Bible Strands
Psalms 107:16
For He has broken down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses the redeemed community, urging them to give thanks for God's wonders before describing how He intervenes in human captivity.
The words — The Hebrew verbs שִׁבַּר (shi.bar) and גִּדְּעַ (gi.dea) literally mean "he breaks down" and "he cuts down," describing the destruction of נְחֹשֶׁת (bronze) gates and בַרְזֶל (iron) bars.
The thread — The motif of shattering metallic prison barriers appears in Isaiah 45:2, where God promises to break bronze gates and cut iron bars, and echoes in Micah 2:13’s image of breaking through gates to escape.
Why it lands — The text declares God’s power to dismantle impenetrable human defenses, requiring the reader to recognize divine intervention as the cause of deliverance rather than human effort.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 45:1 This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut:
- Judges 16:3 But Samson lay there only until midnight, when he got up, took hold of the doors of the city gate and both gateposts, and pulled them out, bar and all. Then he put them on his shoulders and took them to the top of the mountain overlooking Hebron.
- Micah 2:13 One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate, and go out by it. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD as their leader.