Psalms 107:13
in Psalms 107Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he saved them out of their distresses.
KJV
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
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This verse in Psalms 107
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThen they cried unto the Lord in their trouble,.... Their affliction, their hearts being brought down with labour, and they being and finding themselves in a state of darkness, in the shadow of death, in affliction and iron; or in soul troubles, under a sense of sin, and in a view of wrath and displeasure; under apprehensions of imminent danger, as the disciples in the storm; and therefore cry to the Lord, as they did, Lord, save us, we perish, Mat 8:
This site's exposition
prisoners in affliction and chains
on Psalms 107:10-16
The second rescue is prisoners in affliction and chains. They sat in darkness and the shadow of death, and this stanza names its own cause, rebellion against the words of God. He brought them out, and verse 16 breaks gates of bronze and bars of iron.
This site's exposition
He saved them from their distress
The prisoners cry out in their trouble in the same words as the wanderers of verse 6, and here He saved them from their distress. They had rebelled against the words of God in verse 11. The LORD still heard them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And they cried unto the Lord when they were troubled, and He delivered them out of their distresses" [Psalm 107:13]. They were freed from the second temptation. There remains that of weariness and loathing. But first see what He did for them when freed. "And He led them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bonds asunder" [Psalm 107:14].
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Prisoners have time to pray, who, when they were at liberty, could not find time; they see they have need of God's help, though formerly they thought they could do well enough without him. Sense will make men cry when they are in trouble, but grace will direct them to cry unto the Lord, from whom the affliction comes and who alone can remove it.
He brought them out of darkness into light, welcome light, and then doubly sweet and pleasant, brought them out of the shadow of death to the comforts of life, and their liberty was to them life from the dead,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble. Not a prayer till then. While there was any to help below they would not look above. No cries till their hearts were brought down and their hopes were all dead— then they cried, but not before. So many a man offers what he calls prayer when he is in good case and thinks well of himself, but in very deed the only real cry to God is that which is forced out of him by a sense of utter helplessness and misery.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Their sufferings were for their rebellion against (Ps 105:28) the words, or purposes, or promises, of God for their benefit. When humbled they cry to God, who delivers them from bondage, described as a dark dungeon with doors and bars of metal, in which they are bound in iron--that is, chains and fetters. shadow of death--darkness with danger (Ps 23:4).
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble. Not a prayer till then. While there was any to help below they would not look above. No cries till their hearts were brought down and their hopes were all dead— then they cried, but not before. So many a man offers what he calls prayer when he is in good case and thinks well of himself, but in very deed the only real cry to God is that which is forced out of him by a sense of utter helplessness and misery. We pray best when we are fallen on our faces in painful helplessness. And he saved them out of their distresses. Speedily and willingly he sent relief. They were long before they cried, but he was not long before he saved. They had applied everywhere else before they came to him, but when they did address themselves to him, they were welcome at once. He who saved men in the open wilderness can also save in the close prison: bolts and bars cannot shut him out, nor long shut in his redeemed ones.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble - This was the salutary effect which their afflictions produced: they began to cry to God for mercy and help; and God mercifully heard their prayer, and reversed their state; for,
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble - Compare Dan. 9. This is repeated in the psalm in Psa 107:6, Psa 107:13, Psa 107:19, Psa 107:28 - in all the divisions of the psalm except the last. See the notes at Psa 107:6.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּזְעֲק֣וּ | vaiyizaku | and they cried out | H2199 → | 73 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| יְ֭הוָה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בַּצַּ֣ר | batzar | when <the> it was distress | H6862 → | 109 times |
| לָהֶ֑ם | lahem | to them | ||
| מִ֝מְּצֻֽקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם | mimetzukoteihem | from troubles their | H4691 → | 7 times |
| יוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃ | yoshiem | he saved them | H3467 → | 206 times |
וַיִּזְעֲק֣וּand they cried out
vaiyizakuH2199 →73 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
יְ֭הוָהYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בַּצַּ֣רwhen <the> it was distress
batzarH6862 →109 times
לָהֶ֑םto them
lahem
מִ֝מְּצֻֽקוֹתֵיהֶ֗םfrom troubles their
mimetzukoteihemH4691 →7 times
יוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃he saved them
yoshiemH3467 →206 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 18:6In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
it leads to
- Psalms 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Samuel 22:7
In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried out to my God. And from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.
- Psalms 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- Psalms 130:1–2
Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD!
- Psalms 120:1
In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He answered me.
- Psalms 50:15
Through
Psalms 107:6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress.
it leads to
- Psalms 91:15
When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
- Jeremiah 29:12–14
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Hebrews 4:15–16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
- Psalms 91:15
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 107; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.