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"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears . . . . . This
poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel
of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them . . . . . the
righteous cry and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles"
(Psa. 34: 4, 6, 7, 17).
3. Worship and lowliness of heart.
"Though the Lord be high (rum) yet hath He respect unto the lowly; but the proud He
knoweth afar off" (Psa. 138: 6).
Here the exaltation of the Lord, and the humility of the worshipper are brought
together, and worship is the result.
"I will praise Thee with my whole heart; before the gods will I sing praise unto Thee.
I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and
for Thy truth" (verse 2).
This meeting of extremes in grace, is found in other places of Scripture. For example
Isaiah says:
"For thus saith the high (rum) and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is
Holy; I dwell in the high (marum) and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and
humble spirit" (Isa. 57: 15).
4. Worship, goodness and the wonderful works of the Lord.
Psalm 107: has a refrain that comes four times over:
"Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to
the children of men" (Psa. 107: 8, 15, 21 and 31).
This fourfold call to praise, follows a fourfold description of human need and Divine
deliverance. First we have "wanderers" seeking a city to dwell in, but, finding none, in
their trouble they cried to the Lord and He delivered them out of all their distresses
(verses 4-7). Next follows a reference to "rebels" so reduced that there is none to help,
shut in by gates of brass, and bars of iron. These, too, cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and they, too, were saved out of their distresses (verses 10-16). The third company are
"fools", whose folly brings them near to the gates of death. These, too, are healed by His
word and delivered. It is noteworthy that the word "distresses" is here exchanged for
"destructions" (compare verses 6, 13, 28 with 20). Fourthly, "They that go down to the
sea in ships", who "are at their wits' end".
Gathering up this fourfold call to praise, the Psalmist adds, "Let them exalt Him also
in the congregation of the people".
5. Worship and the exalted Saviour.
"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high
(rum) and lifted up, and His train filled the temple" (Isa. 6: 1).