Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The repetition of "trouble" and "distresses" isn't just about bad situations; it highlights the deep, crushing weight of being trapped, like being squeezed into a narrow space, showing how complete their desperation was before God stepped in. Even those who didn't know God well, like Gentiles or lost sailors, instinctively cried out to "Jehovah," the true God, when their own gods failed them.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse comes right after describing people lost and wandering in a desolate wilderness, afflicted and hungry, with no way to find sustenance or shelter. It’s part of a larger pattern in Psalm 107 where individuals or groups, even those who might not fully know God, cry out to Him in dire straits, and He compassionately hears and rescues them, leading them toward hope and provision.
Ever felt so cornered, so desperate, that you just had to cry out to someone? This verse points to a powerful truth about how we respond when life gets overwhelming.
Psalms 107 highlights a pattern: people find themselves in desperate situations, and their immediate response is to cry out to the Lord.
What happens after the cry? This verse promises a divine intervention that's more than just a fix – it's a profound act of deliverance.
The latter half of Psalms 107:6 isn't just a passive observation; it's an active declaration of God's character and actions.
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Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The covenant name of the one true God of Israel, YHWH, revealing His self-existence, faithfulness, and personal relationship with His people.
tsarah · Hebrew Noun
A state of being in confined circumstances, suffering, or anguish; often used in the Psalms to denote the pressure of external enemies or inner turmoil that drives the faithful to prayer.
natsal · Hebrew Verb
To rescue, save, or snatch away from danger or bondage; implies divine intervention on behalf of those who are helpless to save themselves.
metsuqah · Hebrew Noun
A term describing a place of confinement, restriction, or narrowness; biblically, it signifies intense suffering or a tight spot from which only God can provide escape.
This psalm likely reflects on the profound relief experienced by the Israelites after periods of severe national crisis, particularly the Babylonian exile, highlighting God's faithfulness to those who cry out to Him in their deepest despair.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites, after centuries of slavery in Egypt, were miraculously delivered by God under the leadership of Moses, crossing the Red Sea and beginning their journey to the Promised Land. This event is a foundational deliverance celebrated in Jewish tradition.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many Israelites and scattering them among foreign lands. This marked a period of immense distress and loss for the northern tribes.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonian Empire destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, exiling much of the population to Babylon. This was a profound national crisis, leaving the people feeling abandoned and in deep distress.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered the Babylonian Empire. His subsequent decree allowed the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple.
This passage shows a similar cry to God from sailors in distress, highlighting how even those unfamiliar with God might turn to Him in desperate situations.
Exodus 14:10-14When Israel was trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army, they cried out to the Lord, demonstrating a pattern of desperate prayer leading to divine deliverance.
Luke 18:1-8Jesus tells a parable about a persistent widow crying out to a judge, emphasizing God's willingness to hear and answer the earnest pleas of His people when they cry to Him.
Isaiah 40:31This verse speaks of those who wait on the Lord and find renewed strength, offering a glimpse into the outcome and spiritual renewal that follows God's deliverance after they cry out.
wesleyPsalms 107:6: "Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses."
107:6 The Lord - Heb. Unto Jehovah, to the true God. For the Heathens had, many of them, some knowledge of the true God.
poolePsalms 107:6: "Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses."
Unto the Lord, Heb. unto Jehovah , to the true God. For the heathens, of whom he speaks, had many of them some knowledge of the true God, and did in their manner worship him with and in their idols; and especially in their distresses, when they discovered the impotency of their idols, they did direct their prayer immediately to the true God, of which there are many instances of heathen…
The repetition of "trouble" and "distresses" isn't just about bad situations; it highlights the deep, crushing weight of being trapped, like being squeezed into a narrow space, showing how complete their desperation was before God stepped in. Even those who didn't know God well, like Gentiles or lost sailors, instinctively cried out to "Jehovah," the true God, when their own gods failed them.
This verse comes right after describing people lost and wandering in a desolate wilderness, afflicted and hungry, with no way to find sustenance or shelter. It’s part of a larger pattern in Psalm 107 where individuals or groups, even those who might not fully know God, cry out to Him in dire straits, and He compassionately hears and rescues them, leading them toward hope and provision.
This verse comes right after describing people lost and wandering in a desolate wilderness, afflicted and hungry, with no way to find sustenance or shelter. It’s part of a larger pattern in Psalm 107 where individuals or groups, even those who might not fully know God, cry out to Him in dire straits, and He compassionately hears and rescues them, leading them toward hope and provision.
"Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress." — The repetition of "trouble" and "distresses" isn't just about bad situations; it highlights the deep, crushing weight of being trapped, like being squeezed into a narrow space, showing how complete t…
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Last reviewed October 2026