Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 107:41
Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh [him] families like a flock.
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 Zrich 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 den ort, da kein weg ist, hrumb frt.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
33-41. He turneth rivers into awilderness, &c.God’s providence is illustriously displayedin His influence on two great elements of human prosperity, theearth’s productiveness and the powers of government. He punishes thewicked by destroying the sources of fertility, or, in mercy, givesfruitfulness to deserts, which become the homes of a busy andsuccessful agricultural population. By a permitted misrule andtyranny, this scene of prosperity is changed to one of adversity. Herules rulers, setting up one and putting down another.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction,…. On the other hand, the Lord sometimes exalteth men of low degree, raiseth men of mean extract and parentage, who have made a poor figure in life, to high places of honour, free from adversity and distress; as David from the sheepfold, and from following the ewes great with young, to be king of Israel. This may be applied to the saints and people of God, who for the most part are poor in purse, the poor of this world, whom he chooses, calls, and saves; poor knowledge, capacity, and gifts; poor as to their spiritual circumstances, having neither food nor clothing, nor money to buy either; poor in spirit, and sensible of it; and poor by reason of afflictions: these the Lord sets on high, sets them among the princes of his people, makes them kings and priests; sets them on Christ the Rock, who is higher than they, higher than the angels and than the heavens; sets them above the angels, their nature being advanced above theirs in Christ, and they being represented by him in heavenly places; and standing in the relation of sons to God, and of spouse and bride to Christ, and angels being their ministering servants; and ere long they will be set on thrones, and have a crown of glory, life, and righteousness, put upon them, and be possessed of an everlasting kingdom, and be out of the reach of affliction. They are not clear of it in this world; it is needful for them, they are appointed to it, and through it they must enter the kingdom; but then they will come out of all tribulation, and there will be no more pain, sorrow, and death: it may be rendered, “after affliction”, after their time of affliction is over, then God will exalt and glorify them; see 1Pe 5:10, this may respect the prosperity of the church in the latter day; see Da 7:27.
And maketh him families like a flock; that is, the Lord makes the poor families like a flock of sheep, so greatly does he increase them; this is a very apt figure that is here used, since the people of God are often compared to sheep, and to a flock of them; and these are creatures that greatly increase; and here it denotes the large number of the saints, as in the first times of the Gospel, both in Judea and in the Gentile world; and as it will be in the latter day, when they shall be multiplied and not be few, glorified and not be small; and that they should be branched out into families, or particular churches, which, like families, consist of children, young men, and fathers, of which Christ is master, and ministers stewards; so it has been from the beginning of the Gospel dispensation and will be much more so in the latter day, when the earth will be full of these families every where. The Targum introduces this verse thus,
“when they turn to the law he setteth, &c.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(41) Like a flock.This figure of a rapid increase of population is also borrowed from Job. 21:11.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
41. Like a flock Meaning numerous and merry. See Job 21:11
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the poor = a needy one. Hebrew. ‘ebyon. See note on Pro 6:11.
from = after.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
setteth: Psa 113:7, Psa 113:8, Rth 4:14-17, 1Sa 2:8, Est 8:15-17, Job 5:11, Job 8:7, Job 11:15-19, Job 42:10-12, Jer 52:31-34, Jam 5:11
from: or, after
maketh: Psa 78:52, Psa 128:6, Gen 23:5-7, Gen 48:11, 1Sa 2:21, Job 21:11, Job 42:16, Pro 17:6, Isa 49:20-22
Reciprocal: Job 5:15 – he saveth Job 42:13 – General Psa 68:6 – God Psa 142:7 – the righteous Isa 25:4 – thou hast Isa 33:16 – shall dwell Luk 1:52 – put