Psalms 107:39

39 And they were made few; and were travailed of tribulation of evils and of sorrow. (And then, they were made few; and were troubled with trials, and evils, and sorrow.)

Psalms 107:39 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 107:39

Again they are minished
Or "lessened", in their families, cattle, and substance; either the same persons as before, or others. The Targum paraphrases it,

``but when they sin, they are lessened:''

for sin is the cause of it, as follows:

and brought low through oppression, affliction and sorrow;
either because of their oppression of the poor, the evil they do to them, and the sorrow they bring upon them; or they are brought into a low estate through the tyranny and oppression of others, and by the afflictions and sorrows they are brought into by them. This may be applied to the Jews, at their destruction by the Romans, when they were greatly lessened and brought low by their oppression of them: or rather to the Christians; not under the Heathen persecutions, for then they increased more and more; but under antichristian tyranny, when the beast had power over them, and overcame and slew them; and their numbers were so reduced, that the whole world is said to wonder after the beast, ( Revelation 13:3 Revelation 13:7 Revelation 13:8 ) , and which will be the case again, when the witnesses will be slain: the number of Christians is greatly lessening now; there are but a few names in Sardis; Jacob is small, but will be smaller and fewer still.

Psalms 107:39 In-Context

37 And they sowed fields, and planted vines; and made fruit of birth. (And they sowed fields, and planted vines; and reaped a fruitful harvest.)

38 And he blessed them, and they were multiplied greatly (And he blessed them, and they were greatly multiplied); and he made not less their work beasts.

39 And they were made few; and were travailed of tribulation of evils and of sorrow. (And then, they were made few; and were troubled with trials, and evils, and sorrow.)

40 Strife was shed out on princes; and he made them for to err without the way, and not in the way. (And he poured out his contempt upon their enemies? leaders; and he made them to wander without a way, and to go not on the way.)

41 And he helped the poor man from poverty; and setted families as a sheep bringing forth lambs. (But he helped the poor out of their poverty; and made families to be like sheep bringing forth lambs.)