Psalms 107:33-43: a reflection

33He turns rivers into a desert, water springs into a thirsty ground, 34and a fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35He turns a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into water springs. 36There he makes the hungry live, that they may prepare a city to live in, 37sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase. 38He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly. He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease. 39Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow. 40He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste. 41Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock. 42The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths. 43Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of the LORD.

This closing section of Psalm 107 surveys the reversals of life under God's hand: he turns rivers into desert and desert into pools of water; he raises the hungry to build a city and reap harvests; he pours contempt on princes and lifts the needy out of affliction. Fortunes rise and fall, the low are lifted and the high brought down, all under the governance of God. And then comes the closing line, a call to reflection: Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Notice how the psalm ends, not with a lesson about fate or luck, but with an invitation to see God's steadfast love threaded through all the ups and downs. The wise person, it says, looks at the reversals of life, the deserts turned to springs, the needy lifted up, and does not just see random change; they perceive the steadfast love of the LORD at work in it. Wisdom is the capacity to notice God's faithful love running through the whole story.

That is a fitting call for anyone who would reflect on their life. It is possible to look back over the changes, the hard seasons and the mercies, the losses and the liftings, and see only a jumble of circumstance. The psalm invites a wiser seeing: to attend to these things and trace, through them all, the steadfast love of God. Look back over your own reversals, and ask where God's faithful love has been at work in them. To see that is wisdom. Consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Lord, your psalm ends by calling the wise to attend to the reversals of life and to consider your steadfast love running through them all. Give me that wiser seeing. When I look back over my hard seasons and mercies, my losses and liftings, help me trace your faithful love at work in them, rather than seeing only a jumble of circumstance. Let me consider your steadfast love, and grow wise.