–Louis L’Amour (Fallon)
“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!'”
–Mark 9:24 (NKJV)
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As we look at the next portion of Psalm 107, I want you to ponder the words of Charles H. Spurgeon: “Prayer is good in a storm. We may pray staggering and reeling, and pray when we are at our wit’s end. God will hear us amid the thunder and answer us out of the storm… And when God makes peace, it is peace indeed, the peace of God that passes all understanding.”
23 — Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters,
24 — They see the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep.
25 — For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.
26 — They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble.
27 — They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
28 — Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses.
29 — He calms the storm, so that its waves are still.
30 — Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.
31 — Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 — Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the company of the elders. (NKJV)
I’ve been through all types of storms, but I cannot imagine a raging storm at sea, especially back in the days of wooden ships. When I read this section I can imagine the waves crashing over the bow, the ship reeling this way and that. Sailors try to batten down the hatches, but the storm is so bad that it is to no avail. I think of the storm with Jonah and then again of the storm where the disciples feared for their lives. In both cases, they cried out to God as this psalm says to do. In their trouble they remember Him.
The storm ceased to rage, the NLT translates verse 29 like this, “He calmed the storm to a whisper…” The angry waves were now calm, as were the spirits within the men aboard the ship. But that was not the end, God then brings them safely to their “desired haven.” He doesn’t leave them out on the open sea, another storm could arise, but he brings them to harbor–where they needed to be.
That’s the second thing I want you to ponder. As you think of the fierceness of the storm, make it personal. Apply it to the storm that rages within your soul. Some may have never called upon the Lord. I read about John Newton, who was a foul man who found the Lord in the midst of a raging storm. His ship was being torn to shreds and he struggled not to drown, but the storm caused him to cry out to God. It may be that you are going through the trials of life like you have never seen them before. It seems that your very soul is being torn to shreds by the storm. There was a song that I heard then evangelist Mike Purkey sing (perhaps it was written by Squire Parsons),
“One night upon the sea, a ship was tossing to and fro,
Breakers dashed on every hand, angry winds around them blowed,
All on board were filled with fright, as the mighty billows rolled,
Then they called upon the one, who the winds and waves controlled.
When He reaches down His hand, billows cease at His command,
Wind and waves obey His will. When He says to them ‘be still’
What Man is this they all did say, that the wind and sea obey,
He’s the one who sails with me, He’s the Master of the sea.”
When it seems that you are sinking deep into the sea of despair, call upon the Master. When the house crumbles around you because of the tempest call upon the Master of the storm. When, like Job, everything is taken away and you cannot see or understand why, call upon the One who cares for you–your Redeemer. When the pestilence of disease strikes, hope seems feeble, turn to the Master of your faith who will bring hope to you.
“Thy way is on the deep, O Lord!
E’en there we’ll go with Thee;
We’ll meet the tempest at Thy word,
And walk upon the sea.”
–James Martineau
As we look at the next portion of Psalm 107, I want you to ponder the words of Charles H. Spurgeon: “Prayer is good in a storm. We may pray staggering and reeling, and pray when we are at our wit’s end. God will hear us amid the thunder and answer us out of the storm… And when God makes peace, it is peace indeed, the peace of God that passes all understanding.”
23 — Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters,
24 — They see the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep.
25 — For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.
26 — They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble.
27 — They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
28 — Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses.
29 — He calms the storm, so that its waves are still.
30 — Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.
31 — Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 — Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the company of the elders. (NKJV)
I’ve been through all types of storms, but I cannot imagine a raging storm at sea, especially back in the days of wooden ships. When I read this section I can imagine the waves crashing over the bow, the ship reeling this way and that. Sailors try to batten down the hatches, but the storm is so bad that it is to no avail. I think of the storm with Jonah and then again of the storm where the disciples feared for their lives. In both cases, they cried out to God as this psalm says to do. In their trouble they remember Him.
The storm ceased to rage, the NLT translates verse 29 like this, “He calmed the storm to a whisper…” The angry waves were now calm, as were the spirits within the men aboard the ship. But that was not the end, God then brings them safely to their “desired haven.” He doesn’t leave them out on the open sea, another storm could arise, but he brings them to harbor–where they needed to be.
That’s the second thing I want you to ponder. As you think of the fierceness of the storm, make it personal. Apply it to the storm that rages within your soul. Some may have never called upon the Lord. I read about John Newton, who was a foul man who found the Lord in the midst of a raging storm. His ship was being torn to shreds and he struggled not to drown, but the storm caused him to cry out to God. It may be that you are going through the trials of life like you have never seen them before. It seems that your very soul is being torn to shreds by the storm. There was a song that I heard then evangelist Mike Purkey sing (perhaps it was written by Squire Parsons),
“One night upon the sea, a ship was tossing to and fro,
Breakers dashed on every hand, angry winds around them blowed,
All on board were filled with fright, as the mighty billows rolled,
Then they called upon the one, who the winds and waves controlled.
When He reaches down His hand, billows cease at His command,
Wind and waves obey His will. When He says to them ‘be still’
What Man is this they all did say, that the wind and sea obey,
He’s the one who sails with me, He’s the Master of the sea.”
When it seems that you are sinking deep into the sea of despair, call upon the Master. When the house crumbles around you because of the tempest call upon the Master of the storm. When, like Job, everything is taken away and you cannot see or understand why, call upon the One who cares for you–your Redeemer. When the pestilence of disease strikes, hope seems feeble, turn to the Master of your faith who will bring hope to you.
“Thy way is on the deep, O Lord!
E’en there we’ll go with Thee;
We’ll meet the tempest at Thy word,
And walk upon the sea.”
–James Martineau