Text:

"1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble 3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. 4 Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; 5 hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. 6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,     and he delivered them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. 8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. 10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, 11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,  and spurned the counsel of the Most High. 12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. 13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. 15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 16 For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron. 17 Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; 18 they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. 19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 20 He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. 21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy! 23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; 24 they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. 25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,   which lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; 27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits' end. 28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 29 He made the storm be still,  and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. 31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! 32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 33 He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, 34 a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. 35 He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. 36 And there he lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; 37 they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield. 38 By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their livestock diminish. 39 When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, 40 he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; 41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. 42 The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth. 43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord."

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Lexicon:

vs. 1 - endures forever ('owlam) - "long duration, futurity, everlasting, perpetual, always, continual existence, indefinite or unending future"

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vs. 2 - redeemed (ga'al) - "ransomed, to be bought back, required the penalty of bloodshed"

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vs. 6 - cried (tsa'aq) - "to make a clamour, to call for help, to call together, to make an outcry, to cry aloud"

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vs. 6 - delivered (natsal) - "to snatch away, to rescue, to save, to recover, to deliver from sin and guilt/troubles and enemies, to pull out, to preserve, to strip off something"

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vs. 9 - satisfies (saba') - "to be filled, to have in excess, to have enough, to have one's desire satisfied"

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vs. 9 - fills (male') - "abundance, to be accomplished or ended, to consecrate, to be fulfilled"

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vs. 9 - good things (towb) - "valuable in estimation, kind, pleasant, agreeable, benefit, welfare, happiness, prosperity, cheerfulness"

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vs. 14 - brought them out (yatsa') - "to lead out, to deliver, to carry out, to cause to go out or come forth"

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vs. 14 - burst (nathaq) - "to pull or tear apart, to be snapped in two, to be broken"

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vs. 20 - healed (rapha') - "to sew together, to mend, to make healthful, to make whole, to cure"

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vs. 29 - be still (demamah) - "whisper, calm, quiet, silence"

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vs. 29 - hushed (chashah) - "to hold peace, be quiet, be still, to be inactive, to rest, to keep silence"

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vs. 43 - consider (shamar) - "to observe, to keep, to guard, to give heed, to watch and wait for, to hedge about as with thorns, to protect and preserve"

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vs. 43 - steadfast love (checed) - "goodness, kindness, faithfulness, desire/ardour, zeal toward anyone, to turn or incline kindness upon anyone, the grace/favor/mercy of God"

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What does this reveal about God's character?

God is our Redeemer.  He rescued and delivered us from sin and death.  God is our all in all.  He satisfies what our souls long for with Himself.  He abundantly gives good things to His children.  God is our Jehovah Rapha - our Healer.  He makes us whole again in Himself.  God is our protector.  He quiets the raging storms and gives peace in the midst.  

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Questions:

1) We have each been redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Have I accepted this redemption and salvation?  Please visit our Resources page to do so.

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2) In what ways do I declare the goodness of the Lord?  In what other ways can I make known His goodness to those around me?

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3) What are the longings of my soul?  (This is not a longing of material things, but a longing of substantial, lasting desires).

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4) Do I look to God to fulfill and satisfy the desires of my heart?  Or am I looking to temporal things to satiate and fill the holes?

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5) Have a sought healing from the Lord?  The sin and subsequent brokenness in the world tears us down and hurts us.  We are each broken in some way and need the healing and wholeness of the Lord to fully live out our God-given destiny and to boldly proclaim His glory and goodness.

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6) What storms are raging , either around or within me, that I need the Lord to quiet?  Come to Him in prayer with your requests and feelings; seek His peace by dwelling in His presence; and, receive His love and grace that will empower and strengthen you to keep going, no matter the circumstances.

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Prayer:

Father God, thank you for your Word and the assurance, peace and direction it gives.  Thank you for the salvation and redemption of my soul through Jesus.  Let me live and walk from a place of redemption, never forgetting the sacrifice Jesus made for me and always displaying your glory to others in my words and actions. Give me the boldness to proclaim your name and your goodness to those you place in my path.  Father, I come before you today and ask you to fulfill the longings of my soul.  Only you can truly satisfy what my soul longs for.  I pray you would give me the wisdom and grace to seek you, rather than simply the things of you. Strengthen my resolve to turn to you alone and not to temporal, material things to fill the holes of my heart. Lord, I am a broken and imperfect person.  I ask you to transform and mend my heart and mind - to make me whole and complete in you.  I realize that apart from you, I cannot be whole.  Father, thank you for your healing. Today, I ask you to help me with the storms that are raging in and around me (name what you wrote in question 6).  I ask your peace to surround and fill me.  I ask that you grant me the grace and strength to keep going and the steadfastness to keep my eyes fixed on you through it all.  Go with me and before me.  In Jesus' name, Amen.