What is the meaning of Psalm 107:6? Then - The word signals a turning point. After recounting hardship (see Psalm 107:4–5), “then” introduces the moment God’s people decide to act differently. - Scripture often shows God waiting for this decisive moment of repentance or reliance (Judges 10:15–16; Isaiah 30:18). they cried out - The people don’t whisper a polite request; they lift a desperate, faith-filled cry. - Psalm 34:17 echoes the same pattern: “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears and delivers them from all their troubles.” - Crying out is the posture of genuine dependence seen in Jonah 2:2 and Jeremiah 33:3. to the LORD - Their cry is directed to the covenant God, not to idols or human allies. - Psalm 50:15 invites, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” - Turning specifically to the LORD affirms trust in His character and promises (Psalm 9:10). in their trouble - Trouble is not hidden or minimized; it becomes the very setting for divine rescue. - Historically, Israel’s cycle of rebellion, oppression, and plea appears in Judges 3:9 and 2 Chronicles 15:4. - Our modern hardships—physical, emotional, or spiritual—fit the same category of “trouble.” and He delivered them - God’s response is immediate and effective. He does not merely sympathize; He rescues. - Psalm 34:19 assures, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.” - In Christ, this pattern reaches its climax (2 Corinthians 1:10; Colossians 1:13). from their distress - “Distress” pictures pressure closing in. God opens a way out (Psalm 118:5). - Psalm 46:1 reminds us He is “an ever-present help in times of trouble,” turning claustrophobic fear into spacious freedom (Psalm 18:19). summary Psalm 107:6 portrays the timeless rhythm of human need met by divine mercy. When God’s people reach the end of themselves, they cry out, He hears, and He rescues. The verse invites every believer to respond the same way today: recognize the trouble, call on the LORD, and trust His sure deliverance. |