Ps. 107:0 THE ARGUMENT The most of the Psalms have a peculiar respect unto the church or people of God, or to some eminent members thereof; but there are some few Psalms which have a more general respect to all nations, of which number this is one; wherein the psalmist discourseth of the merciful…

This whole verse occurs also Ps. 106:1; only there the address is made to the Israelites, and here to all mankind.

The redeemed of the Lord; all they whom God hath redeemed, as it is expressed in the next clause, or delivered from all the following calamities. Say so, to wit, that the Lord is good, &c., as it is Ps. 107:1.

Bringing them into their own land, out of the several quarters of the world into which they had been carried. From the south, Heb. from the sea; which in Scripture commonly notes the west, because the great midland sea was on the west of Canaan; but here, as it appears from the opposition of this…

They wandered in the wilderness; mistaking their way, which they might easily do in the vast and sandy deserts of Arabia. No city to dwell in; or rather, no city or town inhabited, where they might refresh themselves, as travellers used to do; for they did not go into the wilderness to seek for a…

Partly for want of necessary provisions, and partly through anguish of spirit.

Unto the Lord, Heb. unto Jehovah, to the true God. For the heathens, of whom he speaks, had many of them some knowledge of the true God, and did in their manner worship him with and in their idols; and especially in their distresses, when they discovered the impotency of their idols, they did…

Led them forth out of the wilderness, where they had lost their way, Ps. 107:4. A city of habitation: See Poole “Ps. 107:4”.

Oh that men would praise! Heb. Let them praise. Or, They shall praise, i.e. they are highly obliged to praise. To the children of men; not only to his peculiar people, but to all mankind, to whom he is very kind and bountiful.

The longing; either the thirsty, opposed to the hungry here following; or the hungry, as this general phrase is limited and expounded in the next clause. With goodness; with the fruits of his goodness; with good things, Ps.

In darkness and in the shadow of death; in a disconsolate and forlorn condition, in dark prisons or dungeons. In affliction and iron; with afflicting or grievous irons. Or, in the cords of affliction, as they are called, Job 36:8, and particularly in iron fetters.

Against the words of God; against God’s commands, made known either, 1. By his written word delivered to the Jews, of which the Gentiles were not ignorant, which therefore they should have diligently inquired after and searched into, as the queen of Sheba came from the ends of the earth to hear the…

Their heart; the pride, and rebellion, and obstinacy of their hearts. With labour; or, with trouble or troubles. They fell into their enemy’s hands, and into hopeless and remediless miseries.

He restored them to liberty in spite of all impediments and oppositions.

Fools, i.e. wicked men, whom he calls fools, because of the mischiefs which through their own folly they bring upon themselves. Because of their transgression, Heb. because of the way of their transgression, i.e. their custom and course of sinning, as the word way is used, Ps. 1:1, Prov. 2:12.

Their soul; either themselves with all their soul; or their appetite, as the soul is taken, Job 33:20, Isa. 29:8. Abhorreth all manner of meat; which is a Usual effect of great sickness. They draw near unto the gates of death; they are sick well nigh unto death.

His word; his command, or his blessing, which came with power.

Sacrifices of thanksgiving; either properly so called; or praises and thanksgivings to God, which in Scripture are called sacrifices, because they are no less acceptable to God than costly sacrifices.

Go down to the sea; he saith go down, either because the sea or the shore of it is commonly lower than their habitations from whence they come, or than the natural or artificial banks which are raised to prevent the inundation of the waters; or because the sea is lower than the earth, as may be…

His wonderful works, either, 1. Of creation, fishes of various kinds and shapes, and some of prodigious greatness, which are unknown to other men. Or, 2. Of providence, in raising and laying storms, of which he speaks in the following verses

The winds and storms come not by chance, but by the disposition of Divine Providence.

To the depths; towards the bottom of the sea. Because of trouble; through the perplexity of their minds, and fear of sudden and violent death.

Stagger like a drunken man; not so much from the giddiness of their heads, which is not usual in persons accustomed to the sea, as through the violent and various motions of the sea and the ship.

In the congregation of the people; not only in their own hearts and families, but even in public assemblies, and before all persons, as they have opportunity. In the assembly of the elders; the magistrates or rulers; who are here opposed to the people.

Rivers; either, 1. Properly so called; which he can divert or dry up when he pleaseth, as sometimes he hath done. Or rather, 2. Those grounds which are well watered, and therefore very fruitful, as the next verse explains this. And so the water-springs, here and Ps.

Into barrenness, Heb. into saltness, which procures barrenness. See Deut. 29:23, Judg. 9:45. For the wickedness of them that dwell therein; he doth not inflict these judgments by choice, or without cause, but for the punishment of sin in some, and the prevention of it in others.

Into a standing water; into a well-watered and fruitful land.

The hungry; poor people; who could not provide for themselves, or were banished from their own land by potent oppressors, and were driven into wildernesses, like them Job 30:3, which God in pity to them made fruitful.

May yield, Heb. and they shall make or procure from their fields and vineyards. Fruits of increase; such fruits as they use to produce.

Preserves them from abortion and deadly diseases, and on the contrary causeth them to increase, as he said in the former branch, which is here repeated in other words, after the sane manner.

They, these poor men, who, when they are exalted and blessed by God, kick at him, and grow insolent and secure, as the returner of men is, are minished and brought low; are by God’s just judgment diminished in their numbers and in their blessings.

He poureth contempt upon princes; those who were honourable and adored like gods by their people, and terrible to all their enemies, he renders them despicable to their own subjects, and to other nations; and this he doth suddenly, abundantly, and unavoidably, as this phrase of pouring it out upon…

Yet setteth he the poor on high: and whilst he bringeth down great potentates, at the same time he advanceth those who were obscure and contemptible. Like a flock, which increase very much in a little time.

Shall see it; or rather, these things, as it is expressed in the next verse. They shall diligently observe these wonderful works of God’s mercy and justice.

Whoso is wise, and will observe these things; or, who (for the Hebrew particle mi is interrogative) is wise? for (as the conjunctive particle is frequently used) he will observe these things.