Psalms 107:26
They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Original Language Analysis
יַעֲל֣וּ
They mount up
H5927
יַעֲל֣וּ
They mount up
Strong's:
H5927
Word #:
1 of 7
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
שָׁ֭מַיִם
to the heaven
H8064
שָׁ֭מַיִם
to the heaven
Strong's:
H8064
Word #:
2 of 7
the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r
יֵרְד֣וּ
they go down
H3381
יֵרְד֣וּ
they go down
Strong's:
H3381
Word #:
3 of 7
to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); cau
תְהוֹמ֑וֹת
again to the depths
H8415
תְהוֹמ֑וֹת
again to the depths
Strong's:
H8415
Word #:
4 of 7
an abyss (as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main sea or the subterranean watersupply)
נַ֝פְשָׁ֗ם
their soul
H5315
נַ֝פְשָׁ֗ם
their soul
Strong's:
H5315
Word #:
5 of 7
properly, a breathing creature, i.e., animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or ment
Historical Context
Ancient seafarers faced genuine mortal danger—wooden ships in storms often sank with all hands lost. Jonah's ship nearly broke apart (Jonah 1:4). Paul experienced shipwreck three times and a night in the deep (2 Corinthians 11:25). Acts 27 describes Paul's harrowing shipwreck voyage. These weren't exaggerations—oceanic storms were deadly. Modern technology hasn't eliminated this danger—creation's forces still exceed human control.
Questions for Reflection
- How does facing overwhelming natural forces reveal human frailty and dependence?
- What does 'their soul is melted' teach about the effect of terror on human courage?
- How should creation's power drive us to acknowledge the Creator's greater power?
Analysis & Commentary
This verse vividly describes the storm's terror. 'They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths' depicts waves lifting ships skyward then plunging to troughs—roller-coaster motion. 'Their soul is melted because of trouble' uses moog (מוּג), meaning to dissolve, melt, or faint. Terror liquefies courage. This describes existential dread, not mere fear—facing death in uncontrollable circumstances. The verse captures human helplessness against overwhelming natural forces. When creation's power is unleashed, human strength dissolves. Only the Creator's intervention can save from creation's fury.