Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
Parallel translations
- WEB Many sorrows come to the wicked, but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in Yahweh.
- BSB Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but loving devotion surrounds him who trusts in the LORD.
- NKJV Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
- NASB The sorrows of the wicked are many, But the one who trusts in the Lord, goodness will surround him.
- NLT Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The wicked face many sorrows, but God's steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in him.
Overview
David draws a sharp contrast between the troubled path of the wicked and the security of those who trust the Lord. The same loving kindness (hesed) that forgives also encircles the believer like a shield. This trust finds its fullest object in Christ, through whom God's covenant love embraces all who believe.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Prov 16:20He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.
- Isa 12:2–3Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
- Prov 13:21Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
- Ps 147:11The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
- Rom 2:8–9But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
- Ps 146:5Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
- 1 Tim 6:10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
- Ps 5:12For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
- Ps 34:19–21Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
- Ps 34:8O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
- Ps 16:4Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
- Ps 84:12O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.
- Ps 2:12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
- Isa 3:11Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
- Eccl 8:12Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
- Ps 40:4Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
- Isa 57:21There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
- Jer 17:7–8Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
- Ps 140:11Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 32:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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