Psalms 107:28-30
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The powerful connection here isn't just that they cried out, but when. The word "Then" (v. 28) emphasizes that their prayer arose precisely because all other options, including their own skill, had failed them. It’s in that absolute moment of desperation, when they are stripped of everything else, that their true reliance on God emerges.
This verse is part of a larger section describing the perils of seafaring. The psalmist paints a vivid picture of sailors caught in a violent storm, tossed to and fro, their skills useless, and their souls overwhelmed with terror. It's in this moment of absolute despair, when all human hope is gone, that they turn to the Lord.
When life's storms rage, do we instinctively cry out? This verse highlights a powerful truth about human nature and God's design.
This verse, echoing previous verses in Psalm 107, points to a fundamental human response when faced with overwhelming trouble: crying out to God.
A Common Thread
Notice how the psalm uses similar phrasing for different kinds of distress:
This isn't just about sailors; it's a picture of how, when we're pushed to our limits, our deepest needs surface. It's in these moments that the pretense falls away, and we are stripped down to our need for help.
When we cry out, does God actually listen and act? This verse offers a resounding 'yes,' revealing the nature of His deliverance.
The most striking part of this verse isn't just that people cry out, but that God responds.
More Than a Momentary Fix
The psalm emphasizes that God doesn't just offer a temporary reprieve; He 'delivered them from their distresses.' This implies a full rescue, a bringing out of the problem entirely.
Whatever the crisis, God's action is decisive and complete, bringing His people from the brink of destruction to safety and peace.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God (Yahweh). It signifies the God who reveals Himself, fulfills His promises, and acts as the Redeemer of His people.
tsarah · Hebrew Noun
A general term for narrowness or constriction. Theologically, it describes a state of being hemmed in by circumstances, often leading to a call for divine intervention.
natsal · Hebrew Verb
A verb meaning to snatch away, rescue, or save. It describes God's act of pulling His people out of a situation of peril or captivity.
se'arah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to a tempestuous disturbance of nature, often used metaphorically for divine judgment or intense life crises that overwhelm human strength.
While the psalm uses vivid imagery of a storm at sea, it speaks to a universal human experience: the cry for help in times of crisis and the profound relief of deliverance, drawing on the collective memory of return from exile and the ongoing realities of life's perils.
c. 5th - 4th century BC
Compilation of the Psalter
The Psalms, a collection of ancient Hebrew worship songs and prayers, were compiled over centuries. This specific psalm likely reflects experiences and theological reflections common during or after the Babylonian exile and the Second Temple period.
c. 5th century BC— this verse
Return from Babylonian Exile
Many Jews returned from Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem. Their perilous journeys by land and sea, and their subsequent deliverance, likely provided inspiration for the vivid imagery of distress and rescue found in this psalm.
c. 5th - 1st century BC
Hellenistic Period
During this era, Greek culture and influence spread throughout the Near East. The psalm's themes of divine providence and deliverance would have resonated with people facing political upheaval and cultural change.
This passage shows a similar desperate cry to God in a storm at sea, highlighting the universal human instinct to call on the divine in moments of extreme peril.
Luke 8:24Here, the disciples cry out to Jesus in a storm, revealing a moment where their faith falters and they turn to Him in fear, mirroring the sailors' cry in the psalm.
Isaiah 43:2This prophetic promise assures protection through dangerous waters, echoing the deliverance described in Psalms 107 and reinforcing the idea that God is a rescuer in times of trouble.
Job 9:8Job's lament about God's power over the sea and His ability to control its vastness offers a profound parallel to the understanding of God's might over storms, as seen in the psalm's narrative.
pulpitPsalms 107:28: "Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses."
Verse 28. - Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. Practically identical with vers. 6, 13, and 19.
ellicottPsalms 107:28: "Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses."
(28) Then they cry. —There is a saying, “Qui nescit orare, discat navigare.”
The powerful connection here isn't just that they cried out, but when. The word "Then" (v. 28) emphasizes that their prayer arose precisely because all other options, including their own skill, had failed them. It’s in that absolute moment of desperation, when they are stripped of everything else, that their true reliance on God emerges.
This verse is part of a larger section describing the perils of seafaring. The psalmist paints a vivid picture of sailors caught in a violent storm, tossed to and fro, their skills useless, and their souls overwhelmed with terror. It's in this moment of absolute despair, when all human hope is gone, that they turn to the Lord.
This verse is part of a larger section describing the perils of seafaring. The psalmist paints a vivid picture of sailors caught in a violent storm, tossed to and fro, their skills useless, and their souls overwhelmed with terror. It's in this moment of absolute despair, when all human hope is gone, that they turn to the Lord.
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machoz · Hebrew Noun
A place of safety, rest, or security. Used metaphorically for the final destination or peace that God provides for those He rescues.
"Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he broug…" — The powerful connection here isn't just that they cried out, but when. The word "Then" (v. 28) emphasizes that their prayer arose precisely because all other options, including their own skill, h…
