How does Psalm 107:11 highlight the consequences of rebelling against God's words? Setting the Scene Psalm 107 traces four snapshots of people in crisis and God’s rescuing love. Verses 10–12 zero in on prisoners in deep darkness, and verse 11 explains why they landed there. The Key Verse “because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.” — Psalm 107:11 Cause and Effect on Display • The effect is pictured first (v. 10): “darkness,” “shadow of death,” “prisoners in misery and chains.” • Verse 11 supplies the cause: rebellion against God’s words and contempt for His counsel. • The psalmist wants us to connect the dots: ignore God’s voice, and darkness follows. What Rebellion Looks Like • Treating God’s commands as suggestions. • Trusting human wisdom over the “counsel of the Most High.” • Persisting in self-rule even when truth is plainly spoken (cf. 1 Samuel 15:23). The Consequences Psalm 107 Highlights • Spiritual darkness—no light for the path (Isaiah 59:9–10). • Bondage—“chains” symbolize slavery to sin (John 8:34). • Isolation—“no one to help” (v. 12); rebellion cuts us off from godly community. • Crushing labor—God “humbled their hearts with hard labor,” a foretaste of judgment (Deuteronomy 28:47–48). Reinforced Across Scripture • Deuteronomy 28:15—disobedience invites a cascade of curses. • Proverbs 13:13—“He who despises instruction will pay the penalty.” • Jeremiah 2:19—“Your own evil will discipline you.” • Romans 6:23—the wages of sin remain “death,” but grace offers a better ending. Living Takeaway Psalm 107:11 serves as a sober reminder: when we shrug off God’s words, we step into darkness and bondage of our own making. The antidote is simple but profound—listen, trust, and obey, and the Redeemer who broke these prisoners’ chains still breaks ours today. |
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