Psalms 107:19 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּזְעֲק֣וּ אֶל־ יְ֭הוָה בַּצַּ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם מִ֝מְּצֻֽקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם יוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃
BSAThen they cried outzâʻaq▸ [to call for help, send up a cry] toʼêl the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] in their troubletsar [narrow, hard, or tight spot, adversity] [and] He saved themyâshaʻ▸ [to deliver, rescue, or set free] from their distressmᵉtsûwqâh [troubles, or tight spots, being in anguish]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּזְעֲק֣וּ | and they cried out | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| אֶל־ | to | Preposition |
| יְ֭הוָה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| בַּצַּ֣ר | when it was distress | Preposition |
| לָהֶ֑ם | to them | Preposition, suffix |
| מִ֝מְּצֻֽקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם | from troubles their | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| יוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃ | he saved them | Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. |
| KJV | Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. |
| ASV | Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he saveth them out of their distresses. |
| YLT | And cry unto Jehovah in their adversity, From their distresses He saveth them, |
| WEB | Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, and he saves them out of their distresses. |
| BBE | Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles. |
The translations agree on the essential meaning of God's saving action in this verse.
The verse consists of two main clauses linked by a conjunction, with additional phrases providing context about the trouble and the source of distress.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, AdamClarke & more — read them ›
clause
verbזָעַק
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 107:19
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Deliverance of the Distressedgenerated
Psalm 107:19 recounts the experience of people in distress who cried out to the LORD for help. This verse is part of a larger narrative that illustrates how God responds to those in trouble, emphasizing His role as a deliverer. The surrounding verses describe the dire situation the people faced and highlight the importance of turning to God in times of need.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 107:6–13 | Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. |
| 2 | Psalm 30:8–12 | To You, O LORD, I called, and I begged my Lord for mercy: |
| 3 | Psalm 34:4–6 | I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. |
| 4 | Psalm 78:34–35 | When He slew them, they would seek Him; they repented and searched for God. |
| 5 | Psalm 116:4–8 | Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, deliver my soul!” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָשַׁע, yasha`generated
The verb יָשַׁע (yasha`) means to save or deliver, often used in contexts of rescue from danger or trouble. It is a root verb that appears in various forms throughout the Hebrew Bible, indicating God's action in providing salvation and safety.
In this verse, the Hiphil form indicates that God actively saves the people from their distress. The parsing as a third person masculine singular verb shows that it refers to God as the subject who performs the action of saving.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'He saved them from their distress,' which is consistent across translations like the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is יָשַׁע, he saved, which governs the action of the subject, God, in response to the people's cry for help. The structure emphasizes the sequence of events: the cry followed by the salvation.
The verse can be broken down into a main clause and several phrases that provide context: the people cried out in their trouble, and God saved them from their distress. This structure highlights the cause-and-effect relationship between the cry for help and God's response.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יָשַׁע as σώζω (sōzō), meaning to save or rescue. This choice aligns with the Hebrew meaning but may emphasize a broader sense of deliverance.
The use of σώζω suggests a focus on the act of saving, reinforcing the theme of divine intervention in times of trouble.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 107:19 describes how people in trouble cried out to the LORD, and He saved them from their distress. This verse shows that when we face difficulties, we can call on God for help, and He will respond by delivering us from our troubles.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Crying out to the LORD signifies a desperate call for help in times of trouble, expressing a need for divine intervention.
God responds by saving and delivering us from our distress, as demonstrated in this verse.
People can face various forms of distress, including physical, emotional, or spiritual challenges.
Calling on God acknowledges our dependence on Him and invites His help and salvation in our difficult situations.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's deliverance in my life?
- How can I remind myself to call on God when I face difficulties?
- What does it mean for me to cry out to the LORD in my current circumstances?
- How can I support others who are in distress and need to call on God?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers, like Augustine of Hippo, referenced this verse to illustrate God's faithfulness in delivering His people from distress.
"And they cried out unto the Lord when they were in trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses" [Psalms 107:19].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 107 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 107:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThen they cry unto the Lord in their trouble,.... A time of affliction is a time of trouble, and a proper season for prayer; and by it persons are brought to the throne of grace, when humbled under
Read John Gill on Psalms 107 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThen they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 107 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 107:19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, [and] he saveth them out of their distresses.Ver. 19. Then they cry, &c.] Quando medicus et medicinae non prosunt, saith Kimchi, when physicians have done their utmost. See Psalms 107:6.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 107 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 19. Then they cry] The effect produced by affliction as before.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 107 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges17–22. A third example of Divine goodness, in the restoration of those who have been punished with sickness for their sins, based upon Job 33:19-26.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 107 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThen they cry unto the Lord... - See Psalms 107:6, note; Psalms 107:13, note. The meaning here is, that if the “sick” cry to the Lord, he hears them, and delivers them.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 107 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, and he saves them out of their distresses.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.
They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles.
Tyndale line
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he saveth them out of their distresses.
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble, he saveth them out of their distresses.
Then they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble, and he deliuereth them from their distresse.
Strictly literal
Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, [and] he saveth them out of their distresses;
And cry unto Jehovah in their adversity, From their distresses He saveth them,
And cry to YHWH in their adversity, || He saves them from their distresses,
But when they cry unto the Lord when they are in distress, he saveth them out of their afflictions.
Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.
Simplified
Then they called out to the Lord for help in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.
Then they send up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gives them salvation out of all their troubles.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree in their wording, with six of the seven words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain a partial restoration of the verse, indicating that the essential message of God's deliverance has been preserved across these traditions.
וַיִּזְעֲק֣וּ אֶל־ יְ֭הוָה בַּצַּ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם מִ֝מְּצֻֽקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם יוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃
6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[ויזעקו] [אל] יהוה בצר [ל׳הם] [ממצקותי׳הם] [יושיע׳ם]
1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 107:19
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
זָעַק (za`aq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cry out or call for help, often in a context of distress or need. It can also refer to assembling or summoning people, particularly for military purposes. The word has various forms, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of calling or gathering.
[זָעַק] vb. cry, cry out, call
Qal
call, to one's aid
cry, cry out, in need
Niph. be called together, assemble, join
Hiph.
call, call out, or together, for military service
make a crying
have proclamation made
call out, or at
base
H2199 זָעַק cry, cry out, call .. call, to one's aid
. cry, cry out, in need
. be called together, assemble, join
. . call, call out, or together, for military service
. make a crying
. have proclamation made
. call out, or at
2199 za`aq zaw-ak'
a primitive root; to shriek (from anguish or danger); by
analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publicly:--
assemble, call (together), (make a) cry (out), come with such
a company, gather (together), cause to be proclaimed.
זָעַק (za.aq) — to cry out.
1) to cry, cry out, call, call for help
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to call (to one's aid)
1a2) to cry, cry out (in need)
1b) (Niphal) to be assembled, be called together, be joined together
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to call, call out, call together, summon
1c2) to make a crying, proclaim
1c3) to have a proclamation made
1c4) to call out to, call out at
Aramaic equivalent: ze.iq (זְעִ֑ק "to cry out" H2200)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp
The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),
prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place
Where the limit is actually entered, into
Of direction towards anything
Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
Of rule or standard according to (rare)
Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
base
H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place
. Where the limit is actually entered, into
. Of direction towards anything
. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against
. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to
. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of
. Of rule or standard according to (rare)
. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion
. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to
413 'el ale
(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});
a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but
occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or
among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,
against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,
by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,
over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,
with(-in).
אֶל (el) — to(wards).
1) to, toward, unto (of motion)
2) into (limit is actually entered)
2a) in among
3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)
4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)
5) in addition to, to
6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of
7) according to (rule or standard)
8) at, by, against (of one's presence)
9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)
Prep — PrepositionHR
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
The Hebrew word צַר (tsar) is built from the root meaning 'narrow' or 'tight.' It encompasses a range of meanings including 'distress,' 'adversary,' and 'hard pebble' or 'flint.' The term can refer to physical tightness or metaphorical trouble, as well as an enemy or foe. It appears in contexts of anguish and tribulation, with a specific verse reference in Isaiah 5:28.
צַר adj. narrow, tight
base
צַר n.[m.] straits, distress
base
צַר 68 n.m. adversary, foe
base
צַר n.[m.] hard pebble, flint;—Is 5:28
ref
H6862a צַר narrow, tight H6862b צַר straits, distress H6862c צַר adversary, foe H6862d צַר hard pebble, flint
6862 tsar tsar
or tsar {tsawr}; from 6887; narrow; (as a noun) a tight place
(usually figuratively, i.e. trouble); also a pebble (as in
6864); (transitive) an opponent (as crowding):--adversary,
afflicted(-tion), anguish, close, distress, enemy, flint, foe,
narrow, small, sorrow, strait, tribulation, trouble.
see HEBREW for 06887
see HEBREW for 06864
צַר (tsar) — narrow.
narrow, tight
צַר (tsar) — distress.
straits, distress
צַר (tsar) — enemy.
adversary, foe, enemy, oppressor
צַר (tsar) — hard.
hard pebble, flint
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHRd/Aamsa
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3mp
מְצוּקָה (metsuqah) is a feminine noun meaning narrowness or distress. It encompasses concepts of trouble, anguish, and stress. The word is derived from a related term, מְצוּק (metsuq), which suggests a sense of being confined or restricted.
מְצוּקָה n.f. id. [r.bh.ae]
base
H4691 מְצוּקָה, מְצֻקָה
4691 mtsuwqah mets-oo-kaw'
or mtsuqah {mets-oo-kaw'}; feminine of 4690; narrowness, i.e.
(figuratively) trouble:--anguish, distress.
see HEBREW for 04690
מְצוּקָה (me.tsu.qah) — distress.
straitness, distress, straits, stress
Prep | N-fp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
יָשַׁע (yasha`) is a Hebrew root meaning to save or deliver. It encompasses various forms of salvation, including liberation from physical and moral troubles, victory in battle, and general safety. The word can appear in different grammatical forms, such as Niph. (to be saved) and Hiph. (to save).
[יָשַׁע] vb. Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass.
Niph.
be liberated, saved (prop. placed in freedom)
be saved in battle, victorious
Hiph.
deliver, save (prop. give width and breadth to, liberate)
save from moral troubles
give victory to
base
H3467 [יָשַׁע] Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass. . . be liberated, saved (prop. placed in freedom)
. be saved in battle, victorious
. . deliver, save (prop. give width and breadth to, liberate)
. save from moral troubles
. give victory to
3467 yasha` yaw-shah'
a primitive root; properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e.
(by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or
succor:--X at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help,
preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation,
save(-iour), get victory.
יָשַׁע (ya.sah) — to save.
1) to save, be saved, be delivered
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be liberated, be saved, be delivered
1a2) to be saved (in battle), be victorious
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to save, deliver
1b2) to save from moral troubles
1b3) to give victory to
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVhi3ms/Sp3mp