Psalm 77:17
New International Version
The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth.

New Living Translation
The clouds poured down rain; the thunder rumbled in the sky. Your arrows of lightning flashed.

English Standard Version
The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side.

Berean Standard Bible
The clouds poured down water; the skies resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth.

King James Bible
The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.

New King James Version
The clouds poured out water; The skies sent out a sound; Your arrows also flashed about.

New American Standard Bible
The clouds poured out water; The skies sounded out; Your arrows flashed here and there.

NASB 1995
The clouds poured out water; The skies gave forth a sound; Your arrows flashed here and there.

NASB 1977
The clouds poured out water; The skies gave forth a sound; Thy arrows flashed here and there.

Legacy Standard Bible
The clouds poured out water; The skies gave forth a sound; Your arrows went here and there.

Amplified Bible
The clouds poured down water; The skies sent out a sound [of rumbling thunder]; Your arrows (lightning) flashed here and there.

Christian Standard Bible
The clouds poured down water. The storm clouds thundered; your arrows flashed back and forth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The clouds poured down water. The storm clouds thundered; Your arrows flashed back and forth.

American Standard Version
The clouds poured out water; The skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad.

Contemporary English Version
Water flowed from the clouds. Thunder was heard above as your arrows of lightning flashed about.

English Revised Version
The clouds poured out water; the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The clouds poured out water. The sky thundered. Even your arrows flashed in every direction.

Good News Translation
The clouds poured down rain; thunder crashed from the sky, and lightning flashed in all directions.

International Standard Version
The clouds poured rain; the skies rumbled. Indeed, your lightning bolts flashed.

Majority Standard Bible
The clouds poured down water; the skies resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth.

NET Bible
The clouds poured down rain; the skies thundered. Yes, your arrows flashed about.

New Heart English Bible
The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around.

Webster's Bible Translation
The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thy arrows also went abroad.

World English Bible
The clouds poured out water. The skies resounded with thunder. Your arrows also flashed around.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Thick clouds have poured out waters, "" The skies have given forth a noise, "" Also—Your arrows go up and down.

Young's Literal Translation
Poured out waters have thick clouds, The skies have given forth a noise, Also -- Thine arrows go up and down.

Smith's Literal Translation
The clouds poured out waters: the clouds gave a voice: also thine arrows will go about.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Great was the noise of the waters: the clouds sent out a sound. For thy arrows pass:

Catholic Public Domain Version
Great was the sound of the waters. The clouds uttered a voice. For your arrows also pass by.

New American Bible
The clouds poured down their rains; the thunderheads rumbled; your arrows flashed back and forth.

New Revised Standard Version
The clouds poured out water; the skies thundered; your arrows flashed on every side.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The clouds poured out water; the skies sent out a sound; thine arrows also flew around.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the clouds rained waters, the skies of the Heavens gave a sound and even your arrows fly!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The clouds flooded forth waters; The skies sent out a sound; Thine arrows also went abroad.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
There was an abundant sound of waters: the clouds uttered a voice; for thine arrows went abroad.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
In The Day of Trouble I Sought the LORD
16The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and swirled; even the depths were shaken. 17The clouds poured down water; the skies resounded with thunder; Your arrows flashed back and forth. 18Your thunder resounded in the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.…

Cross References
Exodus 19:16
On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning. A thick cloud was upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the ram’s horn went out, so that all the people in the camp trembled.

Job 37:2-5
Listen closely to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. / He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole sky and sends it to the ends of the earth. / Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds. ...

Psalm 18:13-14
The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded—hailstones and coals of fire. / He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them.

Psalm 29:3-4
The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is heard over many waters. / The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.

Isaiah 29:6
you will be visited by the LORD of Hosts with thunder and earthquake and loud noise, with windstorm and tempest and consuming flame of fire.

Isaiah 30:30
And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.

Jeremiah 10:13
When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

Jeremiah 51:16
When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

Ezekiel 1:13-14
In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. / The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.

Nahum 1:3-5
The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. His path is in the whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet. / He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither, and the flower of Lebanon wilts. / The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all its dwellers.

Revelation 4:5
From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven spirits of God.

Revelation 8:5
Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

Revelation 11:19
Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Revelation 16:18
And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake the likes of which had not occurred since men were upon the earth—so mighty was the great quake.

Matthew 24:27
For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.


Treasury of Scripture

The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: your arrows also went abroad.

poured out like water.

Psalm 68:8,9
The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel…

thine

Psalm 18:14
Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

Psalm 144:6
Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.

2 Samuel 22:15
And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.

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Abroad Arrows Clouds Far Flashed Flooded Forth Noise Poured Resounded Side Skies Sound Thick Thunder Water Waters Wide
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Abroad Arrows Clouds Far Flashed Flooded Forth Noise Poured Resounded Side Skies Sound Thick Thunder Water Waters Wide
Psalm 77
1. The psalmist shows what fierce combat he had with distrust
10. The victory which he had by consideration of God's great and gracious works.














The clouds poured down water
This phrase evokes a vivid image of a torrential downpour, symbolizing God's overwhelming power and presence. The Hebrew word for "clouds" here is "עָבִים" (avim), which often signifies the divine presence in the Old Testament, as clouds frequently accompany God's manifestations, such as during the Exodus (Exodus 13:21). The pouring of water can be seen as a metaphor for God's abundant blessings or His judgment, depending on the context. In this Psalm, it reflects the awe-inspiring nature of God's intervention in the world, reminding believers of His sovereignty over creation.

the skies resounded with thunder
The "skies" or "שְׁחָקִים" (shechakim) in Hebrew, are often associated with the heavens and the divine realm. The resounding "thunder" is a powerful auditory symbol of God's voice and authority. In biblical literature, thunder is frequently used to depict God's presence and His communication with humanity, as seen in the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16). This phrase underscores the majesty and might of God, who speaks through the natural elements, commanding attention and reverence from His creation.

Your arrows flashed back and forth
The imagery of "arrows" in this context can be understood as lightning, a common metaphor in ancient Near Eastern literature for divine weaponry. The Hebrew word "חִצֶּיךָ" (chitzekha) is used here, which can denote both literal arrows and metaphorical expressions of God's power. The flashing back and forth of these arrows suggests the swift and decisive nature of God's actions. This phrase serves as a reminder of God's active involvement in the world, executing His will with precision and authority. It inspires believers to trust in God's ability to protect and deliver them, as He wields His power for the sake of His people.

Verse 17. - The clouds poured out water. The description here becomes more poetical than historical, unless, indeed, we may suppose that the writer possessed, besides what is said in Exodus, some traditional account of the passage. The skies sent out a sound; or, "uttered a voice" - the voice of the thunder, beyond a doubt (compare next verse). Thine arrows also went abroad; i.e. lightnings darted hither and thither (see Psalm 18:14; 2 Samuel 22:15).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The clouds
עָב֗וֹת (‘ā·ḇō·wṯ)
Noun - common plural
Strong's 5645: An envelope, darkness, a, cloud, a copse

poured down
זֹ֤רְמוּ (zō·rə·mū)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2229: To pour forth in floods, flood away

water;
מַ֨יִם ׀ (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

the skies
שְׁחָקִ֑ים (šə·ḥā·qîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 7834: A powder, a thin vapor, the firmament

resounded
נָתְנ֣וּ (nā·ṯə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

with thunder;
ק֭וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

Your arrows
חֲ֝צָצֶ֗יךָ (ḥă·ṣā·ṣe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2687: Something cutting, gravel, an arrow

flashed back and forth.
יִתְהַלָּֽכוּ׃ (yiṯ·hal·lā·ḵū)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk


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OT Poetry: Psalm 77:17 The clouds poured out water (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 77:16
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