Bible Commentaries

Ps 107:1-43.

Although the general theme of this Psalm may have been suggested by God's special favor to the Israelites in their restoration from captivity, it must be regarded as an instructive celebration of God's praise for His merciful providence to all men in their various emergencies. Of these several are given--captivity and bondage, wanderings by land and sea, and famine; some as evidences of God's displeasure, and all the deliverances as evidence of His goodness and mercy to them who humbly seek Him.

1, 2. This call for thankful praise is the burden or chorus (compare

Ps 107:8, 15,

&c.).

2. redeemed of the Lord--(compare

Isa 35:9, 10).

say--that is, that His mercy, &c.

hand of--or, "power of enemy."

3. gathered--alluding to the dispersion of captives throughout the Babylonian empire.

from the south--literally, "the sea," or, Red Sea

(Ps 114:3),

which was on the south.

4-7. A graphic picture is given of the sufferings of those who from distant lands returned to Jerusalem; or,

city of habitation--may mean the land of Palestine.

5. fainted--was overwhelmed

(Ps 61:3; 77:3).

8, 9. To the chorus is added, as a reason for praise, an example of the extreme distress from which they had been delivered--extreme hunger, the severest privation of a journey in the desert.

10-16. 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).

16. broken--literally, "shivered"

(Isa 45:2).