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Psalm 107:42
The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.
40He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste.
41Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock.
42The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.
43Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of the LORD.
Notice
Gladness and silence meet in the same scene: God's reversal of fortunes brings joy to the upright and leaves the wicked with nothing to say.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
How does God's lifting of the needy shape your reading of the upright's gladness?
Write on thisWhere do you long to see wickedness silenced rather than rewarded?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 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
Job 22:19The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,Both describe the righteous seeing what has happened and being glad, though Job's verse also includes ridicule.
Psalm 63:11But the king shall rejoice in God. Everyone who swears by him will praise him, for the mouth of those who speak lies shall be silenced.Both pair rejoicing with silenced mouths, and Psalm 63 identifies those silenced as people who speak lies.
Matthew 22:12and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless.Both describe people left without a reply, though Matthew concerns a guest questioned about his wedding clothing.
Job 5:16So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.Both connect relief for the poor or needy with the silencing of wickedness, which Job pictures as injustice shutting her mouth.
Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under …Both speak of mouths being closed; Romans extends the scene to the whole world under God's judgment.
1 Peter 2:15For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.Both describe harmful speech being silenced, though Peter specifies doing good as the means of silencing foolish ignorance.
Psalm 52:6The righteous also will see it, and fear, and laugh at him, saying,Both describe the righteous seeing an outcome and responding, with Psalm 52 naming fear and laughter where Psalm 107 names gladness.
Job 5:15–16But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty.In Psalm 107's surrounding lines and Job, God rescues the needy from affliction or the power of the mighty.
Proverbs 10:11The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.Both distinguish the righteous from the wicked and mention wicked mouths, though Proverbs contrasts life-giving speech with violence.
Titus 1:11whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.Both speak of stopping mouths associated with wrongdoing; Titus names teachers who harm households for dishonest gain.
Psalm 58:10The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked,Both depict the righteous rejoicing at the downfall of wickedness, though Psalm 58 describes vengeance in explicit, bloody terms.
Psalm 112:10The wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish.Both describe contrasting responses to what is seen: Psalm 107 names upright gladness and wicked silence, while Psalm 112 names wicked grief.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. gratitude. praise and worship.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
The gladness here has a reason: God lifts the needy from affliction. Their suffering matters to him, and the wicked do not have the last word.
Now put it in your words.
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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).