Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Psalms 107:10 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 10. 10Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Psalm 107:10: Within “Let the redeemed tell four rescue stories: Prisoners brought from darkness,” the line “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,…” supplies one distinct parallel claim, image, address, or response.
The second rescue is from a darkness they helped make
This verse is one part of that explanation in Psalms 107:10–16. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- Psalms 107:10–16
- Psalms 107:1–43
Read Psalms 107:10 with 107:10–16 and 107:1–43. Read alone, “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being…” could lose the communal voice, the parallel line or movement it develops, and the psalm's outcome. The complete movement establishes: Within Psalms 107:10–16, the communal voice carries the movement “Prisoners brought from darkness” as part of “Let the redeemed tell four rescue stories.” Its thanksgiving-wisdom form and poetic parallelism hold the petitions, images, memories, or praise together before any single line is applied.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Psalms 107:10–16 answers or redirects “Wanderers brought to a city” within Psalm 107 by carrying “Prisoners brought from darkness.” The turn from “For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” to “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron” explains why this movement occurs here. Within that relationship, Psalm 107:10 develops the poem's imagery or comparison through “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in…,” whose force comes from the parallel line and whole unit.
Follow the Context
- Identify the communal voice, address, and parallel lines in Psalms 107:10–16; do not make every “I”, “we,” king, enemy, or worshiper interchangeable.
- Within Psalms 107:10–16, the communal voice carries the movement “Prisoners brought from darkness” as part of “Let the redeemed tell four rescue stories.” Its thanksgiving-wisdom form and poetic parallelism hold the petitions, images, memories, or praise together before any single line is applied.
- This reading does not authorize the following misuse: The four scenes are poetic testimonies, not diagnoses of why every traveler, prisoner, sick person, or sailor suffers.
What This Verse Is Not Saying
Psalms 107:10 does not allow “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being…” to become an independent promise, command, accusation, doctrine, or authorization. This verse develops the poem's imagery or comparison through “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in…,” whose force comes from the parallel line and whole unit. The complete movement is “Prisoners brought from darkness.” This reading does not authorize the following misuse: The four scenes are poetic testimonies, not diagnoses of why every traveler, prisoner, sick person, or sailor suffers.
What Remains True
The lasting force of “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being…” comes through Psalms 107:10–16 and Book V, not isolation. Biblical faith can speak unresolved pain directly, remain in relationship, seek safe help, and refuse the claim that anguish proves guilt or failed faith. The local movement is “Prisoners brought from darkness.” The unit's reviewed limit is: The four scenes are poetic testimonies, not diagnoses of why every traveler, prisoner, sick person, or sailor suffers.
Teach It Back
Explain why Psalm 107:10 cannot stand alone. Quote “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being…,” use the full 107:10–16, describe the communal voice and “Prisoners brought from darkness,” distinguish first horizon from later reception, and state why This reading does not authorize the following misuse: The four scenes are poetic testimonies, not diagnoses of why every traveler, prisoner, sick person, or sailor suffers.
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Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read Psalms 107:10–16 — Let the redeemed tell four rescue stories: Prisoners brought from darknessSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact displayed KJV wording, verse order, paragraph metadata, supplied-word markup, and complete thought-unit coverage.
Exact location: Psalms 107:10–16, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM-derived repository corpus
Open source ↗hebrew text and morphology
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible: Psalms
Open Scriptures
Open Scriptures, release 2.2
Supports: Masoretic Hebrew wording and morphology checked at the exact unit without treating morphology as a complete apparatus or interpretation.
Exact location: Open Scriptures MorphHB v2.2, commit 6a5db284c715c18b239422e57bb89684e6a19f00, wlc/Ps.xml, OSIS 107:10–16
Open the fixed Hebrew Psalms file ↗translation and translator notes
NET Bible Notes: Psalms 1-150
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, current official online edition
Supports: Verse-level controls for poetic syntax, imagery, older KJV language, textual issues, headings, and alternatives in Psalms 107:10–16.
Exact location: Official NET Bible Psalm 107 HTML, translator, textual, and study notes attached to Psalms 107:10–16
Open the official NET Psalms notes ↗modern scholarly book course
Psalms course: summary, outline, background, introductory issues, theological themes, and Bible in the world
Fred Gaiser; revised by Nicholas Schaser
Enter the Bible, Luther Seminary, revised May 2024
Supports: Five-book, genre, poetic, historical, theological, liturgical, communal, and reception synthesis with visible limits.
Exact location: Enter the Bible Psalms course, Introductory Issues: genres, parallelism, and forms; Theological Themes: Torah and human response; applied to Psalms 107:10–16
Open the Enter the Bible Psalms course ↗ancient greek text translation and introduction
A New English Translation of the Septuagint: Psalms
Albert Pietersma
International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies; Oxford University Press, 2009
Supports: Ancient Greek wording, numbering, division, and superscription evidence where it materially clarifies translation or reception.
Exact location: NETS Psalms, Pietersma introduction pp. 542–543 and exact Greek translation headed Ps 107 for Psalms 107:10–16
Open NETS Psalms ↗