Psalm 107:28
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of their distress.
Then they cried out
This phrase captures a moment of desperation and urgency. The Hebrew root for "cried out" is "זָעַק" (za'aq), which conveys a deep, earnest plea for help. In the context of ancient Israel, crying out to God was a common response in times of distress, reflecting a profound dependence on divine intervention. This act of crying out is not just a vocal expression but a heartfelt prayer, acknowledging human limitations and the need for God's power.

to the LORD
The term "LORD" here is translated from the Hebrew "יהוה" (YHWH), the sacred and personal name of God revealed to Moses. This name signifies God's eternal presence and covenant faithfulness. In the historical context of Israel, calling upon the LORD was an invocation of the God who delivered them from Egypt and sustained them through the wilderness. It is a reminder of God's unchanging nature and His readiness to respond to His people's cries.

in their trouble
The word "trouble" comes from the Hebrew "צָרָה" (tsarah), meaning distress or adversity. This term is often used in the Psalms to describe situations of extreme difficulty, whether due to external threats or internal turmoil. The historical context of Israel's frequent encounters with enemies and natural disasters underscores the reality of such troubles. This phrase highlights the human condition of vulnerability and the inevitability of facing challenges in life.

and He brought them
The action of "brought" is derived from the Hebrew "יָצָא" (yatsa), meaning to lead out or deliver. This verb is significant in the biblical narrative, often associated with God's deliverance of Israel from bondage. It emphasizes God's active role in rescuing His people, not merely as a passive observer but as a powerful redeemer who intervenes in history to guide His people to safety.

out of their distress
The word "distress" is again linked to "צָרָה" (tsarah), reinforcing the theme of deliverance from dire circumstances. In the scriptural context, this deliverance is not just physical but also spiritual, as God provides peace and restoration. The historical backdrop of Israel's repeated cycles of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance illustrates God's mercy and faithfulness. This phrase assures believers of God's ability to transform situations of despair into testimonies of His grace and power.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is faithful to deliver His people when they call upon Him.

2. The Distressed People
The psalm speaks of those who find themselves in dire situations, often due to their own actions, and who turn to God for help.

3. The Sea
While not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the context of Psalm 107 includes imagery of sailors in a storm, representing life's tumultuous challenges.

4. Deliverance
The act of God rescuing His people from their troubles, a recurring theme throughout the psalm.

5. Crying Out
The act of prayer and supplication, a sincere plea for divine intervention.
Teaching Points
The Power of Prayer
When in distress, our first response should be to cry out to God. Prayer is a powerful tool that connects us to the divine source of help.

God's Faithfulness
God is faithful to deliver those who call upon Him. His past acts of deliverance assure us of His continued faithfulness.

Recognizing Our Need
Acknowledging our helplessness and need for God is the first step toward experiencing His deliverance.

Trust in God's Timing
Deliverance may not come immediately, but trusting in God's perfect timing is crucial for our spiritual growth.

Testimony of Deliverance
Sharing our experiences of God's deliverance can encourage others to trust in Him during their times of trouble.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of a storm in Psalm 107 relate to the storms we face in our own lives?

2. In what ways can we cultivate a habit of crying out to God in both small and large troubles?

3. How does the account of Jonah's deliverance from the fish enhance our understanding of God's mercy and power?

4. What are some practical ways we can remind ourselves of God's past faithfulness during current trials?

5. How can sharing our testimonies of God's deliverance impact our community and strengthen the faith of others?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jonah 2
Jonah's prayer from the belly of the fish echoes the theme of crying out to God in distress and being delivered.

Matthew 8:23-27
Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee parallels God's deliverance of those in perilous situations.

Exodus 14
The Israelites' cry for help at the Red Sea and God's miraculous deliverance through Moses.

Psalm 34:17
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.

Acts 16:25-26
Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns in prison, leading to their miraculous release.
Men and MercyHomilistPsalm 107:1-31
God's Watchful CareC. Short Psalm 107:1-43
Wherefore Men Should Praise the LordS. Conway Psalm 107:1-43
Four Portraits of One SoulS. Conway Psalm 107:4-32
A Plea for SailorsJ. G. Rogers, D.D.Psalm 107:23-31
At Their Wit's EndJ. Thew.Psalm 107:23-31
Distressed Seamen and the Sovereign of the SeaHomiletic MagazinePsalm 107:23-31
Lessons from the Ocean in a StormHomilistPsalm 107:23-31
On the Stormy SeaD. J. Burrell, D.D.Psalm 107:23-31
Sending Up a Signal of DistressPsalm 107:23-31
Soul NavigationHomilistPsalm 107:23-31
The Christian MarinerT. Kelly, D. D.Psalm 107:23-31
The Voyage of LifeD. Roberts, D.D.Psalm 107:23-31
Through Stress of WeatherT. Spurgeon.Psalm 107:23-31
When At Wit's EndPsalm 107:23-31
People
David, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Adversity, Bringeth, Brings, Cried, Cry, Delivered, Distress, Distresses, Gives, Salvation, Sorrow, Trouble, Troubles
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 107:28

     5562   suffering, innocent

Psalm 107:1-43

     5831   depression

Psalm 107:23-28

     5828   danger

Psalm 107:23-30

     5517   seafaring
     8129   guidance, examples

Psalm 107:24-29

     1355   providence

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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