Psalm 107 20

Psalm 107:20 kjv

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Psalm 107:20 nkjv

He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.

Psalm 107:20 niv

He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

Psalm 107:20 esv

He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.

Psalm 107:20 nlt

He sent out his word and healed them,
snatching them from the door of death.

Psalm 107 verses

Psalm 107 20 Meaning

Psalm 107:20 proclaims the active and potent nature of God's divine intervention. It reveals that when humanity is in distress and cries out to the Lord, He responds by deploying His powerful "word" – an active decree or manifestation of His will. This divine word is portrayed as the direct instrument through which healing and deliverance from life-threatening circumstances or consequences of sin are achieved. It underscores God's sovereignty, His immediate capacity to restore, and His compassionate response to those in desperate need, particularly highlighting the restoration from illness or ruin caused by their foolish choices.

Psalm 107 20 Context

Psalm 107 is a grand hymn of thanksgiving that magnifies the steadfast love (hesed) of the Lord, which endures forever. It showcases four distinct scenarios where people face dire trouble due to their choices or circumstances, cry out to God, and are then miraculously delivered and restored by Him. These groups are: wanderers lost in the desert (vv. 4-9), prisoners bound in darkness (vv. 10-16), fools afflicted by their own sin and near death (vv. 17-22), and sailors caught in life-threatening storms (vv. 23-32).

Verse 20 falls within the third segment (vv. 17-22), focusing on those "fools because of their transgression and suffered affliction because of their iniquities" (v. 17). Their self-inflicted wounds led to severe sickness and brought them "near to the gates of death" (v. 18). Having reached their breaking point, they "cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distresses" (v. 19). Verse 20 specifically details how this salvation came about, emphasizing the instrumentality of God's powerful word. The healing and deliverance are comprehensive, covering both physical recovery and spiritual redemption from the dire consequences of their sinful choices. This psalm serves as a profound testimony to God's readiness to respond to repentant cries, revealing His constant nature as both deliverer and healer.

Psalm 107 20 Word analysis

• He sent (יִשְׁלַח, yishlach): From the root shalach, meaning "to send," "stretch out," or "release." This verb denotes a purposeful and active dispatch by God. It implies His immediate initiative and sovereign will, rather than a passive observation of distress. The sending of His word is a direct, targeted action to address the specific needs of those who cried out.

• His word (דְּבָרוֹ, devaro): From dabar, a rich Hebrew term meaning "word," "speech," "matter," "thing," "affair," or "decree." In a theological context, dabar refers to God's authoritative, creative, and powerful utterance. It is not merely communication but an active force. This divine word is portrayed as intrinsically linked to God's power and effective in achieving its purpose (Isa 55:11). In Christian theology, this word finds ultimate fulfillment in the personification of the Logos, Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14), who is God's ultimate healing and delivering presence.

• and healed them (וַיִּרְפָּאֵם, vayyirpa'em): From rapha, meaning "to heal," "restore," "make whole," "mend." This healing is not limited to physical restoration from sickness. In the context of the psalm's "fools" who were suffering from the consequences of their iniquity, it encompasses a holistic recovery—spiritual, mental, and physical. It points to God as the ultimate source of health and well-being.

• and delivered them (וַיַּצִּילֵם, vayyatzilēm): From natsal, meaning "to snatch away," "rescue," "deliver," "pull out." This emphasizes an urgent and forceful extraction from a perilous situation. It's a rescue from impending harm or death, signifying God's ability to extract His people from the most severe dangers.

• from their destructions (מִשְׁחִיתוֹתָם, mishkhitōtām): From shakhath (singular shakhath), meaning "pit," "destruction," "corruption," "decay," or "the grave." The plural form here (destructions, corruptions, pits) suggests multiple perils, depths of despair, or aspects of ruin. These are the life-threatening consequences of their actions, leading them to the brink of death. The term points to deep and dangerous decay, physically or morally.

• "He sent his word, and healed them": This phrase highlights God's sovereignty and His chosen method of intervention. The divine word is depicted not as an inert message but as an active, potent agent of transformation. This connection between God's word and healing is a consistent theme throughout Scripture, reflecting God's direct power over illness and suffering, often tied to His covenant name Yahweh-Rapha (Exod 15:26).

• "healed them, and delivered them from their destructions": This couplet stresses a two-fold act of divine grace: restoration (healing) and rescue (deliverance). "Destructions" implies the perilous, life-threatening states from which they were rescued, whether literal death, physical decay, or the spiritual corruption stemming from their transgressions. The word actively reverses the path of ruin they were on.

Psalm 107 20 Bonus section

• The phrase "sent His word" points to an immediate, non-physical intervention, indicating God's ability to act directly without tangible intermediaries, a characteristic of His omnipotence.
• The concept of God's dabar being inherently active and effective is fundamental to the biblical narrative, explaining creation (Gen 1), divine commands, prophecies, and miracles. This verse presents it as a saving, life-giving force.
• The "destructions" (shakhath) mentioned could represent the self-imposed traps or "pits" that result from sinful choices, leading to physical sickness and spiritual demise. God's word reaches even into the deepest, self-inflicted ruins to bring about rescue.
• The spiritual interpretation in Christian theology strongly links the "word" to Jesus Christ. Just as the word healed and delivered in the Old Testament, Christ's coming brought ultimate healing from sin and deliverance from the eternal pit of spiritual death (John 3:16-17; Rom 6:23).
• This verse provides great assurance for prayer, implying that God's word is poised and ready to be dispatched in response to the desperate cries of His people, whether for physical restoration or spiritual liberation.

Psalm 107 20 Commentary

Psalm 107:20 stands as a powerful testament to the sovereign efficacy of God's word. When people, particularly those entangled in the consequences of their foolishness, cried out in despair, God's response was not distant observation but active engagement through His definitive word. This "word" (dabar) is not a mere utterance; it embodies God's very nature, His authoritative decree, and His active power. It functions as the ultimate healing balm and the decisive agent of deliverance, reversing sickness, spiritual decay, and bringing salvation from impending ruin, aptly described as "destructions" or "pits." The verse shows God's immediate and comprehensive ability to restore those on the brink of death, emphasizing that all healing and rescue originate from Him. This foundational truth profoundly anticipates the Christian understanding of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh (John 1:1, 14), as the ultimate deliverer from sin and death, and the source of all spiritual and physical healing. It assures believers that God’s word remains potent and responsive to their cries, acting precisely where their human limitations or sin-induced predicaments reach their end.