They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse vividly describes the sailors' extreme emotional state, not just the physical tossing of the ship. Their "soul melted" not just from fear, but from a total loss of courage and understanding when faced with impending destruction, signifying a complete breakdown of their resolve and senses.
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight;
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse describes the terrifying experience of sailors caught in a violent storm at sea. They're tossed by massive waves, soaring to heights that feel like the sky and then plunging into depths that seem like the abyss, their courage completely dissolving under the overwhelming pressure of their plight. The passage is part of a larger section in Psalm 107 that recounts God's deliverance of various people from extreme distress, including those who travel by sea, highlighting their desperate cries to God when all hope is lost.
Life can throw you around like a ship in a raging storm, from the highest highs to the lowest lows. This verse paints a vivid picture of that terrifying experience.
Up to Heaven, Down to the Depths
The psalmist uses dramatic imagery to describe the terrifying experience of being caught in a violent storm at sea.
These aren't just physical descriptions; they capture the emotional and spiritual rollercoaster of extreme crisis, where hope and despair swing wildly.
What happens to our courage when we're caught in the storm? This verse has a powerful, raw answer.
The Melting Point of Fear
The phrase 'their courage melted away' is incredibly descriptive. It’s not just that they were scared; it's that their very ability to be brave, to think clearly, or to act dissolved under pressure.
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Understand the original words
shamayim · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the dwelling place of God, the sky, or the celestial sphere. In poetic contexts, it can symbolize the heights of extreme elevation or reach.
tehom · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to the place of the dead (Sheol) or the deep, chaotic waters. It represents the lowest point of existence, contrasting with the heights of heaven.
nephesh · Hebrew Noun
The inner resolve, spirit, or soul of a person. It is the seat of courage, will, and emotional stability.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
A term denoting distress, calamity, or a state of harmful misfortune. It describes a situation of suffering or affliction that tests the person's endurance.
This passage describes sailors in extreme distress during a storm, mirroring the 'melting away' of courage and the sense of being overwhelmed to the point of despair that the Psalmist conveys.
Matthew 14:24The disciples in Jesus' boat also experience a terrifying storm where their vessel is battered by waves, leading to extreme fear and a feeling of helplessness, much like the Psalmist's description of souls melting away.
Job 9:18Job speaks of God not letting him 'recover his breath' but filling him with bitterness, which resonates with the overwhelming, soul-crushing despair described in the Psalm, though Job's context is personal affliction rather than a storm at sea.
Luke 21:26This verse uses similar imagery of fear and distress, stating that people's hearts will 'fail them for fear' and for 'apprehension of those things which are coming on the world,' paralleling the emotional collapse described in Psalms 107.
pulpitPsalms 107:26: "They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble."
Verse 26. - They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths. Tossed on the foaming billows, now carried up until they seem almost to touch the sky (see Genesis 11:4), anon sinking into the trough of the sea, and as it were swallowed up in its depths. Their soul is melted because of trouble; or, "their soul melteth away in the trouble" (Cheyne).
clarkePsalms 107:26: "They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble."
They mount up to the heaven - This is a most natural and striking description of the state of a ship at sea in a storm: when the sea appears to run mountains high, and the vessel seems for a moment to stand on the sharp ridge of one most stupendous, with a valley of a frightful depth between it and a similar mountain, which appears to be flying in the midst of heaven, that it…
The verse vividly describes the sailors' extreme emotional state, not just the physical tossing of the ship. Their "soul melted" not just from fear, but from a total loss of courage and understanding when faced with impending destruction, signifying a complete breakdown of their resolve and senses.
This verse describes the terrifying experience of sailors caught in a violent storm at sea. They're tossed by massive waves, soaring to heights that feel like the sky and then plunging into depths that seem like the abyss, their courage completely dissolving under the overwhelming pressure of their plight. The passage is part of a larger section in Psalm 107 that recounts God's deliverance of various people from extreme distress, including those who travel by sea, highlighting their desperate cries to God when all hope is lost.
This verse describes the terrifying experience of sailors caught in a violent storm at sea. They're tossed by massive waves, soaring to heights that feel like the sky and then plunging into depths that seem like the abyss, their courage completely dissolving under the overwhelming pressure of their plight. The passage is part of a larger section in Psalm 107 that recounts God's deliverance of various people from extreme distress, including those who travel by sea, highlighting their desperate cries to God when all hope is lost.
"They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight;" — The verse vividly describes the sailors' extreme emotional state, not just the physical tossing of the ship. Their "soul melted" not just from fear, but from a total loss of courage and understanding…
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Last reviewed October 2026