Psalm 107:18 kjv
Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
Psalm 107:18 nkjv
Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death.
Psalm 107:18 niv
They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.
Psalm 107:18 esv
they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
Psalm 107:18 nlt
They couldn't stand the thought of food,
and they were knocking on death's door.
Psalm 107 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 107:17 | Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities... | Preceding verse; sin causes affliction. |
| Ps 107:19 | Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them... | Cry for help from distress. |
| Ps 107:20 | He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. | God's word brings healing and deliverance. |
| Ps 9:13 | ...consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: | God raises from the verge of death. |
| Ps 30:3 | O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave... | God rescues from the pit. |
| Ps 88:3-4 | For my soul is full of troubles... I am counted with them that go down into the pit. | Extreme distress near death. |
| Ps 102:4-5 | My heart is smitten...so that I forget to eat my bread... | Loss of appetite from overwhelming grief. |
| Ps 143:7 | Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like them that go down into the pit. | Fading spirit and proximity to death. |
| Job 33:22-23 | Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave... | Illustrates nearness to death. |
| Isa 38:10 | I said... I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. | Hezekiah's words facing imminent death. |
| 1 Kgs 21:4 | ...he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. | Ahab's loss of appetite from distress. |
| Num 11:18-20 | ...you shall eat meat... till it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: | Loathing food due to divine judgment/excess. |
| Deut 28:58-59 | ...the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. | Sickness as consequence of disobedience. |
| Prov 1:31 | Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. | Suffering is a consequence of foolish choices. |
| Lam 3:39 | Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? | Acknowledging suffering is due to sin. |
| Jer 17:14 | Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved... | Prayer for divine healing. |
| Mk 1:34 | And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases... | Jesus's power to heal all kinds of sickness. |
| Jas 5:15-16 | And the prayer of faith shall save the sick... Confess your faults one to another... and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. | Prayer, confession, and healing in community. |
| Gal 6:7 | Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. | Principle of consequences for actions. |
| Heb 12:5-6 | ...despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth... | Divine discipline for restoration. |
| 1 Cor 11:30 | For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. | Physical weakness and death due to unworthily partaking of the Lord's Supper. |
Psalm 107 verses
Psalm 107 18 Meaning
Psalm 107:18 vividly describes the dire state of those severely afflicted, often due to their own transgressions, who have fallen gravely ill. Their physical condition deteriorates to the point where they lose all desire for and even come to loathe food, a fundamental necessity for life. This extreme debility leads them to the very brink of death, metaphorically depicted as standing at the "gates of death," indicating their imminent peril and proximity to the grave. It illustrates a complete physical and mental collapse stemming from deep suffering.
Psalm 107 18 Context
Psalm 107 is a wisdom psalm, categorized as a thanksgiving psalm, celebrating the enduring mercy and deliverance of the LORD. It presents four distinct groups of people who find themselves in severe distress, cry out to the LORD, are delivered, and are called to give Him thanks. These groups are: wanderers in the desert (v. 4-9), prisoners in darkness (v. 10-16), the sick and afflicted due to their folly/sin (v. 17-22), and sailors caught in storms (v. 23-32). Verse 18 falls within the third section, specifically detailing the physical manifestation of the distress experienced by "fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities" (v. 17). This immediate context clarifies that the dire state described is often a consequence of rebellion against God or His ordinances, though the Psalm consistently highlights God's gracious response to their cry for help, culminating in healing and restoration. The repeated call to "praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men" emphasizes His delivering power.
Psalm 107 18 Word analysis
- Their soul: Hebrew: nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ). While often translated as "soul," nephesh encompasses the whole being—life, appetite, person, self. Here, it signifies their entire physical and internal constitution, implying that their very will to live and thrive is gone, affecting their core existence.
- abhorred: Hebrew: ta'eb (תָּעַב). To loathe, detest, consider an abomination. This is a very strong verb indicating a deep and visceral repulsion. It's not just a loss of appetite, but an active disgust, pointing to the severity of their sickness and internal disarray.
- all manner of food: Hebrew: kol-okhel (כָּל־אֹכֶל). Literally "all food." This emphasizes the totality of their aversion; no food appeals to them, irrespective of its type or appeal. This signifies complete anorexia nervosa, leading to physical deterioration.
- and they drew near: Hebrew: naga' (נָגַע). To touch, reach, come near, draw close. It implies arriving at or entering a proximity, suggesting they were on the threshold. This isn't just a slight approach but a direct encounter with the boundary.
- unto the gates: Hebrew: sha'are (שַׁעֲרֵי), plural construct of sha'ar (שַׁעַר), meaning "gate." Gates were significant structures in ancient cities, serving as points of entry, exit, judgment, and authority. Here, they represent the entrance point to a domain.
- of death: Hebrew: mawet (מָוֶת). This refers to physical death and the realm of the dead, Sheol (the grave or underworld in Old Testament thought).
Words-group analysis
- Their soul abhorred all manner of food: This phrase conveys a profound and complete loss of vitality and appetite. It’s not merely a physical symptom but a state where the life-force itself rejects sustenance, signaling a critical decline. This aversion is total and deep-seated, reflecting a body shutting down.
- and they drew near unto the gates of death: This is a powerful metaphor for being at the very precipice of dying. The "gates" signify the ultimate threshold, beyond which is the domain of death. It evokes a sense of irreversible proximity and the gravity of their condition, suggesting only a divine intervention could pull them back from the brink. It underlines the terminal nature of their illness if left unaddressed.
Psalm 107 18 Bonus section
The imagery in Psalm 107:18 powerfully communicates the extremity of human weakness when facing the consequences of sin and severe illness. This physical breakdown can also be a profound spiritual metaphor. Just as the body wastes away without nourishment, a soul can waste away without spiritual sustenance. An "abhorrence of spiritual food" – such as God's Word or fellowship – can similarly lead a person to the "gates of spiritual death," where joy, hope, and connection with God are lost. However, the Psalm's ultimate message is one of divine restoration: regardless of how dire the physical or spiritual state, the LORD's faithful response to a cry for help underscores His unfailing goodness and healing power, whether physically or spiritually. He brings back from destruction and renews life.
Psalm 107 18 Commentary
Psalm 107:18 depicts a grim reality of human suffering often self-inflicted by sin, yet equally amenable to God's miraculous intervention. The verse illustrates a natural consequence where rebellion against God leads to affliction so severe that it threatens life itself. The physical decay—manifested as an abhorrence for food and subsequent approach to "the gates of death"—is a direct reflection of internal and spiritual turmoil. This suffering reaches a critical point where human solutions fail, and the individual is left completely helpless, on the verge of physical demise. The Psalm then consistently shows that it is precisely at this hopeless juncture that the afflicted "cry out to the LORD," and He, in His mercy, responds with deliverance, sending "His word" (Ps 107:20) to heal. This portrays God's compassionate nature, ever ready to rescue even those whose plight is due to their own folly, demonstrating that no state of despair is beyond His saving power.