Resting in the Steadfast Love of the Lord
“Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron. Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.” Psalm 107:15-19
Psalm 107 is a song of redemption, a vivid tapestry woven with stories of God’s steadfast love rescuing His people from every form of distress. In verses 15-22, we see a people trapped in the consequences of their own sinful ways, afflicted and near death, yet delivered by the Lord’s unwavering love when they cry out to Him. This love—God’s "hesed;" His covenantal, unfailing commitment to His people—is the heartbeat of the psalm and the foundation of our hope. It is most gloriously displayed at the cross, where Jesus bore our sins, shattered the chains of death, and opened the way to eternal life.
The psalmist reminds us that God’s love is not a passive sentiment but an active, transformative force. It saves us as He delivers us from the gates of death (v. 18). It strengthens us, breaking through barriers of bronze and iron that no human effort could overcome (v. 16). It sanctifies us, as His Word heals and restores us from the destruction of our sinful ways (v. 20). And it satisfies the deepest longings of our hearts, turning our cries of distress into songs of joy (v. 22). This is the love that meets us in our weakness, not with condemnation, but with deliverance and grace.
Yet, how often do we, like the psalmist’s people, feel the weight of our own weak love for God? We are commanded to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30), but our love falters. We stumble in sin, grow weary in devotion, and feel ashamed of how short we fall. In those moments, it’s tempting to focus on our failures, to withdraw in shame, or to try harder in our own strength. But Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher, offers a better way. He wrote:
Spurgeon’s words reflect the rhythm of Psalm 107. When we focus on our weak love, we spiral into despair. But when we lift our eyes to the greatness of God’s love—demonstrated most clearly at the cross—we are moved to cry out for mercy, to trust in His deliverance, and to overflow with praise. The psalmist shows us this pattern repeatedly: “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress” (v. 28). Our response to His love is not to wallow in our shortcomings but to call on Him, to rest in His rescue, and to “offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy” (v. 22).
Again, the cross is the ultimate revelation of God’s steadfast love. There, Jesus took our iniquities, endured our affliction, and shattered the gates of death itself. His love is not deterred by our failures; it pursues us, heals us, and draws us into His presence. When we feel the poverty of our love for God, let us not turn inward but upward, fixing our gaze on the One who loved us first (1 John 4:19). His love is the fuel for our love, the source of our strength, and the song of our salvation.
Oh let us know His steadfast love, rest in it, and tell of it to the world. For in His love, we find our salvation, our strength, our sanctification, and our deepest satisfaction. “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!” (Psalm 107:21).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your steadfast love which never fails and never fades. Thank You for the cross, where Your love broke through our sin and shame, delivering us from destruction. Forgive us for focusing on our weak love instead of Your great love. Help us to gaze upon Jesus, to rest in His finished work, and to respond with cries of trust and songs of joy. May our lives proclaim Your wondrous deeds to the praise of Your glory and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Psalm 107 is a song of redemption, a vivid tapestry woven with stories of God’s steadfast love rescuing His people from every form of distress. In verses 15-22, we see a people trapped in the consequences of their own sinful ways, afflicted and near death, yet delivered by the Lord’s unwavering love when they cry out to Him. This love—God’s "hesed;" His covenantal, unfailing commitment to His people—is the heartbeat of the psalm and the foundation of our hope. It is most gloriously displayed at the cross, where Jesus bore our sins, shattered the chains of death, and opened the way to eternal life.
The psalmist reminds us that God’s love is not a passive sentiment but an active, transformative force. It saves us as He delivers us from the gates of death (v. 18). It strengthens us, breaking through barriers of bronze and iron that no human effort could overcome (v. 16). It sanctifies us, as His Word heals and restores us from the destruction of our sinful ways (v. 20). And it satisfies the deepest longings of our hearts, turning our cries of distress into songs of joy (v. 22). This is the love that meets us in our weakness, not with condemnation, but with deliverance and grace.
Yet, how often do we, like the psalmist’s people, feel the weight of our own weak love for God? We are commanded to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30), but our love falters. We stumble in sin, grow weary in devotion, and feel ashamed of how short we fall. In those moments, it’s tempting to focus on our failures, to withdraw in shame, or to try harder in our own strength. But Charles Spurgeon, the great preacher, offers a better way. He wrote:
“When we are conscious of the feebleness of our love to the Lord Jesus, let us not so much consider our love as consider His love. The way to increase our love is to think much of the love of Christ to us. Our love is cold because we think too little of His love. Oh, that we could get a sight of His love, a new revelation of it to our souls, and then our love would blaze!”
Spurgeon’s words reflect the rhythm of Psalm 107. When we focus on our weak love, we spiral into despair. But when we lift our eyes to the greatness of God’s love—demonstrated most clearly at the cross—we are moved to cry out for mercy, to trust in His deliverance, and to overflow with praise. The psalmist shows us this pattern repeatedly: “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress” (v. 28). Our response to His love is not to wallow in our shortcomings but to call on Him, to rest in His rescue, and to “offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy” (v. 22).
Again, the cross is the ultimate revelation of God’s steadfast love. There, Jesus took our iniquities, endured our affliction, and shattered the gates of death itself. His love is not deterred by our failures; it pursues us, heals us, and draws us into His presence. When we feel the poverty of our love for God, let us not turn inward but upward, fixing our gaze on the One who loved us first (1 John 4:19). His love is the fuel for our love, the source of our strength, and the song of our salvation.
Oh let us know His steadfast love, rest in it, and tell of it to the world. For in His love, we find our salvation, our strength, our sanctification, and our deepest satisfaction. “Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!” (Psalm 107:21).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your steadfast love which never fails and never fades. Thank You for the cross, where Your love broke through our sin and shame, delivering us from destruction. Forgive us for focusing on our weak love instead of Your great love. Help us to gaze upon Jesus, to rest in His finished work, and to respond with cries of trust and songs of joy. May our lives proclaim Your wondrous deeds to the praise of Your glory and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.