They cried unto the Lord...were saved from their troubles...and praised Him

Last night I resumed my reading of the Psalms and picked back up at Psalm 107. With pen in hand I read slowly over the Psalm and as I was underlining some of the verses a noticeable pattern emerged. No fewer than four times we see God's people crying out in trouble and being delivered (verses 6, 13, 19, 28) and then a verse or two later we see God's people being urged to praise the Lord for his goodness and wonderful works (verses 8, 15, 21, 31). Below are the verses described...  

Psalm 107:6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses

Psalm 107:8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

 

Psalm 107:13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses

Psalm 107:15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Psalm 107:19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses 

Psalm 107:21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Psalm 107:28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses 

Psalm 107:31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

As I read over the entire Psalm a few times I found myself feeling encouraged, comforted, and convicted...I felt encouraged by the example of God's people crying to the Lord in prayer when troubled and afflicted. God's people are a praying people and we need to cry out to the Lord in times of need. I was also comforted by seeing that after God's people cried out to him he saved them out of their troubles. God hears the prayers of his children and we can take comfort in knowing that he will deliver us from our afflictions in due time. Lastly, I also felt convicted in my conscience when reading this Psalm, specifically by the verses calling God's people to praise the Lord for his goodness and wonderful works. Praise to God should be overflowing out of our lips at all times. He has been oh so good to us and too often we take for granted the many blessings he has showered upon us.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Psalm 34:6 which reads "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles." If you are reading this now and feel as if life's troubles are an army laying siege against you I urge you to fall on your face and cry out to God. God will save you from all your troubles, that is a promise, and when he does you need to fall back on your face...this time singing praise to God and thanking him for his goodness and enduring mercy!