His Steadfast Love Endures

For a few moments this evening we'll turn to look at Psalm 107.

We're going to be looking over really the whole of this psalm.

We can read at the beginning and at the very end of the psalm.

Verse 1 it says to us, O give thanks to the Lord,

for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

And then the last verse, verse 43, it says,

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things.

Let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

So the psalm begins and ends with that theme of the steadfast love of the Lord.

And in between we find a number of different circumstances that people find themselves in

in order to consider the steadfast love of God that doesn't change.

As time goes on, as the years go past and months and weeks,

one thing that becomes apparent more and more,

and we're reminded of more and more,

is the variety of people around us

and the variety of situations that people find themselves in.

In one moment, there's a people who are celebrating and rejoicing.

At this time of year, week by week pretty much,

you'll see around the town or in different parts of the country as well,

you'll see people getting married, special days, days of much joy and happiness,

and you see that taking place.

And yet on the other hand, you'll see people on the other end of the spectrum

who are going through such trials and difficulties,

many that are so difficult for us to even try and contemplate for ourselves sorrow and sadness

that seems to go beyond our imagination at times.

There's that variety of people and variety of situations that they find themselves in,

the highs and the lows, and life is full of that.

But one thing I'm sure maybe all of you or many of you at least experience in the midst of life

and all that comes our way,

in all the changes and all the variety that we see around us,

it's so good to know that there is something that doesn't change,

that there is something that is always constant

in the midst of everything that goes on,

in every change, in everything that comes our way,

that we can come to the Word of God

and see that what doesn't change is this steadfast love of God.

A love that doesn't change

because it is a love that's from the promise of God himself.

Promises that you see running throughout Scripture.

Promises that God gives from beginning to end.

Great and wonderful promises that we can claim and cling on to

in the midst of the highs and in the midst of the lows as well.

That God is a God for his people.

That he has made that covenant promise.

I will be your God and you will be my people.

And in that we find a God who,

these words especially,

the steadfast love of the Lord.

How precious these words are

and how important these words are for us,

especially as we come to put our trust fully in the Lord.

To put our trust in him who is able to save.

But in our experience in life,

the Lord will bring us through

maybe many different experiences, situations,

in order for us to cry out for that help.

And to cry out to the Lord in that sense of,

we need you.

We need you in this situation, Lord.

We can't do without you.

And then as we come through that situation,

as the psalm reminds us,

we are encouraged and challenged indeed

to remember the steadfast love of the Lord.

And so as we look at this psalm together this evening,

we see a variety of people

in a variety of different situations.

But they all have something in common.

You see the verses that are repeated

throughout this psalm.

We'll look at it as we're going through.

But you see that in each situation

that the people find themselves in,

that the same words are repeated

in every situation.

And the same constant in it all

as well as the steadfast love of God.

So there are both variables and constants

in this psalm.

And that's what we want to look at together

this evening.

But before you come into these situations,

the opening verses of this psalm

make it clear to us,

verse 1 to verse 3,

that this is indeed a psalm of thanksgiving,

a psalm of thanking God

in the midst of everything.

O give thanks to the Lord,

for He is good,

for His steadfast love endures always.

The foundation of our thanks

is that steadfast love of God that endures.

But there's that challenge to us straight away.

O give thanks to the Lord.

And it's the same challenge

that you find in each situation

that the people are in us

will see as well.

But look at the vastness

of God's work here.

Look at where this steadfast love is seen.

When you look at these opening three verses,

in verse 3,

gathered in from the lands,

from the east and from the west,

from the north and from the south.

God's saving work is so vast.

This steadfast love goes out

through all ends of the earth,

from north, south, east and west.

But you see also that God's work

is so necessary.

In verse 2, it says,

let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

whom He has redeemed from trouble.

The people of God are in trouble.

And we as a people,

we're always finding ourselves

in that troubled situation.

Different places we find ourselves in

where we know we need the Lord.

We need that Redeemer.

We need that saving work of God

in the midst of our lives.

So we see how God's work

is so necessary.

And we see there too,

as you go back to verse 1,

how God's work is so enduring.

It's a never-ending love

that He shows to His people.

The Lord, He is good,

for His steadfast love

endures forever.

It is an ongoing love,

steadfast love,

that is there for His people.

So the psalm is a psalm of thanksgiving

that is so broad and wide in its nature,

in its distance,

north, south, east, and west,

in redeeming from the troubles

of this world

and in showing how enduring this love is.

It's a never-ending love.

And after these first three verses,

then you go in to see

four different sections

where it speaks about people

finding themselves

in times of trouble.

And how in the midst of time of trouble,

they're still able

to thank the Lord

for His steadfast love.

There's a German pastor

in the 1600s

called Martin Rinkert.

And he lived and ministered

in a very difficult time

when there was war

and conflict going on.

And he was taking so many funerals

in his experience

that it was just never-ending.

He was burying thousands of people

within a year.

And yet in the midst of it all,

he was still able to thank the Lord.

And he wrote a hymn.

And the hymn's title was

Now Thank We All Our God.

And the first verse of it goes like this.

Now thank we all, our God,

with heart and hands and voices,

whose wondrous things,

who wondrous things has done,

in whom his world rejoices,

who from our mother's arms

has blessed us on our way

with countless gifts of love

and still is ours today.

How he was able to see

in the midst of everything

that was going on,

the wonder of God

and the steadfast love of God

that was the constant companion

throughout all his days,

even in the most difficult

of experiences.

And we maybe see that

in our own lives as well.

As we go through

so many different experiences

in life,

we have that assurance

as we trust in the Lord

of his steadfast love

that never changes.

So we're going to look at

the four different situations

that we see people in.

And what we find is

that they have a common thread

in each one.

You see in each one

there is the problem,

a different problem

in each part.

Then there is the prayer.

They cry to the Lord.

And then you see

that there is the provision

that the Lord makes.

And then finally you see

the praise

that they're encouraged to give.

And so the first thing you see

is the problem.

And you see this

in the different sections.

Verse 4 and 5,

you see the first one there.

Some wandered in desert wastes,

finding no way to a city

to dwell in.

Hungry and thirsty,

their soul fainted within them.

There were those

who have lost their way.

There are those

who have wandered

in desert wastes,

finding no way to a city.

They were lost

and they were in

a desperate condition.

And they were wondering

to themselves,

how are they going to survive?

How are they going

to get through this?

And the word they wandered,

the wanderers,

it means to stagger.

So it shows

there was this weakness.

They were alone,

they were weak,

they were nearly gone.

And so they are wandering,

lost in this world.

And it's a reminder

to ourselves

of how we so often

have found

or maybe are finding ourselves

in that situation as well.

We're living in a world

but we can feel lost in it

without direction,

without knowing

just where are we going

in our lives.

Many of us have either

been there

or maybe are even there

just now.

We're wondering just

what is life about?

We're not finding direction.

We're not finding

our way.

It reminds us of the story

of the prodigal son

in the New Testament

who had left

everything behind,

taken the money

from his father

and wanted to go

and live his own life.

And he thought

this is it,

my freedom.

And yet he finds himself

wandering around

in the waste,

eating the food

of pigs to survive

and wondering

how have I ended up here?

Is there no point

and direction

in my life?

And so there's

the wanderers here.

We find

the first problem,

the people

who are just lost

and without direction.

The second one

we see then

is in verse 10.

Another section

begins there.

Some sat in darkness

and in the shadow

of death,

prisoners in affliction

and in irons,

for they had rebelled

against the words

of God

and spurned

the counsel

of the Most High.

They're prisoners.

They're locked in.

And again,

you see just that darkness

that surrounds them here.

And what you find is

it's because of

what they've done themselves,

because of the way

that they have rebelled,

as verse 11 makes clear.

They rebelled against

the Word of God.

And again,

in our lives,

who of us

have rebelled

against the Word of God?

We've said,

no,

I will not listen

to what the Word of God is.

I don't need that Word.

It's not for me.

And we find ourselves

thinking we've got freedom,

but all it means

is that we're in prison,

that we're in darkness,

that we're lost.

And it's all

of our own doing.

We feel that

sense of being trapped.

And so many things

can make us prisoners

in that sense

in this life.

Jealousy

and anger

and maybe hurt

in the past

and unforgiving spirit,

hatred towards

either people,

even the church.

People turn against

the church.

They have their own ideas

and they spurn

the Word of God

and we'll be free

from that,

but you're never free.

We're still in darkness.

We're putting God away,

but we're only ending up

in darkness ourselves

more and more.

So we see there

another problem.

And you see the third one

in verse 17 and 18.

Again,

you see a new section there.

Some were fools

through their sinful ways

and because of their iniquities

suffered affliction.

They loathed any kind of food

and they grew near

to the gates of death.

Sin is at the heart of it all

and we're reminded of that

in this section.

Fools through their sinful ways.

The fool says in his heart

there is no God.

That's sin to say

there is no God.

And from there

just leads to this

downward spiral

and life

where sin just

takes over our life.

We think nothing of it.

Sin just becomes

a natural part

of how we live.

But yet we are fools

to go on living like that.

Fools through their sinful ways.

Then the fourth one you see,

then the fourth problem

is in verse 23 there.

Another section begins.

Some.

So it's always talking

about these some.

Different people

in different situations.

Some went down

to the sea and ships

doing business

on the great waters.

They saw the deeds

of the Lord

as wondrous works

in the deep.

And so it goes on.

And in this experience,

they end up reeling

and staggering

like drunken men

in this storm.

They're overwhelmed

by life,

tossed about.

And it's just the way

life can sometimes

leave us feeling like that.

Overwhelmed

in so many situations.

That it's just like

a storm

all around us

as we were thinking

about this morning.

Instead of having

that peace with God,

there's nothing

but trouble

coming our way.

And without the Lord

in our lives,

without Jesus

in our lives,

we're just floundering around.

We're being tossed around

by the sea.

And so we see

there's four different kinds

of people here.

Four different situations.

Four different situations

that we maybe have had

in our own lives

or have.

We're wanderers.

We're prisoners.

We're the sick in sin.

We're the overwhelmed

by the storms of life.

At the heart of them all

is the sin

of our hearts.

The sin in this world

that leads us

down these paths

away from God.

There is the problem

for us

and indeed

for the world.

But is there

an answer?

Well you see

in all of these situations

we find

the answer.

And the answer

is prayer.

For in every situation

you find here

the constant is

then they cried

to the Lord

in their trouble

and he delivered them

from their distress.

That verse

is repeated

in each of these sections.

It's there

in each one.

Then they cried

to the Lord

in their trouble

and he delivered them

from their distress.

What is able

to help

in our situation

today?

We can cry out

for help

to friends

to family

even to strangers

at times.

We can cry out

to the world

to help us

in all our different

situations

to give us the answers

to all our different needs

but there is only one

who can help.

And that answer

is given to us

in this psalm

in the midst

of the variety

of people

the variety

of different problems

there is only one

answer

and that is

to pray

to cry

out

to the Lord.

Now you notice

it doesn't give

the prayer

to cry.

All it says

is that they cried

to the Lord

in their trouble.

It may not be

a long

eloquent prayer

it may not have

much substance

it may even just be

a groan

but it's directed

towards the Lord

towards the Lord

who is able

to help.

Prayer is that

opportunity

to speak

to God

who is able

to help.

And again

you have given

so many reminders

through scripture

of what crying out

to the Lord

means.

You have that

great account

in 1 Kings 18

when Elijah

is there with

Ahab

and his people

his prophets

Ahab's prophets

Elijah is just

one man

but he trusts

in God

and he puts

a challenge

before Ahab

and all his

prophets

and say

you cry

to your gods

and I'll cry

to my God

and see

who sends

down fire

who is able

to help

in that situation

and Elijah

as they're saying

to them

keep crying

maybe he's not

hearing you

maybe he's not

listening just now

but he will

eventually

and nothing

comes

because their

gods

are not able

to help

but Elijah's

God

our God

he sends

down fire

he hears

and he answers

and that is

the God

that we cry

out to today

for ourselves

or for others

the one

who is able

the same

as Paul

speaks about

in Romans

Romans 10 · chapter mention

chapter 10

he reminds us

there that we

are to call

on the name

of the Lord

he says

because

if you confess

with your mouth

that Jesus

is Lord

and believe

in your heart

that God

raised him

from the dead

you will be

saved

why

because he

goes on

in verse 13

to say

for everyone

who calls

on the name

of the Lord

will be saved

if we are truly

calling out

to God

if we are calling

out in our

desperation

that cry of faith

they cried

to the Lord

in their trouble

and he relieved

them

from their distress

he is the one

who is able

to help

we don't always

see our need

at times

and there are

many people

living in this world

and they're lost

but they don't

know it

because they feel

that everything

is going fine

everything is fine

it'll be

okay at the end

you hear

so many funerals

now in the mainland

especially

where they play

songs

and Frank Sinatra

as I did it

my way

that's so common

now

but that is

the song

that they sang

I did it

my way

but it's not

the song

of salvation

as we were

thinking of

this morning

and it's not

the cry

that we see

we need

here

the cry

that we need

here

is to call

upon the name

of the Lord

not do it

our way

but to seek

to do it

his way

that he would

direct us

Thomas Aquinas

he once put it

like this

bestow upon me

oh Lord

my God

understanding

understanding

to know

the

diligence

to seek

the

wisdom

to find

the

and a

faithfulness

that may

finally

embrace

thee

it's all

about this

coming

to cry

to the

Lord

in our

trouble

so we

have

the problem

there are

four different

sets of

people and

situations

but the

prayer is

there for

us to see

that the

prayer

is the

same in

every

situation

and it's

the same

that's true

for us

today

we cry

to the

Lord

in our

trouble

we ask

him

to help

for he

is able

to relieve

us

in our

distress

to give

comfort

to give

hope

that's the

third thing

that we

see

but we

see as

they cry

to the

Lord

the Lord

makes

provision

for them

in each

situation

we see

that they

could not

help

themselves

they could

not

free

themselves

they

needed

a

redeemer

they

needed

someone

to save

them

as it

says in

verse 2

let the

redeemed

of the

Lord

say so

whom he

has

redeemed

from

trouble

he needs

to be

the one

who saves

we cannot

do it

ourselves

and this

is the

story of

scripture

from beginning

to end

that God

is a

redeeming

God

God

is a

saving

God

you see

it

when you

go back

to the

Old

Testament

how he

redeemed

his

people

from

slavery

in

Egypt

even as

we were

looking at

Isaiah

this morning

it was

the Lord

that redeemed

them

when they

were taken

into

captivity

you see

he does

it for

nations

of people

but you

also see

that he

does for

individuals

as well

you think

of the

beautiful

story

of Ruth

and how

she

found

a

kinsman

redeemer

when she

married

Boaz

a beautiful

story

but it's

all about

the wonder

of a

redeemer

a redeemer

for an

individual

as well

as a

wider

people

and that's

the wonder

of the

redeemer

that we

have in

Jesus

Christ

that he

is the

one who

is able

to save

us

in our

trouble

as you

see in

each

situation

here

the

redeemer

comes

to their

aid

and he

shows

his

steadfast

love

his

covenant

love

that

endures

always

you see

it in

verse 7

in that

first

situation

he led

them

he led

them by

a straight

way

till they

reached

a city

to dwell

in

he brought

them

to a

place

of

security

a place

of safety

after they

had cried

to the

Lord

you see

it in

verse 14

he brought

them out

of darkness

and the

shadow

of death

and burst

their bonds

apart

he freed

them

freed them

from the

prison

that they

were in

and he's

able to

do that

you see

it in

verse 20

he sent

out his

word

and healed

them

and delivered

them from

their destruction

they had

been fools

they had

been sick

in their

sin

but the

word of

God

healed

them

the

redeemer

can

heal

you see

it in

verse 29

again

he made

the storm

be still

and the

waves of

the sea

were hushed

in every

situation

you see

a different

kind of

peace

being brought

but it's

always

he has

made it

possible

he has

brought

he has

led them

he has

brought them

out

he has

sent out

his word

and healed

them

he has

made the

storm

to be

still

he is

the one

who is

able

he is

the one

who has

made

provision

for his

people

and again

that is

true for

us today

as we

cry out

to the

Lord

now

trouble

what

provision

has he

made

for us

for all

who are

lost in

this world

for all

who are

caught up

in the

sin

of this

world

and maybe

think

there is

no

freedom

for me

in the

midst

of my

sin

there is

no hope

for me

in the

midst

of my

sin

what has

he done

he has

provided

a redeemer

he has

provided a

redeemer

who is

his own

son

Jesus

Christ

there is

only

one

Christ

has

redeemed

his

people

he came

to save

his

people

from

their

sins

and that

is the

wonder

of the

steadfast

love

of God

that God

loved

his

people

so much

that he

gave

his

own

son

the

redeemer

has

come

as the

hymn writer

puts it

there is a

redeemer

Jesus

God's

own

son

precious

lamb

of God

Messiah

holy

one

there is

a

redeemer

and the

only

redeemer

of God's

elect

as the

shorter

catech

puts it

is the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

there is

our

provision

in the

midst of

all that

is wrong

in this

world

and all

the

problems

that we

have

and all

the cries

that we

offer out

the

pleas

the

prayer

for

help

there is

one

who

is able

to

help

one

who

is able

to

save

and that

is

Jesus

Christ

he is

able to

save

his people

from their

sins

and when we

know that

salvation

when we

know Jesus

Christ

as our

redeemer

where does

that lead

us to

well surely

it leads us

to our

final thing

that we

see here

it should

lead us

to

praise

in all

of these

situations

in all

the four

different

situations

again there

is a

constant

in each

situation

he says

let them

thank the

Lord for

his steadfast

love

for his

wondrous

works to

the children

of men

so that is

the conclusion

of each of

these four

sections

all these

different

people who

find themselves

in different

situations

he is able

to provide

a way out

he is able

to redeem

and then there

is this

call

let them

thank the

Lord

for his

steadfast

love

you know

so often

people

will say

well I'm

going to

call on

God for

help

as they

face up

to a

challenge

a difficult

situation

the Lord

provides

gives grace

he gives

help

and so many

people come

through and they

forget

forget

what the

Lord has

helped

forget

what the

Lord has

done

it's like

the parable

of the

ten lepers

they were

all healed

but only one

came back

to thank

the Lord

and he said

where are

the others

well they'd

all gone

their own

way

that's what

this psalm

is reminding

us of as well

as we are

looking for

help in this

life as the

Lord provides

graciously help

to us

well we're

reminded let

us thank

the Lord

for his

steadfast love

for his

covenant love

his constant

love

let us not

forget what

the Lord has

done for

us

he has

rescued us

he has

saved us

through Jesus

Christ

is that not

worthy of

all our

praise

a call

to thanks

oh give

thanks to the

Lord for he

is good

his steadfast

love

endures

forever

that's the

cry at the

start

it's the

cry throughout

let them

give thanks

to the

Lord for

his steadfast

love

for his

wondrous

works to

the children

of men

it's the

psalm as the

hymn writer

sees another

hymn thank

you oh my

father for

giving us

your son

and sending

us your

spirit

till the

work on

earth

is done

thank you

oh my

father for

giving us

your son

that we

have a

redeemer

so the

call is

there to

thanksgiving

because his

steadfast love

endures

always

what is the

most important

verse in

this psalm

it's a

fairly long

psalm

and it

covers a

lot of

ground

but what

is the

most important

verse

is there

a most

important

verse

well somebody

said there

is

one writer

said the

last verse

is the

most

important

why

well look

at the

last verse

whoever

is wise

let him

attend

to these

things

let him

consider

the

steadfast

love

of the

lord

why

is that

so

important

well it

speaks to

us

about

wisdom

what is

it

to be

wise

the world

will tell

us so

many things

that are

wise

according

to them

but according

to the word

of god

wisdom's

beginning

is the

fear of

the lord

that doesn't

mean just

to run

away

scared

from the

lord

it

means

to

consider

the lord

to look

to the

lord

to be in

awe

of the

lord

it's the

one

who is

god

over all

and so

it says

here

whoever

is wise

let him

attend

to these

things

that these

are important

matters

these are

important

things

in our

own

experience

so that

whatever

situation

we find

ourselves

in

whether we

are the

wanderers

whether we

are the

prisoners

whether we

are those

who are

sick

in sin

whether we

are those

who are

being tossed

around in

the storms

of this

life

let us

consider

these

things

and let

us see

where our

help is

found

it is

found in

crying out

to the

lord

who is

able

to relieve

us

from our

troubles

to bring

us

out

so it

says

let them

attend

to these

things

but then

it concludes

let them

consider

the steadfast

love

of the

lord

look

on these

things

look

on the

lord

and his

steadfast

love

that is

unchanging

in all

our lives

he is

there

for his

people

he has

promised

that those

who cry

will be

saved

so we

can come

in confidence

whoever is

wise

let him

attend

to these

things

let him

consider

the

steadfast

love

of the

lord

let us

let us

consider

the

steadfast

love

love

of the

lord

and see

if he

is not

worthy

of all

our

praise

let us

come

and give

thanks to

the lord

for he

is good

for his

steadfast

love

endures

forever

let us

pray

lord we do

thank you

for your

word and

for all the

truths that

we find

in them

the promises

that we see

before us

a new

day by

day that

you are

a good

god

who is

gracious

to his

people

that your

steadfast

love

endures

forever

we pray

to know

more

of that

enduring

love

that you

have

shown

so hear

our prayers

continue

with us

as we

ask all

in jesus

name

amen

well we

conclude by

singing

from this

psalm that

we've been

looking at

we sing the

last three

verses

in the

scottish

psalter

psalm 107

at verse

41

page 385

yet

setteth

he the

poor

on high

from all

his

miseries

and he

much like

unto a

flock

doth make

him

families

and at

the end

whoso is

wise

and will

these

things

observe

and then

record

even they

shall

understand

the love

and kindness

of the

lord

with these

last three

verses

the

tunas

montrose

we stand

to sing

up

Amen.

Amen.

After the benediction, I'll go to the main door.

We'll close the benediction.

Now may grace, mercy and peace from God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon

and abide with you all now and forevermore.

Amen.

Amen.