person not only has no strength to take food, he also does not want it, he gags at the thought of it. It is a situation where they have come close to death, “to the gates” of it (Job 33:19-22).

For the third time, there is a situation where there is no prospect of improvement or salvation. For the third time, this situation of distress prompts them to cry out “to the LORD” (Psalms 107:19; Psalms 107:6; 13). And again He responds by saving “them out of their distresses”. The cry in distress implies the recognition that God has rightly allowed the distress to arise.

God saved them out of their distresses because of the deadly diseases by sending His word and healing them (Psalms 107:20; cf. Deuteronomy 32:39). What happened to Hezekiah is an illustration of this (Isaiah 38:1-22). We can see its fulfillment in the coming of the Son of God, the Word of God Who became flesh. The accounts we have of His life on earth in the Gospels testify to this. We read that during His life on earth He healed people and delivered them “from their destructions”. These people were near death, but He took them from the gates of death so that they did not become prey to death (Matthew 8:17; Mark 1:34; Acts 10:38).

These wondrous healings and deliverances are again the occasion to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:21; Psalms 107:1; 8; 15; 31; cf. Isaiah 38:20). Again, the exhortation to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated by answering prayer (Psalms 107:20) and offering sacrifices of thanksgiving (Psalms 107:22) instead of a sinful walk.

They are the proofs of “His lovingkindness”. They are also “His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. God shows time and again how good He is to people. We may thank God that He has not forgotten His guilty and suffering people and wish that all those around us see this.

They can show their gratitude for the experienced lovingkindness and wonders of healing by offering Him “sacrifices of thanksgiving” (Psalms 107:22). A sacrifice of thanksgiving is a form of the peace offering. It speaks of fellowship with the LORD and with the members of God’s people as a result of what He, Who has been so good to them, has done.

Next, He also wants them to “tell of His works with joyful singing”. True gratitude expresses itself first of all in giving thanks to God, and it will not stop there. A grateful heart also wants others to hear of it and to believe in that God. Therefore, they will testify with passionate joy to what God has done in their lives.

Psalms 145:3

Delivered From Destructions

This section describes the distress of the people just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The people of God are a people of fools (Psalms 107:17; cf. Deuteronomy 32:6a). They don’t take God into account (Psalms 53:1-6). The way of such people cannot but be a “rebellious way”. In the lives of such people, “iniquities” pile up (cf. Isaiah 59:12).

The result cannot be other than that they “were afflicted” with all kinds of plagues and diseases (cf. Isaiah 38:1). They brought those plagues and diseases on themselves by their lifestyle without God. Certainly disease is not always a consequence of sin (John 9:1-3), but it can be, as it is here (cf. James 5:15).

The afflictions they brought upon themselves resulted in “their soul abhorring all kinds of food” (Psalms 107:18). At the same time, we can also say of such sickness that it is a speaking from God to man (Job 33:14). Their abhorrence of food did not come from Him, but from their sickened lifestyle, which had made them sick. A sick person not only has no strength to take food, he also does not want it, he gags at the thought of it. It is a situation where they have come close to death, “to the gates” of it (Job 33:19-22).

For the third time, there is a situation where there is no prospect of improvement or salvation. For the third time, this situation of distress prompts them to cry out “to the LORD” (Psalms 107:19; Psalms 107:6; 13). And again He responds by saving “them out of their distresses”. The cry in distress implies the recognition that God has rightly allowed the distress to arise.

God saved them out of their distresses because of the deadly diseases by sending His word and healing them (Psalms 107:20; cf. Deuteronomy 32:39). What happened to Hezekiah is an illustration of this (Isaiah 38:1-22). We can see its fulfillment in the coming of the Son of God, the Word of God Who became flesh. The accounts we have of His life on earth in the Gospels testify to this. We read that during His life on earth He healed people and delivered them “from their destructions”. These people were near death, but He took them from the gates of death so that they did not become prey to death (Matthew 8:17; Mark 1:34; Acts 10:38).

These wondrous healings and deliverances are again the occasion to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:21; Psalms 107:1; 8; 15; 31; cf. Isaiah 38:20). Again, the exhortation to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated by answering prayer (Psalms 107:20) and offering sacrifices of thanksgiving (Psalms 107:22) instead of a sinful walk.

They are the proofs of “His lovingkindness”. They are also “His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. God shows time and again how good He is to people. We may thank God that He has not forgotten His guilty and suffering people and wish that all those around us see this.

They can show their gratitude for the experienced lovingkindness and wonders of healing by offering Him “sacrifices of thanksgiving” (Psalms 107:22). A sacrifice of thanksgiving is a form of the peace offering. It speaks of fellowship with the LORD and with the members of God’s people as a result of what He, Who has been so good to them, has done.

Next, He also wants them to “tell of His works with joyful singing”. True gratitude expresses itself first of all in giving thanks to God, and it will not stop there. A grateful heart also wants others to hear of it and to believe in that God. Therefore, they will testify with passionate joy to what God has done in their lives.

Psalms 145:4

Delivered From Destructions

This section describes the distress of the people just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The people of God are a people of fools (Psalms 107:17; cf. Deuteronomy 32:6a). They don’t take God into account (Psalms 53:1-6). The way of such people cannot but be a “rebellious way”. In the lives of such people, “iniquities” pile up (cf. Isaiah 59:12).

The result cannot be other than that they “were afflicted” with all kinds of plagues and diseases (cf. Isaiah 38:1). They brought those plagues and diseases on themselves by their lifestyle without God. Certainly disease is not always a consequence of sin (John 9:1-3), but it can be, as it is here (cf. James 5:15).

The afflictions they brought upon themselves resulted in “their soul abhorring all kinds of food” (Psalms 107:18). At the same time, we can also say of such sickness that it is a speaking from God to man (Job 33:14). Their abhorrence of food did not come from Him, but from their sickened lifestyle, which had made them sick. A sick person not only has no strength to take food, he also does not want it, he gags at the thought of it. It is a situation where they have come close to death, “to the gates” of it (Job 33:19-22).

For the third time, there is a situation where there is no prospect of improvement or salvation. For the third time, this situation of distress prompts them to cry out “to the LORD” (Psalms 107:19; Psalms 107:6; 13). And again He responds by saving “them out of their distresses”. The cry in distress implies the recognition that God has rightly allowed the distress to arise.

God saved them out of their distresses because of the deadly diseases by sending His word and healing them (Psalms 107:20; cf. Deuteronomy 32:39). What happened to Hezekiah is an illustration of this (Isaiah 38:1-22). We can see its fulfillment in the coming of the Son of God, the Word of God Who became flesh. The accounts we have of His life on earth in the Gospels testify to this. We read that during His life on earth He healed people and delivered them “from their destructions”. These people were near death, but He took them from the gates of death so that they did not become prey to death (Matthew 8:17; Mark 1:34; Acts 10:38).

These wondrous healings and deliverances are again the occasion to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:21; Psalms 107:1; 8; 15; 31; cf. Isaiah 38:20). Again, the exhortation to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated by answering prayer (Psalms 107:20) and offering sacrifices of thanksgiving (Psalms 107:22) instead of a sinful walk.

They are the proofs of “His lovingkindness”. They are also “His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. God shows time and again how good He is to people. We may thank God that He has not forgotten His guilty and suffering people and wish that all those around us see this.

They can show their gratitude for the experienced lovingkindness and wonders of healing by offering Him “sacrifices of thanksgiving” (Psalms 107:22). A sacrifice of thanksgiving is a form of the peace offering. It speaks of fellowship with the LORD and with the members of God’s people as a result of what He, Who has been so good to them, has done.

Next, He also wants them to “tell of His works with joyful singing”. True gratitude expresses itself first of all in giving thanks to God, and it will not stop there. A grateful heart also wants others to hear of it and to believe in that God. Therefore, they will testify with passionate joy to what God has done in their lives.

Psalms 145:5

Delivered From Destructions

This section describes the distress of the people just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The people of God are a people of fools (Psalms 107:17; cf. Deuteronomy 32:6a). They don’t take God into account (Psalms 53:1-6). The way of such people cannot but be a “rebellious way”. In the lives of such people, “iniquities” pile up (cf. Isaiah 59:12).

The result cannot be other than that they “were afflicted” with all kinds of plagues and diseases (cf. Isaiah 38:1). They brought those plagues and diseases on themselves by their lifestyle without God. Certainly disease is not always a consequence of sin (John 9:1-3), but it can be, as it is here (cf. James 5:15).

The afflictions they brought upon themselves resulted in “their soul abhorring all kinds of food” (Psalms 107:18). At the same time, we can also say of such sickness that it is a speaking from God to man (Job 33:14). Their abhorrence of food did not come from Him, but from their sickened lifestyle, which had made them sick. A sick person not only has no strength to take food, he also does not want it, he gags at the thought of it. It is a situation where they have come close to death, “to the gates” of it (Job 33:19-22).

For the third time, there is a situation where there is no prospect of improvement or salvation. For the third time, this situation of distress prompts them to cry out “to the LORD” (Psalms 107:19; Psalms 107:6; 13). And again He responds by saving “them out of their distresses”. The cry in distress implies the recognition that God has rightly allowed the distress to arise.

God saved them out of their distresses because of the deadly diseases by sending His word and healing them (Psalms 107:20; cf. Deuteronomy 32:39). What happened to Hezekiah is an illustration of this (Isaiah 38:1-22). We can see its fulfillment in the coming of the Son of God, the Word of God Who became flesh. The accounts we have of His life on earth in the Gospels testify to this. We read that during His life on earth He healed people and delivered them “from their destructions”. These people were near death, but He took them from the gates of death so that they did not become prey to death (Matthew 8:17; Mark 1:34; Acts 10:38).

These wondrous healings and deliverances are again the occasion to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:21; Psalms 107:1; 8; 15; 31; cf. Isaiah 38:20). Again, the exhortation to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated by answering prayer (Psalms 107:20) and offering sacrifices of thanksgiving (Psalms 107:22) instead of a sinful walk.

They are the proofs of “His lovingkindness”. They are also “His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. God shows time and again how good He is to people. We may thank God that He has not forgotten His guilty and suffering people and wish that all those around us see this.

They can show their gratitude for the experienced lovingkindness and wonders of healing by offering Him “sacrifices of thanksgiving” (Psalms 107:22). A sacrifice of thanksgiving is a form of the peace offering. It speaks of fellowship with the LORD and with the members of God’s people as a result of what He, Who has been so good to them, has done.

Next, He also wants them to “tell of His works with joyful singing”. True gratitude expresses itself first of all in giving thanks to God, and it will not stop there. A grateful heart also wants others to hear of it and to believe in that God. Therefore, they will testify with passionate joy to what God has done in their lives.

Psalms 145:6

Delivered From Destructions

This section describes the distress of the people just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The people of God are a people of fools (Psalms 107:17; cf. Deuteronomy 32:6a). They don’t take God into account (Psalms 53:1-6). The way of such people cannot but be a “rebellious way”. In the lives of such people, “iniquities” pile up (cf. Isaiah 59:12).

The result cannot be other than that they “were afflicted” with all kinds of plagues and diseases (cf. Isaiah 38:1). They brought those plagues and diseases on themselves by their lifestyle without God. Certainly disease is not always a consequence of sin (John 9:1-3), but it can be, as it is here (cf. James 5:15).

The afflictions they brought upon themselves resulted in “their soul abhorring all kinds of food” (Psalms 107:18). At the same time, we can also say of such sickness that it is a speaking from God to man (Job 33:14). Their abhorrence of food did not come from Him, but from their sickened lifestyle, which had made them sick. A sick person not only has no strength to take food, he also does not want it, he gags at the thought of it. It is a situation where they have come close to death, “to the gates” of it (Job 33:19-22).

For the third time, there is a situation where there is no prospect of improvement or salvation. For the third time, this situation of distress prompts them to cry out “to the LORD” (Psalms 107:19; Psalms 107:6; 13). And again He responds by saving “them out of their distresses”. The cry in distress implies the recognition that God has rightly allowed the distress to arise.

God saved them out of their distresses because of the deadly diseases by sending His word and healing them (Psalms 107:20; cf. Deuteronomy 32:39). What happened to Hezekiah is an illustration of this (Isaiah 38:1-22). We can see its fulfillment in the coming of the Son of God, the Word of God Who became flesh. The accounts we have of His life on earth in the Gospels testify to this. We read that during His life on earth He healed people and delivered them “from their destructions”. These people were near death, but He took them from the gates of death so that they did not become prey to death (Matthew 8:17; Mark 1:34; Acts 10:38).

These wondrous healings and deliverances are again the occasion to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:21; Psalms 107:1; 8; 15; 31; cf. Isaiah 38:20). Again, the exhortation to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated by answering prayer (Psalms 107:20) and offering sacrifices of thanksgiving (Psalms 107:22) instead of a sinful walk.

They are the proofs of “His lovingkindness”. They are also “His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. God shows time and again how good He is to people. We may thank God that He has not forgotten His guilty and suffering people and wish that all those around us see this.

They can show their gratitude for the experienced lovingkindness and wonders of healing by offering Him “sacrifices of thanksgiving” (Psalms 107:22). A sacrifice of thanksgiving is a form of the peace offering. It speaks of fellowship with the LORD and with the members of God’s people as a result of what He, Who has been so good to them, has done.

Next, He also wants them to “tell of His works with joyful singing”. True gratitude expresses itself first of all in giving thanks to God, and it will not stop there. A grateful heart also wants others to hear of it and to believe in that God. Therefore, they will testify with passionate joy to what God has done in their lives.

Psalms 145:7

Delivered From Destructions

This section describes the distress of the people just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The people of God are a people of fools (Psalms 107:17; cf. Deuteronomy 32:6a). They don’t take God into account (Psalms 53:1-6). The way of such people cannot but be a “rebellious way”. In the lives of such people, “iniquities” pile up (cf. Isaiah 59:12).

The result cannot be other than that they “were afflicted” with all kinds of plagues and diseases (cf. Isaiah 38:1). They brought those plagues and diseases on themselves by their lifestyle without God. Certainly disease is not always a consequence of sin (John 9:1-3), but it can be, as it is here (cf. James 5:15).

The afflictions they brought upon themselves resulted in “their soul abhorring all kinds of food” (Psalms 107:18). At the same time, we can also say of such sickness that it is a speaking from God to man (Job 33:14). Their abhorrence of food did not come from Him, but from their sickened lifestyle, which had made them sick. A sick person not only has no strength to take food, he also does not want it, he gags at the thought of it. It is a situation where they have come close to death, “to the gates” of it (Job 33:19-22).

For the third time, there is a situation where there is no prospect of improvement or salvation. For the third time, this situation of distress prompts them to cry out “to the LORD” (Psalms 107:19; Psalms 107:6; 13). And again He responds by saving “them out of their distresses”. The cry in distress implies the recognition that God has rightly allowed the distress to arise.

God saved them out of their distresses because of the deadly diseases by sending His word and healing them (Psalms 107:20; cf. Deuteronomy 32:39). What happened to Hezekiah is an illustration of this (Isaiah 38:1-22). We can see its fulfillment in the coming of the Son of God, the Word of God Who became flesh. The accounts we have of His life on earth in the Gospels testify to this. We read that during His life on earth He healed people and delivered them “from their destructions”. These people were near death, but He took them from the gates of death so that they did not become prey to death (Matthew 8:17; Mark 1:34; Acts 10:38).

These wondrous healings and deliverances are again the occasion to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:21; Psalms 107:1; 8; 15; 31; cf. Isaiah 38:20). Again, the exhortation to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated by answering prayer (Psalms 107:20) and offering sacrifices of thanksgiving (Psalms 107:22) instead of a sinful walk.

They are the proofs of “His lovingkindness”. They are also “His wonders [i.e. wonderful acts] to the sons of men”. God shows time and again how good He is to people. We may thank God that He has not forgotten His guilty and suffering people and wish that all those around us see this.

They can show their gratitude for the experienced lovingkindness and wonders of healing by offering Him “sacrifices of thanksgiving” (Psalms 107:22). A sacrifice of thanksgiving is a form of the peace offering. It speaks of fellowship with the LORD and with the members of God’s people as a result of what He, Who has been so good to them, has done.

Next, He also wants them to “tell of His works with joyful singing”. True gratitude expresses itself first of all in giving thanks to God, and it will not stop there. A grateful heart also wants others to hear of it and to believe in that God. Therefore, they will testify with passionate joy to what God has done in their lives.

Psalms 145:8

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psalms 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psalms 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psalms 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Genesis 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psalms 107:24) are also mentioned in Psalms 107:21 and Psalms 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psalms 107:25; 29; cf. Matthew 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psalms 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psalms 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psalms 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12; Job 41:31; Psalms 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psalms 107:28; Psalms 107:6; 13; 19; cf. Exodus 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psalms 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (John 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psalms 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psalms 107:30) to their prayer (Psalms 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psalms 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psalms 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psalms 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psalms 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

Psalms 145:9

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psalms 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psalms 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psalms 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Genesis 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psalms 107:24) are also mentioned in Psalms 107:21 and Psalms 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psalms 107:25; 29; cf. Matthew 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psalms 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psalms 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psalms 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12; Job 41:31; Psalms 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psalms 107:28; Psalms 107:6; 13; 19; cf. Exodus 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psalms 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (John 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psalms 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psalms 107:30) to their prayer (Psalms 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psalms 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psalms 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psalms 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psalms 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

Psalms 145:10

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psalms 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psalms 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psalms 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Genesis 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psalms 107:24) are also mentioned in Psalms 107:21 and Psalms 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psalms 107:25; 29; cf. Matthew 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psalms 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psalms 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psalms 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12; Job 41:31; Psalms 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psalms 107:28; Psalms 107:6; 13; 19; cf. Exodus 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psalms 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (John 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psalms 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psalms 107:30) to their prayer (Psalms 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psalms 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psalms 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psalms 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psalms 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

Psalms 145:11

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psalms 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psalms 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psalms 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Genesis 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psalms 107:24) are also mentioned in Psalms 107:21 and Psalms 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psalms 107:25; 29; cf. Matthew 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psalms 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psalms 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psalms 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12; Job 41:31; Psalms 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psalms 107:28; Psalms 107:6; 13; 19; cf. Exodus 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psalms 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (John 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psalms 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psalms 107:30) to their prayer (Psalms 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psalms 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psalms 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psalms 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psalms 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

Psalms 145:12

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psalms 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psalms 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psalms 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Genesis 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psalms 107:24) are also mentioned in Psalms 107:21 and Psalms 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psalms 107:25; 29; cf. Matthew 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psalms 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psalms 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psalms 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12; Job 41:31; Psalms 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psalms 107:28; Psalms 107:6; 13; 19; cf. Exodus 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psalms 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (John 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psalms 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psalms 107:30) to their prayer (Psalms 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psalms 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psalms 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psalms 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psalms 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

Psalms 145:13

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psalms 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psalms 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psalms 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Genesis 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psalms 107:24) are also mentioned in Psalms 107:21 and Psalms 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psalms 107:25; 29; cf. Matthew 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psalms 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psalms 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psalms 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12; Job 41:31; Psalms 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psalms 107:28; Psalms 107:6; 13; 19; cf. Exodus 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psalms 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (John 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psalms 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psalms 107:30) to their prayer (Psalms 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psalms 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psalms 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psalms 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psalms 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

Psalms 145:14

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psalms 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psalms 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psalms 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Genesis 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psalms 107:24) are also mentioned in Psalms 107:21 and Psalms 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psalms 107:25; 29; cf. Matthew 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psalms 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psalms 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psalms 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12; Job 41:31; Psalms 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psalms 107:28; Psalms 107:6; 13; 19; cf. Exodus 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psalms 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (John 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psalms 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psalms 107:30) to their prayer (Psalms 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psalms 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psalms 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psalms 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psalms 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

Psalms 145:15

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psalms 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psalms 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psalms 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Genesis 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psalms 107:24) are also mentioned in Psalms 107:21 and Psalms 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psalms 107:25; 29; cf. Matthew 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psalms 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psalms 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psalms 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12; Job 41:31; Psalms 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psalms 107:28; Psalms 107:6; 13; 19; cf. Exodus 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psalms 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (John 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psalms 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psalms 107:30) to their prayer (Psalms 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psalms 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psalms 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psalms 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psalms 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

Psalms 145:16

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psalms 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psalms 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psalms 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Genesis 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psalms 107:24) are also mentioned in Psalms 107:21 and Psalms 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psalms 107:25; 29; cf. Matthew 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psalms 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psalms 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psalms 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12; Job 41:31; Psalms 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psalms 107:28; Psalms 107:6; 13; 19; cf. Exodus 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psalms 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (John 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psalms 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psalms 107:30) to their prayer (Psalms 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psalms 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psalms 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psalms 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psalms 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

Psalms 145:17

The Storm Stilled

After the wandering in the wilderness of the nations in the first stanza (Psalms 107:4-9), being in captivity in the second stanza (Psalms 107:10-16), and suffering the deadly disease in the third stanza (Psalms 107:17-22), we now see the people “go down to the sea” (Psalms 107:23). The sea is a picture of the nations. In the past, Israel traded with the nations (cf. Genesis 49:13). They have been “on great waters”: they have traded with great nations. Solomon was a trading man. He built a fleet. These were not pleasure craft, but merchant ships (1 Kings 9:26-28; 1 Kings 10:22).

It is noteworthy that the expressions “works” and “wonders” (Psalms 107:24) are also mentioned in Psalms 107:21 and Psalms 107:22, where they refer to works of redemption and wonders, i.e. wonderful acts, of healing in the past. By the works and wonders of the LORD here we may think of the storm wind and the deliverance out of the depths (Psalms 107:25; 29; cf. Matthew 8:23-27).

The sea is also threatening, full of dangers (Psalms 107:25). Storms at sea are much more violent than on land. God causes the storm to arise. For this He only needs to speak. It implies that the scattering of His people among the nations because of their rejection of the Messiah is the work of the LORD.

In the life of Jonah, we see “a stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea”. Jonah disobeyed a command of God. He fled and did so by ship. Then the LORD sent a storm, threatening to break the ship (Jona 1:1-4). The book of Jonah is read in Israel on the day of atonement because in Jonah they recognize the people of Israel, the people who are in the storm of the sea of nations today.

Through the waves, the ship and its crew “rose up to the heavens” (Psalms 107:26). A moment later they “went down to the depths” .The soul of the ship’s crew “melted away in [their] misery”. Faced with the violence of the sea, man is totally powerless. It is over and out with all his talk. He is confronted with a power that completely controls him and against which he has nothing to say.

The raging sea caused that the sailors “reeled and staggered like a drunken man” (Psalms 107:27). It deprives man of all his steadiness and orientation. The sea is completely in the hand of God (Job 38:10-11). Its turbulence is caused by Him and serves His purpose (Job 26:12; Job 41:31; Psalms 148:8b). That purpose is that they are “at their wits’ end [literally: “all their wisdom was swallowed up]”. All their wisdom about shipping is inadequate in view of the circumstances in which they find themselves. They have run out of solutions; they don’t know what to do. A sailor’s grave is all that awaits them.

The awareness of being in a hopeless situation is the beginning of the way back. Thus, Joseph’s brothers in prison came to repentance and the prodigal son came to his senses as he sat with the swine. Thus, the faithful remnant will be brought to confession and purification through the great tribulation in order to be restored to their relationship with the LORD.

What we find described here – and see illustrated with Jonah in the storm on the sea and with the Lord’s disciples in the storm on the lake – is a picture of the situation in which the faithful remnant of Israel finds itself now that it is scattered among the nations. They are in constant distress. That distress will reach its highest when the great tribulation starts. Then all their wisdom will be gone. They will cry out to the LORD in their trouble and He will bring them out of their distresses (Psalms 107:28; Psalms 107:6; 13; 19; cf. Exodus 3:10).

Those who are at their wits’ end do not have to be at their faith’s end. We see that here as well. The sailors cry out to Him Who sent the storm, because He Who sends the storm is also able to cause “the storm to be still” (Psalms 107:29). That is what He does. The wind dies down and “the waves of the sea” are “hushed”. The Lord Jesus stilled a storm and thereby provided one of the many proofs that He is God (Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; cf. Jona 1:15). A clearer proof can hardly be imagined. He can also quiet the storm in a human life and heart.

Prophetically, we recognize the silence after the storm, when the Lord Jesus has eliminated the antichrist and the king of the North, who have unleashed a storm of persecution. Just as the Lord made the soldiers who wanted to capture Him recoil with a single word and fall to the ground (John 18:5-6), so in the future the Lord will silence His enemies, the storm, with the sword from His mouth.

The silence after the storm is a cause of joy (Psalms 107:30). There is joy when a situation of distress comes to an end. Here the silence is directly connected to arriving at “their desired haven”, which refers to the quiet and peace in the promised land. That is where God guided them (Deuteronomy 30:4-5). Those who are at sea for a long time and experience many storms begin to long for the haven more and more. God is on the way to His heavenly land with His people and with His own. Every believer longs for that land. As the storms increase in life, that longing will increase.

After being saved from great distress and entering the haven, there is the call to give thanks to the LORD (Psalms 107:31). Again, as with the first three stanzas, the call to give thanks to the LORD is encapsulated in the answer (Psalms 107:30) to their prayer (Psalms 107:28) and a call to publicly magnify the LORD in the presence of the people and their leaders (Psalms 107:32).

By His lovingkindness they have been kept and given rest. This applies not only to the dangers of the sea, but also to the dangers in which we find ourselves every day. The wonders of the deep in Psalms 107:24 have here become the wonders for His own sake. For this He deserves all the glory.

What He has done is worthy of all glory “in the congregation of the people” (Psalms 107:32). It is not merely a personal thankfulness, but a thankfulness shared with fellow believers (cf. Psalms 111:1). Meetings of believers also serve to share with others experiences gained with the Lord, so that thanksgiving to God also increases (2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Acts 15:3).

A special call is made to “the elders” to give thanks to Him. They, more than others, have had experiences of the LORD’s deliverances from distress. That the psalmist speaks of “the seat of the elders” implies that these are older believers who have a responsibility in the midst of God’s people. That responsibility is also to lead the people in the glorification of God.

Psalms 145:18

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 (Matthew 28:18; Deuteronomy 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 (Psalms 107:33; Exodus 14:21; cf. Isaiah 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” (Psalms 107:34). What He did to Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of this. It was a prosperous land (Genesis 13:10), but the “the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13). Therefore, God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole plain and made it a salt plain, making that area completely barren (Genesis 18:20-21; Genesis 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 (Deuteronomy 29:22-28).

For the faithful, He does the opposite (Psalms 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 (Isaiah 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 (Psalms 107:4-9), but “dwell” in the land of refreshment (Psalms 107:36). In a spiritual sense, “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” are satisfied here (Matthew 5:6).

They also “establish an inhabited city” (cf. Psalms 107:7). They “establish” that city, that is, they made it habitable (cf. Isaiah 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. Isaiah 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” (Psalms 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” (Psalms 107:38). Only because of this “they multiply greatly”. This is the blessing He has promised (Genesis 13:16; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 26:4; Genesis 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 (Deuteronomy 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” (Psalms 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 (Psalms 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 (Ezekiel 34:1-6; Zechariah 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” (Psalms 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” (Psalms 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 (Psalms 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 (Matthew 22:11-14).

Psalms 145:19

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 (Matthew 28:18; Deuteronomy 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 (Psalms 107:33; Exodus 14:21; cf. Isaiah 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” (Psalms 107:34). What He did to Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of this. It was a prosperous land (Genesis 13:10), but the “the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13). Therefore, God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole plain and made it a salt plain, making that area completely barren (Genesis 18:20-21; Genesis 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 (Deuteronomy 29:22-28).

For the faithful, He does the opposite (Psalms 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 (Isaiah 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 (Psalms 107:4-9), but “dwell” in the land of refreshment (Psalms 107:36). In a spiritual sense, “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” are satisfied here (Matthew 5:6).

They also “establish an inhabited city” (cf. Psalms 107:7). They “establish” that city, that is, they made it habitable (cf. Isaiah 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. Isaiah 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” (Psalms 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” (Psalms 107:38). Only because of this “they multiply greatly”. This is the blessing He has promised (Genesis 13:16; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 26:4; Genesis 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 (Deuteronomy 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” (Psalms 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 (Psalms 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 (Ezekiel 34:1-6; Zechariah 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” (Psalms 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” (Psalms 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 (Psalms 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 (Matthew 22:11-14).

Psalms 145:20

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 (Matthew 28:18; Deuteronomy 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 (Psalms 107:33; Exodus 14:21; cf. Isaiah 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” (Psalms 107:34). What He did to Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of this. It was a prosperous land (Genesis 13:10), but the “the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13). Therefore, God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole plain and made it a salt plain, making that area completely barren (Genesis 18:20-21; Genesis 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 (Deuteronomy 29:22-28).

For the faithful, He does the opposite (Psalms 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 (Isaiah 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 (Psalms 107:4-9), but “dwell” in the land of refreshment (Psalms 107:36). In a spiritual sense, “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” are satisfied here (Matthew 5:6).

They also “establish an inhabited city” (cf. Psalms 107:7). They “establish” that city, that is, they made it habitable (cf. Isaiah 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. Isaiah 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” (Psalms 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” (Psalms 107:38). Only because of this “they multiply greatly”. This is the blessing He has promised (Genesis 13:16; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 26:4; Genesis 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 (Deuteronomy 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” (Psalms 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 (Psalms 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 (Ezekiel 34:1-6; Zechariah 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” (Psalms 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” (Psalms 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 (Psalms 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 (Matthew 22:11-14).

Psalms 145:21

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 (Matthew 28:18; Deuteronomy 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 (Psalms 107:33; Exodus 14:21; cf. Isaiah 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” (Psalms 107:34). What He did to Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of this. It was a prosperous land (Genesis 13:10), but the “the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13). Therefore, God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the whole plain and made it a salt plain, making that area completely barren (Genesis 18:20-21; Genesis 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 (Deuteronomy 29:22-28).

For the faithful, He does the opposite (Psalms 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 (Isaiah 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 (Psalms 107:4-9), but “dwell” in the land of refreshment (Psalms 107:36). In a spiritual sense, “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” are satisfied here (Matthew 5:6).

They also “establish an inhabited city” (cf. Psalms 107:7). They “establish” that city, that is, they made it habitable (cf. Isaiah 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. Isaiah 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” (Psalms 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” (Psalms 107:38). Only because of this “they multiply greatly”. This is the blessing He has promised (Genesis 13:16; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 26:4; Genesis 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 (Deuteronomy 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” (Psalms 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 (Psalms 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 (Ezekiel 34:1-6; Zechariah 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” (Psalms 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” (Psalms 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 (Psalms 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 (Matthew 22:11-14).