Psalms 107:6 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּצְעֲק֣וּ אֶל־ יְ֭הוָה בַּצַּ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם מִ֝מְּצֽוּקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם יַצִּילֵֽם׃
BSAThen they cried outtsâʻaq▸ [in desperation, with urgent need] toʼêl the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] in their troubletsar [narrow, hard, or tight spot] [and] He deliverednâtsal▸ [rescued, snatched away] from their distressmᵉtsûwqâh [tight spot, anguish, or trouble, being distressed]
| 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 |
| מִ֝מְּצֽוּקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם | from troubles their | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| יַצִּילֵֽם׃ | he delivered 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 delivered them from their distress. |
| KJV | Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. |
| ASV | Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he delivered them out of their distresses, |
| YLT | And they cry unto Jehovah in their adversity, From their distress He delivereth them, |
| WEB | Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. |
| BBE | Then they sent up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gave them salvation out of all their troubles; |
Where they part company is יַּצִּילֵֽם — see How Translations Differ.
The verse contains two main clauses connected by 'and', with additional phrases providing context and detail about the action.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & 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 107:6
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 Lord Delivers the Distressedgenerated
Psalm 107:6 describes a situation where people, overwhelmed by their troubles, cry out to the LORD. The psalmist illustrates a recurring theme in the Psalms: in times of distress, turning to God brings deliverance. This verse is part of a broader narrative that emphasizes God's faithfulness to those who seek His help in difficult times.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 107:13–19 | Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. |
| 2 | Psalm 50:15 | Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” |
| 3 | Psalm 91:15 | When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him. |
| 4 | Isaiah 41:17–18 | The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 29:12–14 | Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יַּצִּילֵֽם, ya.tzi.Lemgenerated
The verb יַּצִּילֵֽם (yatzil) is a Hiphil imperfect form meaning 'he will deliver' or 'he will rescue'. It is derived from a root that conveys the idea of snatching away or delivering from danger. In this context, it emphasizes God's active role in rescuing the distressed.
This form indicates a future action performed by a singular subject (God) towards a plural object (the people). The use of this verb highlights the assurance of divine intervention in response to the cries of the people.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is יִּצְעֲק֣וּ, they cried out, which governs the structure. It is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the direction of their cry, אֶל־יְ֭הוָה, to the LORD, and concludes with a clause that describes the result of their cry: יַצִּילֵֽם, He delivered them.
The sentence structure emphasizes the action of crying out as the catalyst for divine rescue, illustrating a cause-and-effect relationship between human desperation and God's response.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, יַּצִּילֵֽם is rendered as σώσει (sōsei), meaning 'he will save'. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of deliverance, encompassing both physical rescue and spiritual salvation.
The use of σώσει suggests a continuity in the understanding of God's role as a savior, which resonates with the themes found throughout the Old Testament and into the New Testament.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 107:6 tells us that when people are in trouble, they can cry out to the LORD for help. In response, God delivers them from their distress. This verse shows that God is always ready to rescue those who seek Him in their times of need.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Crying out to the LORD signifies a deep sense of need or desperation, seeking His help and intervention in times of trouble.
God delivers us from distress through His power and faithfulness, often providing comfort, guidance, or rescue from difficult situations.
Yes, the Psalms assure us that God hears the cries of His people and responds to their needs.
The Bible contains many examples of distress, including physical danger, emotional turmoil, and spiritual struggles, all of which demonstrate the need for God's intervention.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what situations have I cried out to God for help?
- How have I experienced God's deliverance in my own life?
- What does it mean for me to trust in God's rescue during difficult times?
- How can I encourage others to seek the LORD in their troubles?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 107:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThen they cried unto the Lord in their trouble,.... To be directed in their way, and for food and drink, as travellers do when in such distress.
Read John Gill on Psalms 107 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThen they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 107 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleUnto the Lord, Heb. unto Jehovah, to the true God. For the heathens, of whom he speaks, had many of them some knowledge of the true God, and did in their manner worship him with and in their idols; and especially in their distresses, when they discovered the impotency of their idols, they did direct their prayer immediately to the true God, of which there are many instances of heathen writers. He delivered them out of their distresses, in answer to their prayers, which he did not because their prayers were acceptable to him, but partly, out of the benignity and compassionateness of his nature to all his creatures; partly, to encourage and preserve the use of prayer and religion among the…
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 107 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 107:6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, [and] he delivered them out of their distresses.Ver. 6. Then they cried unto the Lord] Though under a wrong name, it may be, as of Jupiter, Mercury, &c.; and, in an uncertain way, as Hecuba did with her, O Iupiter quicquid es sive caelum hoc, sive mens, quae vehitur in coelo, &c.; and as those mariners in Jonah 1:5, who cried every man to his god, and, lest they might all mistake the true God, they awaken Jonah, to call upon his God. And he delivered them out of their distresses] Out of his general goodness and compassion to the poor creature; like as he heareth the young ravens that cry unto him, no otherwise than by implication…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 107 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. Then they cried unto the Lord] When the Israelites began to pray heartily, and the eyes of all the tribes were as the eyes of one man turned unto the Lord, then he delivered them out of their distresses.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 107 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. The words for trouble (better, strait) and distresses are coupled together in Job 15:24.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 107 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThen they cried unto the Lord in their trouble - The language in this verse is repeated in this psalm in Psalms 107:13, Psalms 107:19, Psalms 107:28 - as if this were the main subject of the psalm,
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 107 →The verse in English, compared — 17 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 delivered them from their distress.
Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress.
They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles.
Tyndale line
Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble, And he delivered them out of their distresses,
Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
Then they cried vnto the Lord in their trouble, and he deliuered them from their distresse,
Strictly literal
Then they cried unto Jehovah in their trouble, [and] he delivered them out of their distresses,
And they cry unto Jehovah in their adversity, From their distress He delivereth them,
And they cry to YHWH in their adversity, || He delivers them from their distress,
Then they cried unto the Lord when they were in distress, [and] out of their afflictions he delivered them.
Then they called out to Yahweh in their trouble, and he rescued them out of their distress.
From the Latin
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory over all the earth:
Simplified
Then they cried out to the Lord to help them in their troubles, and he saved them from their suffering.
Then they sent up their cry to the Lord in their sorrow, and he gave 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 of Psalms 107:6 states, 'Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress.' The Septuagint closely matches this, with six out of seven words corresponding, although the word order and articles differ due to the nature of the Greek translation. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variations for this specific verse, indicating that the main witnesses agree with the Masoretic Text in meaning and content.
וַיִּצְעֲק֣וּ אֶל־ יְ֭הוָה בַּצַּ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם מִ֝מְּצֽוּקוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם יַצִּילֵֽם׃
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.
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 107:6
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
Prep | N-fp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
The Hebrew word נָצַל (natsal) is built from a primitive root meaning to snatch away, with various usages across different stems. It covers a range of meanings including to rescue, deliver, plunder, and strip. The word appears in contexts of delivering oneself or being delivered, as well as rescuing from enemies or sin.
[נָצַל] 212 vb. not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver
Niph.
reflex. tear oneself away, deliver oneself
passive, be torn out or away
Pi.
strip off, spoil
deliver
Hiph.
take away, snatch away
rescue, recover
deliver from
deliver from sin and guilt
Hoph. as a brand plucked out of the burning
Hithp. and they stripped themselves of their ornaments.
base
H5337 נָצַל not in Qal; Pi. strip, plunder; Niph. deliver oneself, be delivered Hiph. snatch away, deliver
5337 natsal naw-tsal'
a primitive root; to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad
sense:- X at all, defend, deliver (self), escape, X without
fail, part, pluck, preserve, recover, rescue, rid, save,
spoil, strip, X surely, take (out).
נָצַל (na.tsal) — to rescue.
1) to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder
1a)(Niphal)
1a1) to tear oneself away, deliver oneself
1a2) to be torn out or away, be delivered
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to strip off, spoil
1b2) to deliver
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to take away, snatch away
1c2) to rescue, recover
1c3) to deliver (from enemies or troubles or death)
1c4) to deliver from sin and guilt
1d) (Hophal) to be plucked out
1e) (Hithpael) to strip oneself
Aramaic equivalent: ne.tsal (נְצַל "to rescue" H5338)
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVhi3ms/Sp3mp