Psalms 107:16

16 He shattered the heavy jailhouse doors, he snapped the prison bars like matchsticks!

Psalms 107:16 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 107:16

For he hath broken the gates of brass
The prison doors made of brass, as sometimes of iron, for the security of the prisoners; see ( Acts 12:10 ) . And cut the bars of iron in sunder; with which they were barred and secured. Hyperbolical phrases these, as Kimchi, expressing how exceeding strong the prison doors were, and the impossibility of an escape out of them, unless the Lord had delivered them; but when he works, none can let; all obstructions are easily removed by him; which is the sense of the words, see ( Isaiah 45:2 ) . Vitringa, on ( Revelation 12:2 ) , interprets this of the subjection of the Roman emperors to the faith and obedience of Christ.

Psalms 107:16 In-Context

14 He led you out of your dark, dark cell, broke open the jail and led you out.
15 So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;
16 He shattered the heavy jailhouse doors, he snapped the prison bars like matchsticks!
17 Some of you were sick because you'd lived a bad life, your bodies feeling the effects of your sin;
18 You couldn't stand the sight of food, so miserable you thought you'd be better off dead.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.