Psalms 107:41

Psa 107:41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh [him] families like a flock.

Ver. 41. Yet setteth he the poor] The godly poor, as he did David.

And maketh him families like a flock] Of sheep, which multiply exceedingly in a short time.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

41. (Psa 107:41) And has raised the poor from affliction, and made like a flock families. The first verb suggests the twofold idea of elevation from a wretched state, and security from future danger. For its ordinary sense, see above, on Psa 20:1; Psa 91:14. The last clause simply means, he has increased the people who were so reduced in strength and numbers.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

107:41 The large families of the poor are evidence of God’s blessing.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 41. Yet setteth he the poor on high] This probably refers to the case of the Israelites and their restoration from captivity. But these are incidents which frequently occur, and mark the superintendence of a benign Providence, and the hand of a just God; and are applicable to a multitude of cases.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(41) Like a flock.—This figure of a rapid increase of population is also borrowed from Job_21:11.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

41. And he set the needy on high from affliction,

And made him families like a flock.

There is no change of subject. The Psalmist is following the fortunes of those whom Jehovah has blessed with prosperity. Temporary reverses may happen to them, but He will not fail them in their need. Psa_107:39 is virtually the protasis to Psa_107:40, and the construction of Psa_107:40 is somewhat awkward, because it is a verbatim quotation from Job_12:21 a, 24 b, which the Psalmist has adopted without alteration. The princes are any tyrannous oppressors; God humbles their pride and confounds their counsels. The Psalmist probably has in mind the troubles of the returned exiles, and intends his words to encourage their faith. [The construction would however be simplified by placing Psa_107:40 before Psa_107:39 (see above p. 638), thus: He poureth contempt upon princes … and they are diminished and brought low … and he setteth &c. He humbles the proud and exalts the humble.]

like a flock] i.e. numerous. Cp. Job_21:11; Eze_36:37-38.

The P.B.V. of Psa_107:40, “Though he suffer them to be evil intreated through tyrants, and let them wander out of the way in the wilderness,” comes from Coverdale, who derived it apparently from the Zürich Bible[63] (Introd. p. lxxiii). The Heb. however cannot bear this meaning.

[63] So er sy lasst durch die tyrannen beraubet und geschediget werden: so er sy durch die öden ort, da kein weg ist, härumb fürt.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction - Margin, “after.” The sense is not materially different. The idea is, that while he thus humbles princes, bringing them down from their lofty position, he has respect to the poor in their condition of suffering and trial, and raises them from that depressed state, and gives them prosperity. Thus he orders the circumstances of people, and shows his sovereignty.

And maketh him families like flock - Numerous as a flock. Large families were accounted a blessing among the Hebrews. See the notes at Psa 107:38.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Yet setteth he the poor on high: and whilst he bringeth down great potentates, at the same time he advanceth those who were obscure and contemptible. Like a flock, which increase very much in a little time.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 41. He setteth the poor on high from affliction. How high? Above the reach of the curse, which shall never touch him; above the power of Satan, which shall never ruin him; above the reigning influence of sin, which "shall not have dominion over him"; above the possibility of being banished from his presence, for "Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation." This is the way God sets his people on high, instructing them in the mysteries of his word, and giving them to partake the joys that are contained therein. Joseph Irons, 1786-1852.

Psalms 107:42*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

41. Like a flock—Meaning numerous and merry. See Job_21:11

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction. Even in such dread calamities, when a whole nation is punished, God"s providence protects the poor and needy not of course in all, but still in very many, eases. The mower"s scythe passes over the humblest flowers. And maketh him families like a flock. (Job_21:11) Those whom God thus preserves he collects into "families," and looks after as carefully as a shepherd looks after his sheep.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But he

"But Yahweh"

the needy

This refers to needy people. AT: "needy people" or "poor people" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

cares for his families like a flock

Here David compares how Yahweh cares for his people to how a shepherd cares for his sheep. Possible meanings are 1) "makes the number of people in their families increase like flocks" or 2) "takes care of them like a shepherd cares for his sheep" (See: Simile)

The upright

This refers to people who live in an upright way. AT: "Upright people" or "People who do what is right" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

all wickedness

Here wicked people are referred to as "wickedness." AT: "all wicked people" (See: Metonymy)

shuts its mouth

This means to not say anything in response. AT: "has nothing to say against Yahweh in reply" (See: Idiom)

take note of these things

This means to think about these things. AT: "think about these things" or "remember these things" (See: Idiom)

meditate on Yahweh's acts of covenant faithfulness

The abstract noun "faithfulness" can be translated with an adjective. AT: "meditate on the things that Yahweh has done that show that he is faithful to his covenant" (See: Abstract Nouns)

translationWords

afflicted

family

flocks

righteous

joy

evil

wise

meditate

Yahweh

covenant faithfulness

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

and made him families like flocks He made [for] the needy the families of his children as numerous as flocks.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.