Psalms 107:14
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
Original Language Analysis
יֽ֭וֹצִיאֵם
He brought them out
H3318
יֽ֭וֹצִיאֵם
He brought them out
Strong's:
H3318
Word #:
1 of 5
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim
מֵחֹ֣שֶׁךְ
of darkness
H2822
מֵחֹ֣שֶׁךְ
of darkness
Strong's:
H2822
Word #:
2 of 5
the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness
וְצַלְמָ֑וֶת
and the shadow of death
H6757
וְצַלְמָ֑וֶת
and the shadow of death
Strong's:
H6757
Word #:
3 of 5
shade of death, i.e., the grave (figuratively, calamity)
Cross References
Isaiah 42:16And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.Psalms 116:16O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.Ephesians 5:8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:Psalms 107:10Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;1 Peter 2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;Acts 5:25Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.Acts 5:19But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,Psalms 68:6God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.Psalms 102:20To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;
Historical Context
Cyrus's decree shattered Babylon's hold on Jewish captives, enabling return (Isaiah 45:13; Ezra 1:1-4). God 'broke the bands' of exile. For Christian theology, this prefigures Christ's resurrection victory that broke death's power and Satan's authority (Hebrews 2:14-15; Colossians 2:15). Regeneration brings exodus from darkness to light (1 Peter 2:9), and justification breaks sin's enslaving power.
Questions for Reflection
- How does deliverance from darkness parallel the exodus and Christian conversion?
- What 'bands' or chains does Christ break in the salvation experience?
- In what ways does regeneration constitute being 'brought out of darkness into light'?
Analysis & Commentary
This verse describes deliverance from imprisonment. 'He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death' reverses verse 10. 'Brought out' (yatsa, יָצָא) is exodus language—the same word for Israel's departure from Egypt. Deliverance from darkness is exodus from death's realm. 'And brake their bands in sunder' uses nathaq (נָתַק), meaning to tear apart, snap, or break off. God shatters chains that bind. This applies to exile (broken chains of captivity) and spiritually to regeneration (broken chains of sin). Only divine power breaks bonds of death and darkness; human effort cannot free ourselves from sin's prison.