The Meaning of Psalms 107:4 Explained

Psalms 107:4

KJV: They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

YLT: They wandered in a wilderness, in a desert by the way, A city of habitation they have not found.

Darby: They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way, they found no city of habitation;

ASV: They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way; They found no city of habitation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They wandered  in the wilderness  in a solitary  way;  they found  no city  to dwell  in. 

What does Psalms 107:4 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Psalms 107

1  The psalmist exhorts the redeemed in praising God to observe his manifold providence
4  Over travelers
10  Over captives
17  Over sick men
23  Over sailors
33  And in diverse varieties of life

What do the individual words in Psalms 107:4 mean?

They wandered in the wilderness in desolate a way city to dwell in no they found
תָּע֣וּ בַ֭מִּדְבָּר בִּישִׁימ֣וֹן דָּ֑רֶךְ עִ֥יר מ֝וֹשָׁ֗ב לֹ֣א מָצָֽאוּ

תָּע֣וּ  They  wandered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: תָּעָה  
Sense: to err, wander, go astray, stagger.
בַ֭מִּדְבָּר  in  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
בִּישִׁימ֣וֹן  in  desolate 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יְשִׁימֹון  
Sense: waste, wilderness, desert, desolate place.
דָּ֑רֶךְ  a  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
עִ֥יר  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
מ֝וֹשָׁ֗ב  to  dwell  in 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹושָׁב  
Sense: seat, assembly, dwelling-place, dwelling, dwellers.
לֹ֣א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
מָצָֽאוּ  they  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.