Image courtesy YouVersion Bible App
Minister’s Letter – 15 October 2026
Friends in Christ, this morning I was reading Psalm 107. I was struck by three things.
Firstly by the wonderfully simple way it begins in v1.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures for ever.
Psalm 107 begins the fifth of five divisions or books within the overall Book of Psalms. Interestingly, the first verse of the final psalm (#106) of the previous Book IV also includes exactly the same words.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures for ever.
A common saying I’ve heard among Aboriginal Christians is this: “God is good all the time. All the time God is good.”
And central to his goodness is his love. Other translations describe it as “steadfast love” (ESV) or “faithful love” (CSB). That’s also why it is natural to declare that God’s love endures for ever. It won’t change or fail or decay. God will alway keep his promises. No matter how bad things seem, no plan of God’s can ever be thwarted.
Thank him for this. That’s the most basic response that you must never outgrow.
Secondly, in Psalm 107, I noticed a common refrain in vv6, 13, 19 and 28.
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
The troubles were many and various, most often caused, at least in part, by people’s own sin. But the characteristic response of those who belong to God is to call out to him in trouble. This is often connected to repentance. It’s like when the Prodigal Son turns for home and throws himself on the mercy and kindness of the Father, who is already waiting and ready to do more than the unworthy son deserved or ever imagined was likely.
Thirdly I noticed the categories of people who cried out to God for salvation:
the hungry, thirsty wanderers (vv4-5),
imprisoned rebels against God’s will (vv10-12),
afflicted fools (vv17-18),
courageous reverent initiators (i.e. merchant navy traders, vv23-24.
Even people in the latter, apparently worthy category ran to the end of their resources and self-sufficiency in the face of the massive (and literal) storms of life!
It’s also worth saying that when this Psalm says in v29, that “He (i.e. God) stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed”, we should immediately think of the Lord Jesus stilling a storm with a word, a storm so serious that his disciples, including professional fishermen, were crazy afraid would drown them.
Jesus does what only God can do. He saves or delivers those who cry out to him in distress. His steadfast love endures for ever.
Give thanks to the Lord Jesus for he is good.
Warmly in Christ,
Sandy Grant
Dean of Sydney