Psalms 107
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The writer complains of his virulent enemies, on whom he imprecates God's righteous punishment, and to a prayer for a divine interposition in his behalf appends the expression of his confidence and a promise of his praises. This Psalm is remarkable for the number and severity of its imprecations. Its evident typical character (compare Psa 109:8) justifies the explanation of these already given, that as the language of David respecting his own enemies, or those of Christ, it has respect not to the penitent, but to the impenitent and implacable foes of good men, and of God and His cause, whose inevitable fate is thus indicated by inspired authority. (Psa. 109:1-31) God of my praise--its object, thus recognizing God as a certain helper. Be not silent (compare Psa 17:13; Psa 28:1).
Open source ↗O give thanks unto the Lord,.... As all men should do, at all times and for all things; the psalm begins as the former does, and gives the same reasons for thanksgiving. For he is good; and does good, and is the author of all good. For his mercy endureth for ever; and men in every age are partakers of it.
Open source ↗The introit, with the call upon them to grateful praise, is addressed to the returned exiles. The Psalm carries the marks of its deutero-Isaianic character on the very front of it, viz.: "the redeemed of Jahve," taken from Isa 62:12, cf. Psa 63:4; Psa 35:9.; קבּץ as in Isa 56:8, and frequently; "from the north and from the sea," as in Isa 49:12 : "the sea" (ים) here (as perhaps there also), side by side with east, west, and north, is the south, or rather (since ים is an established usus loquendi for the west) the south-west, viz., the southern portion of the Mediterranean washing the shores of Egypt. With this the poet associates the thought of the exiles of Egypt, as with וּממּערב the exiles of the islands, i.e., of Asia Minor and Europe; he is therefore writing at a period in which the Jewish state newly founded by the release of the Babylonian exiles had induced the scattered fellow-countrymen in all countries to return home. Calling upon the redeemed ones to give thanks to God the Redeemer in order that the work of the restoration of Israel may be gloriously perfected amidst the thanksgiving of the redeemed ones, he forthwith formulates the thanksgiving by putting the language of thanksgiving of the ancient liturgy (Jer 33:11) into their mouth. The nation, now again established upon the soil of the fatherland, has, until it had acquired this again, seen destruction in every form in a strange land, and can tell of the most manifold divine deliverances. The call to sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving is expanded accordingly into several pictures portraying the dangers of the strange land, which are not so much allegorical, personifying the Exile, as rather exemplificative.
Open source ↗Here is, I. A general call to all to give thanks to God, Psa 107:1. Let all that sing this psalm, or pray over it, set themselves herein to give thanks to the Lord; and those that have not any special matter for praise may furnish themselves with matter enough from God's universal goodness. In the fountain he is good; in the streams his mercy endures for ever and never fails. II. A particular demand hereof from the redeemed of the Lord, which may well be applied spiritually to those that have an interest in the great Redeemer and are saved by him from sin and hell. They have, of all people, most reason to say that God is good, and his mercy everlasting; these are the children of God that were scattered abroad, whom Christ died to gather together in one, out of all lands, Joh 11:52; Mat 24:31. But it seems here to be meant of a temporal deliverance, wrought for them when in their distress they cried unto the Lord, Psa 107:6. Is any afflicted? Let him pray. Does any pray? God will certainly hear and help. When troubles become extreme that is man's time to cry; those who but whispered prayer before then cry aloud, and then it is God's time to succour. In the mount he will be seen. 1. They were in an enemy's country, but God wrought out their rescue: He redeemed them from the hand of the enemy (Psa 107:2), not by might or power, it may be (Zac 4:6), nor by price or reward (Isa 45:13), but by the Spirit of God working on the spirits of men. 2. They were dispersed as out-casts, but God gathered them out of all the countries whither they were scattered in the cloudy and dark day, that they might again be incorporated, Psa 107:3. See Deu 30:4; Eze 34:12. God knows those that are his, and where to find them. 3. They were bewildered, had no road to travel in, no dwelling place to…
Open source ↗Ps 107 This psalm is a hymn of praise to God the Redeemer. After an introduction exhorting the redeemed to praise God for his goodness (107:1-3), the psalmist brings together four case studies of people whom the Lord redeemed from adversity (107:4-32). He then sums up the Lord’s sovereignty (107:33-42) and concludes with an invitation to discern God’s unfailing love in all areas of life (107:43).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
יָדָה (yâdâh, H3034) — physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God טוֹב (ṭôwb, H2896) — good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the… חֵסֵד (chêçêd, H2617) — kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or… עוֹלָם (ʻôwlâm, H5769) — properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or…
Open source ↗גָּאַל (gâʼal, H1350) — to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative's property, marry his widow,… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), צַר (tsar, H6862) — narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble ;…
Open source ↗קָבַץ (qâbats, H6908) — to grasp, i.e. collect אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) מִזְרָח (mizrâch, H4217) — sunrise, i.e. the east מַעֲרָב (maʻărâb, H4628) — the west (as a region of the evening sun) צָפוֹן (tsâphôwn, H6828) — properly, hidden, i.e. dark; used only of the north as aquarter (gloomy and unknown) יָם (yâm, H3220) — a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the…
Open source ↗תָּעָה (tâʻâh, H8582) — to vacillate, i.e. reel or stray (literally or figuratively); also causative of both מִדְבָּר (midbâr, H4057) — a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also… יְשִׁימוֹן (yᵉshîymôwn, H3452) — a desolation דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb מָצָא (mâtsâʼ, H4672) — properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or… עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… מוֹשָׁב (môwshâb, H4186) — a seat; figuratively, a site; abstractly, a session; by extension an abode (the place or…
Open source ↗רָעֵב (râʻêb, H7457) — hungry (more or less intensely) צָמֵא (tsâmêʼ, H6771) — thirsty (literally or figuratively) נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… עָטַף (ʻâṭaph, H5848) — to shroud, i.e. clothe (whether transitive or reflex.); hence (from the idea of darkness)…
Open source ↗צָעַק (tsâʻaq, H6817) — to shriek; (by implication) to proclaim (an assembly) יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צַר (tsar, H6862) — narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble ;… נָצַל (nâtsal, H5337) — to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense מְצוּקָה (mᵉtsûwqâh, H4691) — narrowness, i.e. (figuratively) trouble
Open source ↗דָּרַךְ (dârak, H1869) — to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string abow (by treading on it in bending) יָשָׁר (yâshâr, H3477) — straight (literally or figuratively) דֶּרֶךְ (derek, H1870) — a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb יָלַךְ (yâlak, H3212) — to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses) עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… מוֹשָׁב (môwshâb, H4186) — a seat; figuratively, a site; abstractly, a session; by extension an abode (the place or…
Open source ↗יָדָה (yâdâh, H3034) — physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God חֵסֵד (chêçêd, H2617) — kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or… פָּלָא (pâlâʼ, H6381) — properly, perhaps to separate, i.e. distinguish (literally or figuratively); by… בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
Open source ↗שָׂבַע (sâbaʻ, H7646) — to sate, i.e. fill to satisfaction (literally or figuratively) שָׁקַק (shâqaq, H8264) — to course (like a beast of prey); by implication, to seek greedily נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4390) — to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) רָעֵב (râʻêb, H7457) — hungry (more or less intensely) טוֹב (ṭôwb, H2896) — good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the…
Open source ↗יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to… חֹשֶׁךְ (chôshek, H2822) — the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death,… צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmâveth, H6757) — shade of death, i.e. the grave (figuratively, calamity) אָסִיר (ʼâçîyr, H615) — bound, i.e. a captive עֳנִי (ʻŏnîy, H6040) — depression, i.e. misery בַּרְזֶל (barzel, H1270) — iron (as cutting); by extension, an iron implement
Open source ↗מָרָה (mârâh, H4784) — to be (causatively, make) bitter (or unpleasant); (figuratively) to rebel (or resist;… אֵמֶר (ʼêmer, H561) — something said אֵל (ʼêl, H410) — strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity) נָאַץ (nâʼats, H5006) — to scorn; עֵצָה (ʻêtsâh, H6098) — advice; by implication, plan; also prudence עֶלְיוֹן (ʻelyôwn, H5945) — an elevation, i.e. (adj.) lofty (compar.); as title, the Supreme
Open source ↗כָּנַע (kânaʻ, H3665) — properly, to bend the knee; hence, to humiliate, vanquish לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… עָמָל (ʻâmâl, H5999) — toil, i.e. wearing effort; hence, worry, wheth. of body or mind כָּשַׁל (kâshal, H3782) — to totter or waver (through weakness of the legs, especially the ankle); by implication,… עָזַר (ʻâzar, H5826) — to surround, i.e. protect or aid
Open source ↗זָעַק (zâʻaq, H2199) — to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God צַר (tsar, H6862) — narrow; (as a noun) a tight place (usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble ;… יָשַׁע (yâshaʻ, H3467) — properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to… מְצוּקָה (mᵉtsûwqâh, H4691) — narrowness, i.e. (figuratively) trouble
Open source ↗יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… חֹשֶׁךְ (chôshek, H2822) — the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death,… צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmâveth, H6757) — shade of death, i.e. the grave (figuratively, calamity) נָתַק (nâthaq, H5423) — to tear off מוֹסֵר (môwçêr, H4147) — properly, chastisement, i.e. (by implication) a halter; figuratively, restraint
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD: “For He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.”
Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.
For the LORD is good, and His loving devotion endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
The priests stood at their posts, as did the Levites with the musical instruments of the LORD, which King David had made for giving thanks to the LORD and with which David had offered praise, saying, “For His loving devotion endures forever.” Across from the Levites, the priests sounded trumpets, and all the Israelites were standing.
You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes.
Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.”