Psalms 107:3

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; Isaiah 43:5-6; Isaiah 49:12. Verses 4-9 comprise the first strophic division, with Psalms 107:6; Psalms 107:8 as the double refrain. These give life and dramatic effect to the musical performance. Psalms 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, (Ezra 2:64; Ezra 2:67,) and afterward of the second, under Ezra. See Ezra 7:8