Psalms 107:19-29

19 And they cried to the Lord, when they were set in tribulation; and he delivered them from their needinesses. (And they cried to the Lord, when they were in trouble; and he saved them from all their distress.)

20 He sent his word, and healed them; and delivered them from the perishings of them (and saved them from death).

21 The mercies of the Lord, acknowledge to him; and his marvels to the sons of men. (Give thanks to the Lord for his constant love; and for the marvellous deeds which he hath done, for the sons and daughters of men.)

22 And offer they the sacrifice of praising; and tell they his works with full out joying. (And offer they the sacrifice of praise; and tell they about his works with rejoicing.)

23 They that go down into the sea in ships; and make working in many waters. (And let others go down to the sea in ships; and do their work/and ply their trade in many waters.)

24 They saw the works of the Lord; and his marvels in the depth. (And they saw the works of the Lord; and his marvellous deeds in the depths of the sea.)

25 He said, and the spirit of tempest stood; and the waves thereof were areared. (He spoke, and the wind of the tempest stood still; and its waves were lifted up high.)

26 They ascend till to heavens, and go down unto the depths; the soul of them failed in evils. (They were lifted up to the heavens, and then brought down to the depths; and their souls failed because of their troubles, yea, they lost all hope, or all courage.)

27 They were troubled, and they were moved as a drunken man; and all the wisdom of them was devoured. (They were troubled, and they staggered around like drunken men; and all their wisdom, or all their skill, had fled.)

28 And they cried to the Lord, when they were set in tribulation; and he led them out of their needinesses. (And they cried to the Lord, when they were in trouble; and he saved them from all their distress.)

29 And he ordained the tempest thereof into a soft wind, either peaceability; and the waves thereof were still(ed).

Psalms 107:19-29 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 107

This psalm, from its style, and from its connection with the preceding psalms, seems to have been written by David. The two foregoing psalms respect the children of Israel; this is generally thought to concern all mankind, and its view to assert a general providence which attends all, in whatsoever condition and circumstance; and to encourage men in their distresses to cry unto the Lord. According to Kimchi, Aben Ezra, and others, four sorts of persons are mentioned, travellers through a wilderness, prisoners, sick persons, and such who use the seas; to which some add a fifth, husbandmen; these are instanced in, not to the exclusion of others, but from them it may be concluded that whatsoever state or condition persons may be in, they are known and taken notice of by the Lord, and are relieved by him when they call upon him. Some restrain the whole to the Israelites, as the Targum, R. Obadiah, Arama, and others, where they make any application; and others apply the psalm to New Testament times; and indeed, though the literal sense should be attended unto and preserved, yet it seems to be applicable to spiritual persons and things. The title of it in the Syriac version is pretty remarkable,

``it is said concerning Joab and Abiah the sons of Samuel, who recited the commandments of the Lord. God gathered the Jews out of captivity, and brought them out from Babylon. Also the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, gathered the Gentiles from the four corners of the world, by preaching to baptism.''