Psalms 105:18 Meaning Explained

Psalms 105:18

His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron;

English Standard Version (ESV)

The text emphasizes not just Joseph's physical suffering in chains, but the profound impact it had on his entire being, stating "his soul entered into iron." This poetic phrasing highlights the deep emotional and psychological toll of unjust imprisonment, showing how the suffering penetrated Joseph's innermost self.

What Psalms 105:18 means

The psalmist is recounting the story of Joseph, highlighting God's providential care even through severe hardship. This verse specifically describes Joseph's unjust imprisonment, emphasizing the physical suffering and emotional distress he endured after being falsely accused and thrown into a dungeon. The passage moves from the famine God sent to the betrayal of Joseph by his brothers, setting the stage for his suffering and ultimate exaltation.

The Weight of Iron Chains

The verse paints a vivid picture of Joseph's suffering, but what does 'laid in iron' truly imply?

Psalms 105:18 describes Joseph's feet being hurt with fetters and his neck put in a collar of iron. While Genesis 40:3 simply states he was 'bound,' the psalmist uses powerful language to convey the severity of his imprisonment.

Beyond Physical Restraint

Scholars discuss whether the Hebrew implies the iron entered his soul or if his soul came into iron. Regardless of the precise grammatical nuance, the emphasis is clear: this wasn't just physical confinement. The psalmist is highlighting the deep emotional and spiritual anguish Joseph endured.

The Soul Suffers More: The 'soul' here represents Joseph's entire being – his emotions, his will, his very person. The iron signifies a suffering so profound that it penetrated his innermost self, causing immense grief, degradation, and despair.
A Glimpse of God's Providence: Even in this darkest hour, we see God's hand at work. The psalmist doesn't just recount Joseph's suffering; he frames it within God's overarching plan (as seen in verses 17 and 19), showing that even severe trials serve a divine purpose.

Suffering as a Divine Test

Joseph's imprisonment was brutal, but the psalmist connects it to something deeper: a test from God.

The passage in Psalm 105 doesn't present Joseph's suffering as random or meaningless. Instead, it suggests a purpose behind the pain, particularly in verse 19, 'Until the time that his word came; the word of the LORD tried him.'

God's Word as a Proving Ground

This verse points to a crucial theological concept: God uses trials to test and refine His people.

God's Appointed Time: The phrase 'Until the time that his word came' signifies that Joseph's suffering had a divinely appointed end. His release and exaltation would happen at God's perfect timing, not a moment sooner.

Understand the original words

Original language

fettersכֶּבֶל

kebhel · Hebrew Noun

Instruments of binding, representing physical confinement, restriction, and the state of being restrained from one's own will or calling.

Historical context

Written: Likely composed between the 10th and 5th centuries BC.
Author: Traditionally attributed to David, though some scholars suggest later authorship.
Location: Written from Jerusalem, likely during the time of David or the early monarchy.
Genre: Poetry (specifically a psalm) with strong narrative elements, utilizing vivid imagery and parallelism.

Historical background

This verse vividly portrays Joseph's suffering in prison, emphasizing not just physical chains but the deep emotional and spiritual anguish he endured. The Psalmist uses this harsh reality to underscore God's faithfulness, highlighting how even in the depths of injustice and despair, God was working out His plan.

c. 1700 BC
Joseph sold into slavery
Joseph's jealous brothers sell him to traders heading for Egypt. This event, though a betrayal by his kin, is seen by the Psalmist as the beginning of God's providential plan.
c. 1700-1690 BC— this verse
Joseph imprisoned in Egypt
Falsely accused of attempted rape by Potiphar's wife, Joseph is thrown into an Egyptian prison, where he endures severe hardship, including being bound in fetters.
c. 1690 BC
Joseph interprets dreams
While in prison, Joseph interprets the dreams of the king's cupbearer and baker, revealing his God-given gift of understanding and prophecy.
c. 1688 BC
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dream
Two years later, Joseph is summoned to interpret Pharaoh's dreams, which foretell a coming famine. This leads to his appointment as second-in-command over Egypt.

Key themes

01Unjust suffering endured
02Divine providence guiding
03Hope in hardship

Cross-references

Genesis 39:20

This passage directly describes Joseph's unjust imprisonment, mirroring the suffering mentioned in the psalm, showing how even in dire circumstances, God's purposes were at work.

Genesis 40:14-15

Joseph's plea to the cupbearer to remember him shows his desire for release from this very suffering, highlighting his plea for justice amidst his affliction and iron.

Psalms 107:10-11

This psalm echoes the theme of those 'bound in affliction and iron,' describing prisoners who suffered because they rebelled against God's words, providing a thematic parallel to Joseph's situation as a consequence of unjust suffering.

Acts 7:9-10

Stephen recounts Joseph's story, emphasizing God's presence with him even in his suffering, and how God 'delivered him out of all his afflictions' and gave him 'wisdom and understanding' before Pharaoh.

Scholarly commentary

Psalms 105:18: "Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:"

Verse 18. - Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron; rather, his soul entered into iron. In Genesis nothing more is said than that Joseph "was bound" in the prison (Genesis 40:3). But the psalmist knows what imprisonment was in those early times.
pulpit

Psalms 105:18: "Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:"

(18) He was laid in iron. —The Prayer Book Version, “the iron entered into his soul,” has established itself so firmly among expressive proverbial sayings, that the mind almost resents the Authorised Version. The grammar of the clause does not decide its sense with certainty; for its syntax is rather in favour of the Prayer Book Version, though the feminine form of the verb makes in favour of the marginal rendering. Symmac…
ellicott

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What Psalms 105:18 means

Historical context

Written: Likely composed between the 10th and 5th centuries BC.
Author: Traditionally attributed to David, though some scholars suggest later authorship.
Location: Written from Jerusalem, likely during the time of David or the early monarchy.
Genre: Poetry (specifically a psalm) with strong narrative elements, utilizing vivid imagery and parallelism.

Historical background

c. 1700 BC

Joseph sold into slavery

Joseph's jealous brothers sell him to traders heading for Egypt. This event, though a betrayal by his kin, is seen by the Psalmist as the beginning of God's providential plan.

c. 1700-1690 BC— this verse

Joseph imprisoned in Egypt

Falsely accused of attempted rape by Potiphar's wife, Joseph is thrown into an Egyptian prison, where he endures severe hardship, including being bound in fetters.

c. 1690 BC

Joseph interprets dreams

While in prison, Joseph interprets the dreams of the king's cupbearer and baker, revealing his God-given gift of understanding and prophecy.

c. 1688 BC

Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dream

Two years later, Joseph is summoned to interpret Pharaoh's dreams, which foretell a coming famine. This leads to his appointment as second-in-command over Egypt.