10 Such as sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Being bound in affliction and iron,
To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace.
The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light, And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, To them did light spring up.
And it came to pass in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
Wherefore Jehovah brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let all that maketh black the day terrify it.
His feet they hurt with fetters: He was laid in `chains of' iron,
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
He hath made me to dwell in dark places, as those that have been long dead. He hath walled me about, that I cannot go forth; he hath made my chain heavy.
Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, Jehovah will be a light unto me.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 107
Commentary on Psalms 107 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 107
The psalmist, having in the two foregoing psalms celebrated the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, in his dealings with his church in particular, here observes some of the instances of his providential care of the children of men in general, especially in their distresses; for he is not only King of saints, but King of nations, not only the God of Israel, but the God of the whole earth, and a common Father to all mankind. Though this may especially refer to Israelites in their personal capacity, yet there were those who pertained not to the commonwealth of Israel and yet were worshippers of the true God; and even those who worshipped images had some knowledge of a supreme "Numen,' to whom, when they were in earnest, they looked above all their false gods. And of these, when they prayed in their distresses, God took a particular care,
When we are in any of these or the like distresses it will be comfortable to sing this psalm, with application; but, if we be not, others are, and have been, of whose deliverances it becomes us to give God the glory, for we are members one of another.
Psa 107:1-9
Here is,
Psa 107:10-16
We are to take notice of the goodness of God towards prisoners and captives. Observe,
Psa 107:17-22
Bodily sickness is another of the calamities of this life which gives us an opportunity of experiencing the goodness of God in recovering us, and of that the psalmist speaks in these verses, where we may observe,
Psa 107:23-32
The psalmist here calls upon those to give glory to God who are delivered from dangers at sea. Though the Israelites dealt not much in merchandise, yet their neighbours the Tyrians and Zidonians did, and for them perhaps this part of the psalm was especially calculated.
Psa 107:33-43
The psalmist, having given God the glory of the providential reliefs granted to persons in distress, here gives him the glory of the revolutions of providence, and the surprising changes it sometimes makes in the affairs of the children of men.