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Psalm 107:16

For he has broken the gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron.

14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke away their chains.
15Let them praise the LORD for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!
16For he has broken the gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron.
17Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience, and because of their iniquities.
18Their soul abhors all kinds of food. They draw near to the gates of death.
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← Psalm 107:15Psalm 107:17 →
Notice

Bronze gates and iron bars give this rescue a hard, physical shape: YHWH breaks what held people beyond their own power to escape.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What difference does it make that the gates here are broken rather than opened?

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What rescue, if any, comes to mind as you read about these broken bars?

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How might the surrounding call to praise shape your reading of these shattered gates?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

8 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Isaiah 45:2“I will go before you and make the rough places smooth. I will break the doors of bronze in pieces and cut apart the bars of iron.Both passages describe God breaking bronze doors or gates and cutting through iron bars, using the same metals to picture his power.
Isaiah 45:1–2The LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their armor, to open the doors before …Isaiah names Cyrus as the one before whom God opens gates; Psalm 107 praises God for breaking gates that held people captive.
Judges 16:3Samson lay until midnight, then arose at midnight and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city, with the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and …Samson carries away a city gate with its bar; Psalm 107 describes the LORD breaking gates and cutting through bars.
Micah 2:13He who breaks open the way goes up before them. They break through the gate, and go out. Their king passes on before them, with the LORD at their head.Both passages describe a way out through a gate, with the LORD breaking confinement in the psalm and leading the people in Micah.
Isaiah 28:22Now therefore don’t be scoffers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord, GOD of Armies, on the whole earth.Both passages use the language of confinement: Psalm 107 celebrates broken bars, while Isaiah warns that bonds may grow stronger.
Jeremiah 40:1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in …Psalm 107 describes God’s rescue from confinement; Jeremiah 40 records Jeremiah’s release after being held in chains among captives.
Jeremiah 51:30The mighty men of Babylon have stopped fighting, they remain in their strongholds. Their might has failed. They have become as women. Her dwelling places are …Broken bars appear in both passages, marking rescue from captivity in Psalm 107 and the collapse of Babylon’s defenses in Jeremiah.
Nahum 3:13Behold, your troops among you are women. The gates of your land are set wide open to your enemies. The fire has devoured your bars.Both passages describe gates and ruined bars; Psalm 107 celebrates release, while Nahum describes defenses failing before enemies.
Where this verse fits

Answered prayer. gratitude. fear for the future.

What the Bible says about gratitude →What the Bible says about fear →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Read Psalm 107:14–16 and underline what YHWH breaks

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Encouragement

The praise here rests on a rescue God has accomplished. These words offer no timetable for your trouble; they name YHWH as stronger than the prison’s bars.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 107:16. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 107 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).