Psalms 107:28 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּצְעֲק֣וּ אֶל־ יְ֭הוָה בַּצַּ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם וּֽ֝מִמְּצֽוּקֹתֵיהֶ֗ם יוֹצִיאֵֽם׃
BSAThen they cried outtsâʻaq▸ [in desperation, with urgent need] toʼêl the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] in their troubletsar [narrow, difficult circumstances, adversity] and He brought themyâtsâʼ▸ [rescued, delivered] of their distressmᵉtsûwqâh [hardships, troubles, tight spots]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּצְעֲק֣וּ | 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 |
| וּֽ֝מִמְּצֽוּקֹתֵיהֶ֗ם | and from troubles their | Conjunction, preposition, noun common feminine plural construct |
| יוֹצִיאֵֽם׃ | he brought out 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 brought them out of their distress. |
| KJV | Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. |
| ASV | Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he bringeth them out of their distresses. |
| YLT | And they cry to Jehovah in their adversity, And from their distresses He bringeth them out. |
| WEB | Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress. |
| 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 here, emphasizing God's intervention in the people's distress.
The verse contains one main clause and two prepositional phrases that provide context for the action, highlighting the sequence of crying out and God's subsequent response.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
verbצָעַק
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 107:28
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 — God's Deliverance in Distressgenerated
Psalm 107:28 recounts a moment when people, overwhelmed by their troubles, called out to the LORD. This reflects a common theme in the Psalms where God is depicted as a deliverer in times of need. The surrounding verses illustrate the dire circumstances faced by the people and highlight God's faithfulness in responding to their cries for help.
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 | Jonah 1:5–6 | The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. |
| 3 | Matthew 8:25 | The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” |
| 4 | Acts 27:23–25 | For just last night an angel of God, whose I am and whom I serve, stood beside me |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָצָא, ya.tza'generated
The verb יָצָא (yatsa') means to go out or come out. It is often used in contexts of escape, departure, or emergence, indicating a movement from one state to another. In this verse, it signifies God's action of bringing the people out of their distress, demonstrating His role as a rescuer.
The parsing indicates that this is a Hiphil imperfect verb, which suggests causation — God causes them to come out of their troubles. This highlights God's active involvement in delivering His people from their hardships.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the word brought to convey God's action of rescue.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is יָצָא, he brought out, which governs the action of the sentence. It is preceded by a clause that sets the scene of the people's cry for help, indicating the sequential nature of their distress and God's response.
The structure of the verse emphasizes the relationship between the people's cry and God's action, presenting a clear cause-and-effect dynamic.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb יָצָא is rendered as ἐξάγω (exagō), which means 'to lead out' or 'to bring out.' This choice underscores the active role of God in leading His people out of their troubles, aligning with the theme of divine deliverance.
The translation reflects a similar understanding of God's intervention, emphasizing His power to rescue from distress.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 107:28 tells us that when the people were in trouble, they cried out to the LORD for help. God responded by bringing them out of their distress. This verse highlights the importance of calling on God in times of need and His faithfulness in delivering His people.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Crying out to the LORD signifies a plea for help in times of distress, expressing urgency and need.
God is portrayed as a faithful deliverer who hears our cries and acts to rescue us from our troubles.
We may face various challenges, including physical, emotional, or spiritual distress, that lead us to seek God's intervention.
Remembering God's past deliverance encourages faith and trust in His ability to help us in future troubles.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel distressed, and how can I bring those to God?
- How can I remind myself of the times God has delivered me in the past?
- What does it mean to me to know that God is a rescuer in times of trouble?
- How can I support others who are in distress, encouraging them to cry out to God?
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 107:28 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,.... As in a storm seafaring persons are used to do; so did Jonah's mariners, though Heathens, everyone cried to his god.
Read John Gill on Psalms 107 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThen they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble. If anything outward could drive a man to pray, it is a storm at sea.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 107 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 107:28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.Ver. 28. Then they cry unto the Lord] "Then," if ever: hence that speech of one, Qui nescit orare, discat navigare, He who cannot pray, let him go to sea, and there he will learn. See Psalms 107:6.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 107 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(28) Then they cry.—There is a saying, “Qui nescit orare, discat navigare.”
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 107 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges28. Kay quotes a Basque proverb, “Let him who knows not how to pray go to sea.” he bringeth them &c.] Cp. Psalms 25:17.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 107 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThen they cry unto the Lord in their trouble ... - See Psalms 107:6, Psalms 107:13, Psalms 107:19. Sailors pray. If they do not pray elsewhere, they often do in a storm, when in danger of being wrecked and lost.
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 brought them out of their distress.
Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brought them out of 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 bringeth them out of their distresses.
Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Then they cry to the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Then they crie vnto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresse.
Strictly literal
Then they cry unto Jehovah in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses;
And they cry to Jehovah in their adversity, And from their distresses He bringeth them out.
And they cry to YHWH in their adversity, || And He brings them out from their distresses.
And they cried unto the Lord when they were in distress, and he brought 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 cried out to the Lord to help them 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 agree closely in the wording of this verse, with all seven words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show a slight variation, with one word supplied by an editor, but the core message remains consistent across these witnesses.
וַיִּצְעֲק֣וּ אֶל־ יְ֭הוָה בַּצַּ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם וּֽ֝מִמְּצֽוּקֹתֵיהֶ֗ם יוֹצִיאֵֽם׃
7 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 ממציקותי׳הם וישיע׳ם
6 words on the leather — 1 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 107:28
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.
צָעַק (tsa`aq) is a Hebrew verb meaning to cry or call out, often in distress or need. It encompasses various forms, including crying for help, making an outcry, and calling an assembly. The verb can appear in different stems, indicating nuances such as grief or being summoned. Notably, the entries do not present any significant disagreements.
צָעַק vb. cry, cry out, call
Qal
cry, cry out, for help
abs. cry, cry out, in distress, need
make outcry, clamour
Niph. be summoned (i.e. to arms)
Pi. cry aloud, in grief
Hiph. call together
base
H6817 צָעַק cry, cry out, call .. cry, cry out, for help
. abs. cry, cry out, in distress, need
. make outcry, clamour
. be summoned (i.e. to arms)
. cry aloud, in grief
. call together
6817 tsa`aq tsaw-ak'
a primitive root; to shriek; (by implication) to proclaim (an
assembly):--X at all, call together, cry (out), gather
(selves) (together).
צָעַק (tsa.aq) — to cry.
1) to cry, cry out, call, cry for help
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cry, cry out (for help)
1a2) to cry, cry out (in distress or need)
1a3) to make outcry, clamour
1b) (Niphal) to be summoned
1c) (Piel) to cry aloud (in grief)
1d) (Hiphil) to call together
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
Conj | Prep | N-fp | Suff — Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHC/R/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
יָצָא (yatsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to go or come out, with various applications including departure, escape, and emergence. It can refer to both animate and inanimate subjects and emphasizes the idea of origin or source. The verb appears in different forms, such as Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating actions like leading out or being brought forth.
יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out
Qal
go or come out or forth
from (מִן) a place
go forth from (the presence of) a person
in technical senses
of flight, involving escape
depart
of inanimate things
with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source
of children as going forth from loins (of father)
go forth to a place
go forward, proceed to or toward something
come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result
of combinations
Hiph.
cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.
bring out animals
inanimate obj.
fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)
Hoph. be brought forth
base
H3318 יָצָא go or come out .. go or come out or forth . from (מִן) a place
. go forth from (the presence of) a person
. in technical senses
. of flight, involving escape
. depart
. of inanimate things
. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source
. of children as going forth from loins (of father)
. . go forth to a place
. go forward, proceed to or toward something
. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result
. of combinations
. . cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.
. bring out animals
. inanimate obj.
. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)
. be brought forth
3318 yatsa' yaw-tsaw'
a primitive root; to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great
variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct
and proxim.:--X after, appear, X assuredly, bear out, X
begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come
(abroad, out, thereat, without), + be condemned,
depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact,
fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence,
out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out),
going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out,
lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, X
scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring
out, stand out, X still, X surely, take forth (out), at any
time, X to (and fro), utter.
יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: come.
: come/go_out/escape
1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart
1a2) to go forth (to a place)
1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)
1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)
1a5) to come out of
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
1b2) to bring out of
1b3) to lead out
1b4) to deliver
1c) (Hophal) to be brought out or forth
יָצָא (ya.tsa) — to come out: send.
: send/take_out/release
1) to go out, come out, exit, go forth
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come out or forth, depart
1a2) to go forth (to a place)
1a3) to go forward, proceed to (to or toward something)
1a4) to come or go forth (with purpose or for result)
1a5) to come out of
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
1b2) to bring out of
1b3) to lead out
1b4) to deliver
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVhi3ms/Sp3mp