Psalm 107:28 kjv
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psalm 107:28 nkjv
Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses.
Psalm 107:28 niv
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
Psalm 107:28 esv
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
Psalm 107:28 nlt
"LORD, help!" they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
Psalm 107 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 2:23-25 | ...cried out by reason of the bondage... God heard. | God hears the groans of His oppressed people. |
| Judg 3:9 | When they cried unto the LORD... he raised up... | God raises deliverers in response to Israel's cry. |
| 1 Sam 7:9 | ...cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him. | Samuel's prayer for deliverance was heard. |
| Psa 3:4 | I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me... | Personal testimony of God hearing prayer. |
| Psa 18:6 | In my distress I called upon the LORD... He heard. | David's cry in trouble, and God's powerful rescue. |
| Psa 34:6 | This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him... | God saves the afflicted who cry out to Him. |
| Psa 50:15 | Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee. | God's promise to deliver when called upon. |
| Psa 91:15 | He shall call upon me, and I will answer him... | God promises to answer and deliver those who call. |
| Psa 116:3-4 | ...sorrows of death compassed me... then called I. | Recounting deliverance from imminent death. |
| Psa 120:1 | In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. | God answers prayer from deepest distress. |
| Psa 142:1-2 | I cried unto the LORD with my voice... poured out my complaint. | Intense, personal prayer in anguish. |
| Jer 33:3 | Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee... | Prophetic assurance of God's responsive nature. |
| Jonah 2:1-2 | ...Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God... cried by reason. | Jonah's desperate prayer from inside the fish. |
| Lam 3:55-58 | I called upon thy name, O LORD... Thou drewest near. | God drawing near and hearing a suffering soul. |
| Deut 4:29-31 | ...if thou turn to the LORD thy God... he will not forsake. | Covenant promise: seeking God in distress leads to mercy. |
| 2 Chr 20:9 | ...when trouble cometh... if we cry... then thou wilt hear. | Trust in God's hearing in national crisis. |
| Neh 9:27 | In the time of their trouble... they cried... thou heardest. | Historical pattern of God hearing His people. |
| Matt 7:7-8 | Ask, and it shall be given... seek, and ye shall find... | New Testament principle of asking and receiving. |
| Rom 10:13 | For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. | Universal invitation and promise of salvation through calling. |
| Jas 5:13 | Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. | Exhortation to pray in affliction. |
| Heb 4:16 | ...come boldly unto the throne of grace... help in time of need. | Encouragement to seek divine help in times of need. |
| Phil 4:6-7 | Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer... | The antidote to anxiety is prayer to God. |
| Luke 18:7 | ...shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night. | God hears and will respond to persistent prayer. |
| Psa 77:1-2 | I cried unto God with my voice... in the day of my trouble. | Crying out to God when deeply troubled. |
Psalm 107 verses
Psalm 107 28 Meaning
This verse highlights God's swift and compassionate response to the desperate pleas of His people in times of extreme trouble. It signifies that when individuals cry out to the Lord in their anguish, He unfailingly hears and provides deliverance from their distresses, demonstrating His faithfulness and power.
Psalm 107 28 Context
Psalm 107 is a wisdom psalm that functions as a hymn of thanksgiving, celebrating the steadfast love (hesed) and wondrous works of God (nifla'ot) in delivering various groups of people from distress. The psalm highlights a repetitive four-part structure, often called "case studies," showcasing different human predicaments (wilderness wanderers, prisoners, the sick, and seafarers). For each group, there is a cycle: the people stray, they suffer due to their folly or circumstance, they cry out to the Lord, He delivers them, and they are then called to give thanks. Verse 28 serves as the recurring refrain or a direct statement of this central action – "Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses." While it appears within the section describing the seafarers (vv. 23-32) who face severe storms at sea, its essence summarizes the divine pattern of intervention throughout the entire psalm. Historically, this theme resonated deeply with an ancient Israelite audience who experienced God's deliverance from slavery in Egypt and numerous perils in the wilderness and the Promised Land. It directly counters any notion that God is indifferent or unable to help, affirming Him as the active, listening, and powerful Redeemer, unlike the powerless idols worshipped by surrounding cultures.
Word Analysis
- Then (וַיִּצְעֲקוּ, wa·yitz·'a·qu): This conjunction denotes a consequence or immediate sequence. It indicates the action that immediately followed their experience of severe trouble.
- they cried (צָעַק, tsa'aq): The Hebrew verb tsa'aq means to cry out, to call for help, to appeal urgently. It is a desperate, often loud and persistent cry, signifying helplessness and extreme need, far beyond a casual request. It often carries the nuance of injustice or deep affliction compelling the cry.
- unto the Lord (יְהוָה, YHWH): Refers to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. The definite article highlights that this cry is directed to the one true, sovereign, and personal God who is uniquely able to deliver, not a generic deity or idol. This is a cry of faith and desperate reliance on His specific character as a Redeemer.
- in their trouble (צָרָה, tsarah): The Hebrew term tsarah signifies a narrow place, straits, distress, anguish, affliction, or trouble. It implies being hemmed in, without escape, underscoring the severity of their predicament.
- and he delivered (הִצִּיל, hitzil): The Hebrew verb hitzil means to snatch away, rescue, save, or deliver. It implies swift and powerful action, often involving drawing someone out of danger or from the hand of an oppressor. It signifies an active divine intervention that reverses the situation.
- them: Refers directly back to "they," the suffering individuals or groups who had cried out. It emphasizes God's personal response to specific pleas.
- out of their distresses (מְצוּקוֹת, metzuqot): This word, often found in parallel with tsarah, also denotes straits, pressure, anguish, or severe trouble. It intensifies the description of their suffering, emphasizing the magnitude of the difficulty from which God rescued them. The plural form suggests multiple aspects or layers of their severe affliction.
Words-group analysis:
- "Then they cried unto the Lord": This phrase captures the essential act of turning to God in extremity. It shows a posture of dependence, where human solutions have failed, and the only hope lies in divine intervention. The urgency of "cried" underscores the depth of their desperation and helplessness.
- "in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses": This pairing dramatically illustrates the contrast between the dire human predicament ("trouble," "distresses") and the mighty, saving power of God ("he delivered"). It highlights the core theological truth that God is the rescuer who acts specifically in response to the cries of the afflicted, bringing them from a state of confinement and anguish to one of liberation and relief.
Psalm 107 28 Bonus section
The repetitive nature of the four-fold refrain throughout Psalm 107 (e.g., "Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses," followed by "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!") emphasizes that God's deliverance is an ongoing pattern, not an isolated event. This deliberate repetition serves as a powerful pedagogical tool, instructing every generation to recognize and rely on God's active involvement in human affairs. The psalm concludes with a call to discernment, "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD" (v. 43), suggesting that recognizing this pattern of crying out and God's deliverance is a mark of true wisdom.
Psalm 107 28 Commentary
Psalm 107:28 concisely encapsulates the central theological message of the entire psalm: God is a deliverer who responds to the earnest cries of those in trouble. This verse is not merely a description but an affirmation of God's character as One who hears, intervenes, and saves. It establishes a profound pattern of divine-human interaction: human desperation (trouble/distress) leads to earnest appeal (tsa'aq), which is met by divine deliverance (hitzil). The repetition of this theme throughout Psalm 107 reinforces its timeless truth, teaching believers to turn to the Lord in every crisis. It serves as an invitation to prayer and a testament to God's steadfast love, demonstrating that no situation is too dire for His powerful hand to rescue. It provides comfort, confidence, and direction for believers to trust in His readiness to act.