Psalm 107:13 Study Bible: Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

◄ Psalm 107:13 ►

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.

Then they cried out to the LORD
This phrase marks a pivotal moment of desperation and hope. The Hebrew root for "cried out" is "זָעַק" (za'aq), which conveys a deep, earnest plea for help. This is not a casual request but a fervent outpouring of the heart. Historically, the Israelites often found themselves in dire situations due to their disobedience, and it was in these moments of distress that they turned back to God. This pattern is seen throughout the Old Testament, where God’s people, despite their rebellion, are met with His mercy when they genuinely seek Him. The act of crying out signifies a recognition of their own insufficiency and a turning towards the divine sufficiency of the LORD, the covenant-keeping God of Israel.

in their trouble
The word "trouble" here is derived from the Hebrew "צָרָה" (tsarah), which means distress or adversity. This term is often used in the context of severe trials or tribulations, reflecting the intense pressure and suffering the people were experiencing. In the biblical narrative, such troubles often serve as a catalyst for spiritual awakening and repentance. The historical context of Israel's repeated cycles of sin, judgment, and deliverance underscores the reality that God uses adversity to draw His people back to Himself. This phrase reminds believers that God is attentive to their cries, especially in times of great need.

and He saved them
The Hebrew root for "saved" is "יָשַׁע" (yasha), which means to deliver or rescue. This word is rich with theological significance, as it is closely related to the name "Yeshua" (Jesus), meaning "The LORD saves." The act of saving is not merely a physical rescue but also a spiritual deliverance. Throughout the Bible, God is portrayed as a Savior who intervenes in the lives of His people, providing redemption and restoration. This deliverance is a testament to His faithfulness and love, emphasizing that salvation is an act of divine grace rather than human merit.

from their distress
The term "distress" is translated from the Hebrew "מְצוּקָה" (metsuqah), which refers to a narrow or confined space, symbolizing the feeling of being trapped or overwhelmed. This imagery is powerful, as it conveys the sense of being hemmed in by circumstances beyond one's control. In the biblical context, God’s deliverance often involves bringing His people out of such constriction into a place of freedom and peace. This phrase assures believers that no matter how dire their situation may seem, God is able to provide a way of escape and relief, reaffirming His role as a compassionate and powerful Redeemer.

Persons / Places / Events

1. The Israelites
The primary audience of the Psalm, representing God's chosen people who often found themselves in distress due to disobedience but were delivered by God when they cried out to Him.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is faithful to save His people when they call upon Him in their times of trouble.

3. Distress
The various situations of hardship and suffering that the Israelites faced, often as a result of their own actions, but also as a test of their faith and reliance on God.

4. Deliverance
The act of God saving His people from their troubles, demonstrating His power, mercy, and faithfulness.

5. Crying Out
The act of prayer and supplication, a recurring theme in the Psalms, where the people turn to God in earnest plea for help.

Teaching Points

The Power of Prayer
Prayer is a powerful tool for believers. When we cry out to God, He listens and responds. This should encourage us to make prayer a central part of our lives, especially in times of trouble.

God's Faithfulness
God is faithful to His promises. Just as He delivered the Israelites, He will deliver us from our distress when we turn to Him. Trust in His faithfulness should be a cornerstone of our faith.

Repentance and Restoration
Often, distress is a result of our own actions. This verse reminds us of the importance of repentance and turning back to God, who is always ready to restore us.

God's Sovereignty
God is sovereign over all situations. Our troubles are not beyond His control, and He can use them for our growth and His glory.

Community of Believers
Encouraging one another to cry out to God in times of trouble strengthens the community of believers and builds collective faith.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the act of crying out to God in Psalm 107:13 reflect the relationship between God and His people?

2. In what ways can we incorporate the practice of crying out to God into our daily lives, especially during times of distress?

3. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's deliverance after crying out to Him. How did this experience strengthen your faith?

4. How does the theme of deliverance in Psalm 107:13 connect with the account of the Israelites' exodus from Egypt?

5. What role does community play in encouraging one another to seek God in times of trouble, and how can we foster this in our own church or small group?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Exodus 3:7-8
God hears the cries of the Israelites in Egypt and delivers them, showing His compassion and power to save.

Jonah 2:2
Jonah cries out to God from the belly of the fish, and God hears and delivers him, illustrating God's readiness to save those who call upon Him.

James 5:13
Encourages believers to pray when in trouble, reinforcing the idea that God listens to and acts on behalf of those who seek Him.

Sermons

Prayer for Temporal Good	R. Tuck	Psalm 107:13
Men and Mercy	Homilist	Psalm 107:1-31
God's Watchful Care	C. Short	Psalm 107:1-43
Wherefore Men Should Praise the Lord	S. Conway	Psalm 107:1-43
Four Portraits of One Soul	S. Conway	Psalm 107:4-32

People

David, Psalmist

Places

Jerusalem

Topics

Adversity, Cried, Cry, Delivered, Distress, Distresses, Salvation, Saved, Saveth, Sorrow, Trouble, Troubles

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Psalm 107:13

5562 suffering, innocent
8792 oppression, God's attitude

Psalm 107:1-43

Psalm 107:10-14

Psalm 107:11-13

Psalm 107:12-14

Psalm 107:13-14

4811 darkness, symbol of sin
4957 night

Library

March 12. "They Wandered in the Wilderness in a Solitary Way" (Ps. Cvii. 4).
"They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way" (Ps. cvii. 4). All who fight the Lord's battles must be content to die to all the favorable opinions of men and all the flattery of human praise. You cannot make an exception in favor of the good opinions of the children of God. It is very easy for the insidious adversary to make this also all appeal to the flesh. It is all right when God sends us the approval of our fellow men, but we must never make it a motive in our life, but be content with …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Prayer and Science
(Preached at St. Olave's Church, Hart Street, before the Honourable Corporation of the Trinity House, 1866.) PSALM cvii. 23, 24, 28. They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. These are days in which there is much dispute about religion and science--how far they agree with each other; whether they contradict or interfere …
Charles Kingsley—Discipline and Other Sermons

God's Great Deliverance of his People. --Ps. Cvii.
God's great Deliverance of His People.--Ps. cvii. part I.--The Wilderness. part II.--From Captivity. part III. From Malignant Disease. part IV. Perils on the Deep. Thank and praise Jehovah's name For his mercies firm and sure, From eternity the same, To eternity endure. Let the ransom'd thus rejoice, Gather'd out of every land; As the people of his choice, Pluck'd from the destroyer's hand. In the wilderness astray, Hither, thither, while they roam, Hungry, fainting by the way, Far from refuge, …
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

Thankfulness for Mercies Received, a Necessary Duty
Numberless marks does man bear in his soul, that he is fallen and estranged from God; but nothing gives a greater proof thereof, than that backwardness, which every one finds within himself, to the duty of praise and thanksgiving. When God placed the first man in paradise, his soul no doubt was so filled with a sense of the riches of the divine love, that he was continually employing that breath of life, which the Almighty had not long before breathed into him, in blessing and magnifying that all-bountiful, …
George Whitefield—Selected Sermons of George Whitefield

He Accuses Abaelard for Preferring his Own Opinions and Even Fancies to the Unanimous Consent of the Fathers, Especially Where He Declares that Christ did Not
He accuses Abaelard for preferring his own opinions and even fancies to the unanimous consent of the Fathers, especially where he declares that Christ did not become incarnate in order to save man from the power of the devil. 11. I find in a book of his sentences, and also in an exposition of his of the Epistle to the Romans, that this rash inquirer into the Divine Majesty attacks the mystery of our Redemption. He admits in the very beginning of his disputation that there has never been but one conclusion …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Spiritual Hunger Shall be Satisfied
They shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 I proceed now to the second part of the text. A promise annexed. They shall be filled'. A Christian fighting with sin is not like one that beats the air' (1 Corinthians 9:26), and his hungering after righteousness is not like one that sucks in only air, Blessed are they that hunger, for they shall be filled.' Those that hunger after righteousness shall be filled. God never bids us seek him in vain' (Isaiah 45:19). Here is an honeycomb dropping into the mouths of …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

How those are to be Admonished with whom Everything Succeeds According to their Wish, and those with whom Nothing Does.
(Admonition 27.) Differently to be admonished are those who prosper in what they desire in temporal matters, and those who covet indeed the things that are of this world, but yet are wearied with the labour of adversity. For those who prosper in what they desire in temporal matters are to be admonished, when all things answer to their wishes, lest, through fixing their heart on what is given, they neglect to seek the giver; lest they love their pilgrimage instead of their country; lest they turn …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

"But if the Spirit of Him that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Dwell in You, He that Raised up Christ from the Dead, Shall Also
Rom. viii. 11.--"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." As there is a twofold death,--the death of the soul, and the death of the body--so there is a double resurrection, the resurrection of the soul from the power of sin, and the resurrection of the body from the grave. As the first death is that which is spiritual, then that which is bodily, so …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Providence of God
Q-11: WHAT ARE GOD'S WORKS OF PROVIDENCE? A: God's works of providence are the acts of his most holy, wise, and powerful government of his creatures, and of their actions. Of the work of God's providence Christ says, My Father worketh hitherto and I work.' John 5:17. God has rested from the works of creation, he does not create any new species of things. He rested from all his works;' Gen 2:2; and therefore it must needs be meant of his works of providence: My Father worketh and I work.' His kingdom …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Exposition of Chap. Iii. (ii. 28-32. )
Ver. 1. "And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." The communication of the Spirit of God was the constant prerogative of the Covenant-people. Indeed, the very idea of such a people necessarily requires it. For the Spirit of God is the only inward bond betwixt Him and that which is created; a Covenant-people, therefore, without such an inward …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Concerning the Lord's Supper
There are two passages which treat in the clearest manner of this subject, and at which we shall look,--the statements in the Gospels respecting the Lord's Supper, and the words of Paul. (1 Cor. xi.) Matthew, Mark, and Luke agree that Christ gave the whole sacrament to all His disciples; and that Paul taught both parts of it is so certain, that no one has yet been shameless enough to assert the contrary. Add to this, that according to the relation of Matthew, Christ did not say concerning the bread, …
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

Effects of Messiah's Appearance
The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped: Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing. H ow beautiful and magnificent is the imagery, by which the Prophet, in this chapter, represents the effects of MESSIAH'S appearance! The scene, proposed to our view, is a barren and desolate wilderness. But when He, who in the beginning said, Let there be light, and there was light, condescends to visit this wilderness, the face of nature is …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Concerning Christian Liberty
CHRISTIAN faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a few even reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do, because they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of what efficacy it is. For it is not possible for any man to write well about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at some time tasted of its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation. While he who has tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never write, …
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

Memoir of John Bunyan
THE FIRST PERIOD. THIS GREAT MAN DESCENDED FROM IGNOBLE PARENTS--BORN IN POVERTY--HIS EDUCATION AND EVIL HABITS--FOLLOWS HIS FATHER'S BUSINESS AS A BRAZIER--ENLISTS FOR A SOLDIER--RETURNS FROM THE WARS AND OBTAINS AN AMIABLE, RELIGIOUS WIFE--HER DOWER. 'We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.'--2 Cor 4:7 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.'--Isaiah 55:8. 'Though ye have lien among the …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Concerning Christian Liberty
Christian faith has appeared to many an easy thing; nay, not a few even reckon it among the social virtues, as it were; and this they do because they have not made proof of it experimentally, and have never tasted of what efficacy it is. For it is not possible for any man to write well about it, or to understand well what is rightly written, who has not at some time tasted of its spirit, under the pressure of tribulation; while he who has tasted of it, even to a very small extent, can never write, …
Martin Luther—Concerning Christian Liberty

Effectual Calling
THE second qualification of the persons to whom this privilege in the text belongs, is, They are the called of God. All things work for good "to them who are called." Though this word called is placed in order after loving of God, yet in nature it goes before it. Love is first named, but not first wrought; we must be called of God, before we can love God. Calling is made (Rom. viii. 30) the middle link of the golden chain of salvation. It is placed between predestination and glorification; and if …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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