Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 107:3
And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
3. gathered them out of the lands ] In accordance with many a prophetic promise (Jer 32:37; Eze 20:34; &c.); cp. the prayer of Psa 106:47.
from the east &c.] “From the four quarters of the earth,” Isa 11:12; Isa 43:5-6. Israelites from many lands doubtless returned to join the newly-founded community in Jerusalem.
from the south ] Heb. from the sea, which according to general usage means the west. The Targ. explains it to mean ‘the southern sea,’ the Arabian gulf or the Indian ocean; possibly it may denote the southern part of the Mediterranean, washing the shore of Egypt: but on the whole it seems most probable that the Psalmist borrowed the phrase “from the north and from the sea” from Isa 49:12, and does not strictly enumerate the points of the compass. ‘The sea’ or ‘west’ there denotes the islands and coasts of the Mediterranean (Isa 11:11). A slight change of the text, ymn for ym, would give the usual word for south (Psa 89:12), but the text is supported by the Versions.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And gathered them out of the lands – The countries where they were scattered. In the times of the captivity the people were not all taken to one place, or did not all abide in one place. In the long exile – of seventy years – in Babylon, they would naturally be much scattered in the different provinces; and the attempt to collect them together, to restore them again to their native land, might be attended with much difficulty.
From the east … – From all quarters; from the places where they were scattered abroad. That is, one taking his position in Babylon would see them dispersed from that place as a center into all the surrounding country.
And from the south – Margin, as in Hebrew, from the sea. In general, in the Old Testament, the word sea is used for the west, because the western boundary of the land of Palestine was the Mediterranean Sea. Compare Psa 139:9. But the supposed position of the speaker here is Babylon, and on that account the south might be fitly designated by the word sea; as, on the south of Babylon, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean would be soon reached.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. And gathered them out of the lands] Though many Jews returned into Jerusalem from various parts of the world, under the reigns of Darius Hystaspes, Artaxerxes, and Alexander the Great; yet this prophecy has its completion only under the Gospel, when all the ends of the earth hear the salvation of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Bringing them into their own land, out of the several quarters of the world into which they had been carried.
From the south, Heb. from the sea; which in Scripture commonly notes the west, because the great midland sea was on the west of Canaan; but here, as it appears from the opposition of this to the
north, it notes the south, so called from the Red Sea, which was on the south, and which is sometimes called the sea, simply and without addition, as Psa 72:8; 114:3.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. gatheredalluding to thedispersion of captives throughout the Babylonian empire.
from the southliterally,”the sea,” or, Red Sea (Ps114:3), which was on the south.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And gathered them out of the lands,…. This cannot have respect to the bringing of the children of Israel out of Egypt; for they were not then brought out of several countries, but from one land only: nor to the Babylonish captivity; for, though some might be gathered out of different provinces, yet not from east, west, north, and south, as here expressed. It best suits with the gathering of the redeemed in the effectual calling, and particularly the calling of the Gentiles in Gospel times; to which the title of the Syriac version before mentioned has respect. The elect of God are gathered in consequence of being redeemed, Zec 10:8, they are gathered out of the world, and from among the men of it; they are gathered to Christ, and by him; they are gathered into his churches, and to communion with them, and to a participation of all privileges and ordinances: and this is usually done by the ministering of the Gospel, which is sent into all the world for this purpose; and a distinguishing blessing of grace it is to be gathered out from the rest of the world, and favoured with such rich mercies. Such have reason to adore the grace of God, and to show forth his praise, who has called them by his grace, and separated them from others for himself.
From the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south; or, “from the sea” f; the southern sea, as the Targum; or the Red sea, the Arabian or Persian sea. The elect of God, and redeemed of the Lord, lie in all parts of the world; and from thence they are gathered by the ministry of the word unto Christ: this was fulfilled in the first times of the Gospel, and will be more so in the latter day; see
Isa 43:5.
f “et a mari”, Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, &c.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) Gathered them.The usual prophetic word for the Restoration. (See references in margin, and with the verse comp. Isa. 49:12.)
From the south.See margin. The sea here can hardly be any sea but the Mediterranean, and therefore ought, according to general use (see Gen. 12:8, &c), to stand for the west. But as this makes the enumeration of the points of the compass imperfect, several emendations have been proposed, the best of which is yamin (the right hand, and so south) for yam.
Or is the text right, and instead of looking for a complete compass, ought we to connect this general statement with the four tableaux of misery presently painted, and so take out of the sea literally in reference to Psa. 107:23-30?
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. East west north south That is, from all points, whithersoever the seed of Israel had been scattered. The Hebrew here rendered “south” is sea, but being used in an enumeration of the cardinal points of the compass must mean “south.” It may be understood of the southeast coast of the Mediterranean, or of the Red sea, either of which, being southwesterly from Palestine, and a boundary line of Egypt, might denote the latter, to which the eastern wars had scattered many of the Jews. See Jeremiah 43, 44; Isa 43:5-6; Isa 49:12. Verses 4-9 comprise the first strophic division, with Psa 107:6; Psa 107:8 as the double refrain. These give life and dramatic effect to the musical performance. Psa 107:4-6 are a glance at their wilderness life under Moses; perhaps, also, at the privations of the first caravan of returning exiles under Zerubbabel, (Ezr 2:64; Ezr 2:67,) and afterward of the second, under Ezra. See Ezr 7:8
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 107:3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
Ver. 3. And gathered them out of the lands ] He beginneth with wayfaring men and exiles, because, according to Tyrtaeus, Non exul curae dicitur esse Deo.
And from the south
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
gathered. This is the subject of this last book. Gathered by His Word; and according to His Word. See the Structure, p. 826, and note, p. 827.
the lands, &c. Figure of speech Topographia (App-6), for emphasis. The Psalm looks forward to the final ingathering of Israel.
south = sea: i.e. the Red Sea.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
gathered: Psa 106:47, Isa 11:11-16, Isa 43:5, Isa 43:6, Isa 49:12, Jer 29:14, Jer 31:8, Jer 31:10, Eze 36:24, Eze 39:27, Rev 5:9
south: Heb. sea
Reciprocal: Isa 41:9 – whom Isa 56:8 – which Hos 7:13 – though Zec 8:7 – I