John Calvin Commentary Psalms 107:23

"They that go down to the sea in ships, That do business in great waters;" — Psalms 107:23 (ASV)

They that go down to the sea in ships. Here we have another instance of God’s superintending care towards mankind pointed out by the prophet, exemplified in bringing those who are shipwrecked to the harbor. This is as if God had raised them from the depth and darkness of the tomb and brought them to live in the light of day.

I do not understand what is said here about those who are accustomed to navigate the ocean seeing the wonders of God, as referring generally to the many wonderful things with which it abounds. Such persons are well suited to bear witness to the works of God, because they behold there more vast and various wonders than are to be seen on earth. But it seems preferable to me to connect this with the following context, where the prophet is his own interpreter and shows how suddenly God raises and calms the tempest.

The sum of the matter is that the passage aims to point out that the lives of those who navigate the seas are often in great jeopardy from the storms they encounter; because, as often as the ocean heaves and is agitated, and the billows rise and rage, so often does death stare them in the face.

But he provides us with a still more vivid picture of God’s providence. For in telling us that the sea does not on its own rise into a tempest, he uses the verb he speaks, implying that the word and providence of God cause the winds to blow and agitate the sea.

Indeed, mariners may imagine from certain phenomena that a storm is approaching, but sudden changes proceed only from the secret appointment of God. Therefore, the prophet does not merely give a historical narrative of how squalls and storms arise. Instead, taking on the character of a teacher, he begins with the cause itself and then directs attention to the imminent danger with which the tempest is fraught—or rather, he portrays, as in a picture, the image of death—so that God’s goodness may appear more conspicuous when the tempest happily ceases without any loss of life.

They mount up, he says, to the heavens, they descend into the deeps; this is as if to say that they mount up into the air, where their lives might be destroyed, and then they tumble down towards the caverns of the ocean, where they may be drowned.

Next, he mentions the fears that torment them, or rather that may deprive them of understanding. By these words, he implies that however skillfully mariners may steer their vessels, they might be deprived of their senses. Being thus paralyzed, they cannot avail themselves of help, even if it is at hand.

For though they use all their tackling, cast their sounding line into the deep, and unfurl their sails to all points, yet after every attempt has been made and all human skill is baffled, they give themselves up to the mercy of wind and wave.

When all hope of safety is cut off, they employ no further means. And now that all human aid fails, they cry out to God for deliverance, which is convincing evidence that they had been, as it were, dead.