Psalm 107:10-14 says, “10Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 12Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. 13Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.”
The Bible says, “…the wages of sin is death.” (See Romans 6:23) If we rebel against God and reject His counsel, it may be that we will find ourselves in serious trouble. It may be that we are about to reap sin’s wages. Perhaps we will find ourselves in a dark place, in the shadow of death, bound up in affliction. Things may look bleak and hopeless. When someone rebels against God’s words, God brings down their heart with labor. They fall down. There is no one to help them. Nothing they do works and no one they turn to can help them.
But God’s ear is still open. We have but to cry to Him in our trouble, and He will save us out of our distresses, bring us up out of darkness, rescue us out of the shadow of death, and break the bonds of our affliction. If we are humble and broken before God, He will hear us. Psalm 34:18 says, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” God will not turn away our prayer, if we cry to Him from a broken and humble heart.
“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (verse 15)
Why? Why should men praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men?
“For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.” (verse 16) Because, when people humble themselves before God and repent, He brings them out of the prisons their sinful actions had gotten them into. He sets us loose and raises us back up again.