Psalms 118:5
Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just say God answered; it highlights that the Lord answered "with enlargement." This imagery contrasts the tight, constricting "distress" with an expansive, open "large place," revealing God's power to not only rescue us but to radically broaden our horizons and possibilities.
This psalm is a song of thanksgiving, likely sung after a great national deliverance, possibly the return from Babylonian exile. The speaker, representing the people, recounts a time of extreme oppression and danger, where they were trapped and threatened by enemies. Amidst this "strait place," they cried out to God, and He answered by granting them freedom and safety, opening up their world once more.
Ever felt completely boxed in, like there's no way out? This verse speaks of being put 'in a large place.' What does that really mean for us today?
The Hebrew imagery here is powerful. The Psalmist contrasts 'distress' or 'straits' with a 'large place.' Imagine being squeezed into a tiny, suffocating space, unable to move or breathe freely. Then, suddenly, you're released onto an open plain or a wide room where you can stretch out, move, and live fully.
This isn't just about physical freedom from confinement. It's about the expansive relief, security, and liberty that comes from God's intervention. When we are in distress – whether it's financial hardship, relational struggles, or spiritual battles – and we call out to God, He doesn't just alleviate the problem; He often brings an 'enlargement.' This means a renewed sense of hope, expanded possibilities, and the freedom to live without the constant pressure of that distress.
This verse isn't just a personal testimony; it's an invitation. The Psalmist shares his experience so we can learn from it.
The Psalmist presents his deliverance not just as a personal win, but as a testament for others. By saying, 'I called... the LORD answered me,' he's saying, 'Look at what God did for me! You can trust Him too.'
This is the essence of bearing witness. Our own answered prayers become living proof of God's faithfulness. When we share how we cried out in our distress and God responded, we encourage others who might be in similar straits. It shifts the focus from our problem to God's power and promises. His action in our lives serves as a beacon, drawing others to seek Him.
Understand the original words
metsar · Hebrew Noun
A state of being in a narrow place, confinement, or extreme hardship; it often refers to trials that provoke an urgent cry to God for help.
qara' · Hebrew Verb
The act of crying out, praying, or petitioning God in faith, relying on His mercy and power to intervene in human circumstances.
anah · Hebrew Verb
The granting of a request or the hearing of a petition; it signifies God’s attention to His people and His active engagement in their lives.
rachab · Hebrew Verb
The act of delivering someone from constraints, bondage, or limitations; it signifies God’s power to provide a wide, secure, or open place for His people.
This psalm reflects the deep anguish of national exile, where the people cried out from their 'straits' and experienced God's powerful deliverance, not just physically, but into a place of freedom and safety.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Northern Kingdom of Israel falls to the Assyrian Empire, leading to the exile of many Israelites. This event created a sense of vulnerability and divine abandonment among the remaining Judean people.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports Judean nobility and skilled workers, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile and a period of intense national distress.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem
Babylonian forces destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the remaining population. This catastrophic event is the nadir of Jewish history, a time of profound suffering and despair.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great's Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers the Babylonian Empire, creating a new political landscape.
This passage uses almost identical phrasing, directly paralleling the idea of being delivered from 'distress' or 'straits' into 'a large place' or 'freedom'.
Isaiah 40:29This verse speaks to God giving strength to the weary and increasing power, echoing the divine enablement found in Psalm 118:5, where God answers distress with freedom and capability.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4This New Testament passage describes God as the Father of compassion who comforts us in all our afflictions, so that we may comfort others; this aligns with the Psalmist's experience of being answered in distress and then able to share that testimony.
Hebrews 13:6Quoting Psalm 118:6, this verse assures believers that 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?', directly reflecting the confidence that arises from God's answered prayer and deliverance as seen in Psalm 118:5.
Nehemiah 4:9This chapter describes the people of Israel praying to God in their distress and facing opposition, mirroring the situation in Psalm 118 where, after crying out, God sets them free and gives them a wider space to operate and rebuild.
pulpitPsalms 118:5: "I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place."
Verse 5. - I called upon the Lord in distress; literally, from the strait place; i.e. from the straits in which I was. It is generally agreed that the Babylonian captivity is intended. The nation had called to God in its distress by the mouth of Daniel (Daniel 9:4-19) and of other holy men. The Lord answered me, and set me in a large place; literally, the Lord answered me on the open plain. Th…
clarkePsalms 118:5: "I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place."
I called upon the Lord - I am a standing proof and living witness of God's mercy. Take encouragement from me.
The verse doesn't just say God answered; it highlights that the Lord answered "with enlargement." This imagery contrasts the tight, constricting "distress" with an expansive, open "large place," revealing God's power to not only rescue us but to radically broaden our horizons and possibilities.
This psalm is a song of thanksgiving, likely sung after a great national deliverance, possibly the return from Babylonian exile. The speaker, representing the people, recounts a time of extreme oppression and danger, where they were trapped and threatened by enemies. Amidst this "strait place," they cried out to God, and He answered by granting them freedom and safety, opening up their world once more.
This psalm is a song of thanksgiving, likely sung after a great national deliverance, possibly the return from Babylonian exile. The speaker, representing the people, recounts a time of extreme oppression and danger, where they were trapped and threatened by enemies. Amidst this "strait place," they cried out to God, and He answered by granting them freedom and safety, opening up their world once more.
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538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. This marks the beginning of the return from exile.
"Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free." — The verse doesn't just say God answered; it highlights that the Lord answered "with enlargement." This imagery contrasts the tight, constricting "distress" with an expansive, open "large place," reve…
