Practicing Gratitude (Psalm 107) | God In The Highs And Lows | Mike Kelsey

Main message: Psalm 107 is a communal song of thanksgiving that gathers varied testimonies of God’s rescuing love — lost, captive, sick, and endangered at sea — to call the people to praise the Lord for his steadfast goodness. The preacher urges Christians to recognize and share how God has been good to them, remembering that gratitude increases when it's expressed together.

Key points:

• Psalm 107 celebrates God’s steadfast love through four patterned testimonies (problem → cry → deliverance → call to praise).
• The four stories: the wandering and thirsty who are led and fed; the enslaved who are freed; the sick who are healed; sailors in a storm whom God calms.
• The psalm’s repeated refrain (e.g., v.8, 15, 21, 31; close v.43) invites communal praise and reflection on God’s mercies.
• Gratitude is both personal and corporate — shared praise magnifies joy (illustrated by “collective effervescence”).
• The preacher connects these testimonies to the gospel: different stories but the same Savior — Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the ultimate grounds of our redemption and shared story.
• Practical application: take time to thank God personally for recent goodness and be prepared to testify publicly about what God has done.

Scriptures mentioned: Psalm 107, 1 Peter 2:24