Psalms 107:41

Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh [him] families like a flock.

Yet setteth he the poor {H34} on high {H7682} from affliction {H6040}, and maketh {H7760} him families {H4940} like a flock {H6629}.

But the needy he raises up from their distress and increases their families like sheep.

But He lifts the needy from affliction and increases their families like flocks.

Yet setteth he the needy on high from affliction, And maketh him families like a flock.

Commentary

Psalms 107:41 beautifully illustrates God's compassionate and just intervention in the lives of the downtrodden. This verse serves as a powerful declaration of divine providence, assuring that even in the deepest affliction, God is able to bring about a miraculous reversal of circumstances for those who are humble and suffering.

Context

Psalm 107 is a magnificent psalm of thanksgiving, recounting God's steadfast love and deliverance for various groups of people who cried out to Him in their distress. It describes His rescue of wanderers in the wilderness, prisoners in darkness, the sick, and sailors caught in storms. Following these accounts of deliverance, the psalm transitions to a broader reflection on God's righteous judgment and care for humanity. Verse 41 specifically contrasts with the preceding verse, Psalms 107:40, which speaks of God pouring contempt upon princes and causing them to wander in a trackless waste, highlighting His justice in humbling the proud while elevating the humble.

Key Themes

  • Divine Reversal and Elevation: The phrase "setteth he the poor on high from affliction" emphasizes God's active role in uplifting those who are oppressed and suffering. It's a promise of elevation from a state of misery to one of security and honor.
  • God's Care for the Afflicted: This verse underscores a consistent biblical theme of God's special concern for the poor and needy. He does not abandon them but intervenes to bring them out of their troubles.
  • Prosperity and Growth of Families: The imagery "maketh [him] families like a flock" conveys not only numerical increase but also security, unity, and prosperity. In ancient agrarian societies, a large and healthy flock was a sign of wealth and blessing, symbolizing God's provision and the thriving of one's descendants.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "affliction" is `oni` (ืขึณื ึดื™), which carries the sense of misery, oppression, or poverty. God lifts the poor from this state of deep distress. The phrase "families like a flock" uses the Hebrew term `ka-tson` (ื›ึทึผืฆึนึผืืŸ), meaning "like sheep" or "like a flock." This vivid simile evokes images of abundance, protection, and collective well-being, reflecting God's desire for His people to be fruitful and multiply, much like the original blessing in Genesis 1:28.

Practical Application

Psalms 107:41 offers profound encouragement to anyone experiencing hardship, poverty, or oppression. It reminds us that God sees our suffering and is mighty to save and elevate. For believers, it fosters trust in God's ultimate justice and His commitment to care for His people. It also serves as a call to action for the church to reflect God's heart by caring for the vulnerable and advocating for justice, knowing that God delights in lifting up the lowly and providing for their households. This verse assures us that God's plan often involves taking what is humble and afflicted and transforming it into something abundant and secure under His watchful care.

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Cross-References

  • 1 Samuel 2:8

    He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set [them] among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth [are] the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.

  • Job 21:11

    They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

  • Isaiah 49:20

    The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place [is] too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.

  • Isaiah 49:22

    Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in [their] arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon [their] shoulders.

  • Job 5:11

    To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

  • Psalms 78:52

    But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

  • Esther 8:15

    ยถ And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
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