God is Good and Wonderful

"Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

Psalm 107:8

God's will is often viewed as a nebulous unknown.  We can wonder what God's will is for a particular situation and can be unsure of how to best pray.  Our confusion grows when we are confident what God's will is and it seems the furthest thing from reality.  God has richly blessed us with His word that speak of His unchanging character, provides examples which show God's will often involves suffering for people He loves, and give directives we can follow by His grace.

Psalm 107 is a beautiful song which extols the greatness and majesty of God.  Four times he repeats the same exhortation that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men.  The goodness of God is beyond reckoning and His wonderful works to us without precedent.  God's goodness is infinite, yet we are finite in our perishing state on earth.  We are ignorant, forgetful, and run out of ideas when there are countless aspects of God's wonderful character yet to be praised.

When I was learning mathematics in school, seeing examples of a formula or process helped me understand how to do the work properly myself.  Similar to how I was taught by my maths teachers and professors, the psalmist gives examples of God's goodness we ought to thank Him for, what His wonderful works look like, and how we put this into practice.  After each repetition of this longing for men to thank God the psalmist provides and example we can put into practice.  Here is a list of things God has done and ways we can thank Him:

• Psalm 107:8-9:  "Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! ⁹ For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness."
• Psalm 107:15-16:  "Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! ¹⁶ For He has broken the gates of bronze, and cut the bars of iron in two."
• Psalm 107:21-22:  "Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! ²² Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing."
• Psalm 107:31-32:  "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."

God satisfies and fills the hungry soul with goodness.  Our lives which were once empty have been satisfied with the Bread of Life Jesus Christ and the Living Water of the Holy Spirit.  There is nothing good in us and God graciously fills us with Himself.  Like the children of Israel who were in bondage, God has miraculously delivered us from bondage and hell.  We languished without hope of salvation until Jesus crushed the head of Satan and set us free.  These are just the edges of His good ways all who are in Christ have experienced.

In thankfulness for all the goodness God has shown us, we are to "sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and declare His works with rejoicing."  We may at times feel justified to complain about our troubles or trials, yet it is better and more fitting for us to give the LORD a sacrifice of praise and proclaim His works rejoicing.  When everything seems to be going wrong, God smiles upon us with everlasting love we should celebrate.  This rejoicing and exalting of God is fitting not only in private time with God but in the public assembly.  Singing, prayer, and personal testimony in public and in the congregation are fitting ways for us to extol God and exalt Him.

"Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"  Isn't our awesome God worthy of all the thanksgiving we can give?  Let us rejoice even our limited praise and thanks is accepted by our great God who loves us according to His grace.