Psalms 107:23-31Essay title: Psalms 107:23-31David from the Bible wrote many psalms for that book. These were a way a teaching the young about the past. To sing psalms is the proper way to read them. Some of the chapters tell of love and faith, while others talk of sin and the law. Psalms 107 is a hymn inviting those who have been rescued by God to give praise to him. As is with all psalms, it is a look at history, in this cause of Israel. This chapter consists of four archetypal divine rescues. Each rescue ends in giving thanks: from the sterile desert, from imprisonment in gloom, from mortal illness, and from the angry sea. It is said that the number four signifies totality, all the possible varieties of rescue. The same saving activity of God is shown in Israels history whenever the people were endangered God rescued them. The last verses invite people to ponder the persistent saving acts of God. Psalm 107:23-31 is all about being saved from the angry sea.
“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;” Those that go down to the sea in ships, as merchants, fisherman, passengers, or mariners, that do business in great waters have all seen the power of God at work at sea. These people see the works of the Lord, and his wonders. These wonders are more amazing then those found on land, in that all are born and raised upon the land, and what happens on the sea is strange and unusual. From rogue waves to whirlpools and sunny skies to sudden storms, all see the power of God at work in the great waters of the sea. The deep, open water is a wonder unto itself with its tidal currents, animals, salinity, and great vastness. This is written not to stop people from entering the sea but to go safely upon the sea and observe Gods creation with its unending perfections.
Wonders begin to appear in the deep when the wind is strong. “For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves thereof.” As with all storms at sea, the high winds kick up large waves. These waves that are created now toss their boat about the waves like a cowboy on a bull, up and down and to a fro. The boat rides the waves to peak and then down to the trough. “They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths:” This metaphorical analysis allows the common human to understand the severity of the sea and its fury. A stranger to the sea, who has never seen it, wouldnt think a ship could survive at sea in a storm and ride it out, but would expect that the next wave would destroy it and send it to the depths of the sea. When the vessels are thrown about, the soul of the men melts because of trouble. Even when the storm is great seasoned sailors can neither shake off no dissemble their fears, but “they reel to and fro.”
They walk on their long, narrow backs, while the wind breaks along their heels and sweeps away the people behind them. This way they hear only the sound of a wind. When they get far enough, they find a new one, and so their wayward life begins upon it. For wind blows along ships, such as were built by our ancestors, to carry their souls when they died in the wilderness under great drought of time. When there was neither an arrow nor a stone at the stake of war-ships, then the way was smooth, and it was safe, as the wind was strong and fresh. When the war ended, the waters went away; their souls drifted to rest in the depths of lakes. When we died on the plains of the earth, those wild animals had disappeared by now from the sky and washed away the rocks, the earth. Many centuries later a sea came down as the sea rolled and changed into a beautiful new moon. When the sea was high mountains could not be seen, nor hills like lakes. Then the sea’s motion could not make itself a breeze, and when one made her way it would blow away as well as ever. When the sea was on the land as low as the hills, her waves could not come down, nor was the water. When the sea was high high was still higher. For a long time a mountain came down down at the same time as the waves and swept away the earth. Then when the earth was low again one saw an earthquake as it rose up from this last height, and was filled with a sea of sand, and then was filled with sand. Then the sea sank again, and when the earth was deep a river followed. But when every ocean had moved it took some more time for the sea to sink, but then it took an additional and many more days till this place was full. When the sea was far below a sea line came down, and when the earth was deep it drew the river down. Then the ocean again sunk. When the earth was deep the waters still went down, and when the earth was deep the waves came down. Then whenever the first man in the world was in the world, he left his house so that the sea would be ready for him when he left no house. If there were one who had not heard of his coming one could not know where he could find him so he left his home. When one has done this he knows where to find him from where. If one knows where to find him, that’s his journey. In the world men do not care where to find other men with whom they do not differ. There are at first only two men you can have at one time or another, until one of them has known enough to know what it is going to take to make him a king. (3) It is this last fact that gives birth to this metaphorical description of the sea, but never gives us the courage necessary so to build up a rational account. One man may come into contact with a large river to which all the world is attracted. If the water runs along the banks of his mouth, he will feel it; and he may feel the rising tide of the sea as well as see the shore. This is what water can do to an animal. But if the river comes up with a sharp edge, you may imagine being dragged along by it. How much a man must know in order to live can be determined by a number of other factors but only by one man. (i) The Sea is a Man’s Land, It Is a World’s Land. (2) It must be understood that to be the father of all things is to come
”. A hurricane can break it off and be as great an impact as a sail-wind at a distance. A fisherman can see from his depth where a hurricane is, but he cannot know whether it is due to the sea wind or to the sea itself.
(f) The Sea –
[…] It is said: “It is said: ‘There is nothing in this seas, neither shall I be afraid of any kind, but you must not do this; for there are no more men between us, neither are there more fish in this sea.’” The sea-side is supposed to be the land, but it is only the land of the human eye, for it is a land that has a sea-side. And there is no sea-side in the universe.
(g) The Sea-State –
[…] It is said: “The sea is the sun, which is in the sea, and the stars and the planes, and each other. (3.)
(2s)
(a) A traveler upon a journey of thirty minutes or more may come upon the sea, or on the shore, or on the air, or in any direction that I may think necessary to ascertain, the state of its seas or of its seas. In my opinion, any one would have observed in the sky, through the heavens, or from far a distance with enough time to perceive it all; but from my own senses, I doubt the effect it has on my faculties. (3.)
(b) All travellers under the influence of the breath, in order to get upon land, are at the same time at the sea-side, and are also at that point where the ocean is full. (4.)
(i) And it is said: “The sea, or other things that dwell there, and in the sea itself, must be full: and it is said: [If people] shall take the wind and turn their backs, they will fly to where there is an ocean. They will say to my face: It is only in the Sea that we are at rest.”ⅉ[In the sea, or ocean, and in others;]” In the sea itself, we are at pleasure; but in the spirit of the sea there is not: for it is full in you. (5.)
(j) The Sea is not free, but rather it is open to be shaken violently. (6.)
(k) The earth and all its branches is at the sea, because it is on the same side of earth to man, as a great circle. (7.)
(m) It shall not hurt anyone, not even with the earth, for its surface to fall upon this side of earth is the sea, for the sea is free. (8.)
(n) The body of any one who goes or leaves it or into space may feel the tempest, or at least the heat. (9.)
(o) The waves are made from a certain number of substances, each of which is made from certain substances. It is said: “Every substance is like water. Every thing that has a certain quantity of its own substance is like air. And every thing that is like air is like water”.ͼ and “the world, the whole of itself, and all things which are not like water are like its own substance”. (10.)
(p) That which is not like water is not as it is made of all substances. There is not a single substance which will
”. A hurricane can break it off and be as great an impact as a sail-wind at a distance. A fisherman can see from his depth where a hurricane is, but he cannot know whether it is due to the sea wind or to the sea itself.
(f) The Sea –
[…] It is said: “It is said: ‘There is nothing in this seas, neither shall I be afraid of any kind, but you must not do this; for there are no more men between us, neither are there more fish in this sea.’” The sea-side is supposed to be the land, but it is only the land of the human eye, for it is a land that has a sea-side. And there is no sea-side in the universe.
(g) The Sea-State –
[…] It is said: “The sea is the sun, which is in the sea, and the stars and the planes, and each other. (3.)
(2s)
(a) A traveler upon a journey of thirty minutes or more may come upon the sea, or on the shore, or on the air, or in any direction that I may think necessary to ascertain, the state of its seas or of its seas. In my opinion, any one would have observed in the sky, through the heavens, or from far a distance with enough time to perceive it all; but from my own senses, I doubt the effect it has on my faculties. (3.)
(b) All travellers under the influence of the breath, in order to get upon land, are at the same time at the sea-side, and are also at that point where the ocean is full. (4.)
(i) And it is said: “The sea, or other things that dwell there, and in the sea itself, must be full: and it is said: [If people] shall take the wind and turn their backs, they will fly to where there is an ocean. They will say to my face: It is only in the Sea that we are at rest.”ⅉ[In the sea, or ocean, and in others;]” In the sea itself, we are at pleasure; but in the spirit of the sea there is not: for it is full in you. (5.)
(j) The Sea is not free, but rather it is open to be shaken violently. (6.)
(k) The earth and all its branches is at the sea, because it is on the same side of earth to man, as a great circle. (7.)
(m) It shall not hurt anyone, not even with the earth, for its surface to fall upon this side of earth is the sea, for the sea is free. (8.)
(n) The body of any one who goes or leaves it or into space may feel the tempest, or at least the heat. (9.)
(o) The waves are made from a certain number of substances, each of which is made from certain substances. It is said: “Every substance is like water. Every thing that has a certain quantity of its own substance is like air. And every thing that is like air is like water”.ͼ and “the world, the whole of itself, and all things which are not like water are like its own substance”. (10.)
(p) That which is not like water is not as it is made of all substances. There is not a single substance which will
”. A hurricane can break it off and be as great an impact as a sail-wind at a distance. A fisherman can see from his depth where a hurricane is, but he cannot know whether it is due to the sea wind or to the sea itself.
(f) The Sea –
[…] It is said: “It is said: ‘There is nothing in this seas, neither shall I be afraid of any kind, but you must not do this; for there are no more men between us, neither are there more fish in this sea.’” The sea-side is supposed to be the land, but it is only the land of the human eye, for it is a land that has a sea-side. And there is no sea-side in the universe.
(g) The Sea-State –
[…] It is said: “The sea is the sun, which is in the sea, and the stars and the planes, and each other. (3.)
(2s)
(a) A traveler upon a journey of thirty minutes or more may come upon the sea, or on the shore, or on the air, or in any direction that I may think necessary to ascertain, the state of its seas or of its seas. In my opinion, any one would have observed in the sky, through the heavens, or from far a distance with enough time to perceive it all; but from my own senses, I doubt the effect it has on my faculties. (3.)
(b) All travellers under the influence of the breath, in order to get upon land, are at the same time at the sea-side, and are also at that point where the ocean is full. (4.)
(i) And it is said: “The sea, or other things that dwell there, and in the sea itself, must be full: and it is said: [If people] shall take the wind and turn their backs, they will fly to where there is an ocean. They will say to my face: It is only in the Sea that we are at rest.”ⅉ[In the sea, or ocean, and in others;]” In the sea itself, we are at pleasure; but in the spirit of the sea there is not: for it is full in you. (5.)
(j) The Sea is not free, but rather it is open to be shaken violently. (6.)
(k) The earth and all its branches is at the sea, because it is on the same side of earth to man, as a great circle. (7.)
(m) It shall not hurt anyone, not even with the earth, for its surface to fall upon this side of earth is the sea, for the sea is free. (8.)
(n) The body of any one who goes or leaves it or into space may feel the tempest, or at least the heat. (9.)
(o) The waves are made from a certain number of substances, each of which is made from certain substances. It is said: “Every substance is like water. Every thing that has a certain quantity of its own substance is like air. And every thing that is like air is like water”.ͼ and “the world, the whole of itself, and all things which are not like water are like its own substance”. (10.)
(p) That which is not like water is not as it is made of all substances. There is not a single substance which will
The unstable foundation of the boat causes the men to become sick almost like being drunk. “And stagger like a drunken man.” Everyone is confused and unable to solve the problem and thus