A story about late Catholic priest, Henri Nouwen, tells of his goal to memorize as many psalms as possible because he wanted so badly to make the psalms more than words on a page.
Nouwen concluded that if he memorized the psalms, they would become a part of him. If he ever got arrested or had his Bible taken away because of his faith, if he ever lost his sight or the ability to read, the psalms would be his constant companion.
This is an appropriate position to take towards the psalms: They served as ancient Israel’s prayers and as the main prayer book for such things as holidays or services held at Temple.
Even now, nearly 3000 years later, the psalms serve a special role in our lives. Go to the monastery during church services, and you’ll hear the monks singing the psalms. Venture to the hospital to spend time with a friend who is suffering, and you’ll find yourself reciting Psalm 23.
I agree with Nouwen–We need to know the psalms more, and we need to set some of them to memory. There is a psalm for every need, every prayer; and they need to become a part of who we are. For anyone illiterate in prayer, they give words to say. For people fearful of approaching God with all of the emotions they feel, the psalms give courage to be honest and vulnerable.
Psalm 107 is helpful because it starts with God’s steadfast love and our gratitude. It speaks to our need for prayer in the first place, and the psalm begs us to thank God in good times and bad times.
It encourages us to pray because of who we are: According to verses 2-3, we are a people in an alien landscape, sojourners in a world gone adrift. But God is one who gathers us together from the many places from whence we come.
Some come from a place of wilderness and loneliness (v. 4-9). The “why” of prayer is because of our hunger for the Lord. Some come from a place of captivity and bondage (v. 10-16). The “why” of prayer is to seek redemption. Some come from a place of illness or sickness (v. 17-21). The “why” of prayer is to hear the healing words of God (v. 20).
Some come from a comfortable lifestyle (v. 23-32), but yearn for something more in life. The “why” of prayer is to place our trust in God rather than in material possessions or the economy.
Furthermore, when God gathers us together, we realize we have similar needs: Our souls faint (v. 5), our hearts bow (v. 12), our stomachs growl (v. 18), and our courage melts away (v. 26)
And we “cry out” to the Lord.
Have you ever been at the end of your rope and cried out to God? I’m sure there were times in your life when you were hurt or suffering and you tried distracting yourself by working more or going on with your daily routine. Then something in you breaks and you cry like a baby.
The good news is that, according to Psalm 107, our cry is always met by God’s deliverance. Our response is that of gratitude: What are you thankful for?
In light of Easter’s hope and the psalm’s poetry, reversal happens when we cry out to God: God turns desert into pools of water (v. 35), feeds the hungry and establishes community (v. 36), sows a strong economy (v. 37), blesses our storehouses (v. 38), raises the needy (v. 41), and makes our hearts glad (v. 42).
Reversal happens, and we are called to give thanks: “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever!” Amen.
Join us this Sunday, April 29th, as we conclude this three-week sermon series on “Praying the Psalms” at 10:30 AM!
On Sunday, May 13th, Trinity Baptist Church will celebrate mothers during its weekly worship service at 10:30 AM. Special activities include a song by the puppet and children’s choir, as well as special music and call to worship by award-winning teen, Bailey Ann Bala.
After service, everyone is invited to go to the fellowship hall for a few minutes of fellowship and light refreshments. Tea will also be a part of the celebration. There, awards will be given to hats in three categories: Most colorful, most creative, and most stylish.
