Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
Parallel translations
- WEB Many sorrows come to the wicked, but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in Yahweh.
- KJV Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
- BSB Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but loving devotion surrounds him who trusts in the LORD.
- 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 who heeds the Word finds prosperity. Whoever trusts in Yahweh is blessed.
- Isa 12:2–3Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Yah, Yahweh, is my strength and song; and he has become my salvation.”
- Prov 13:21Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous.
- Ps 147:11Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
- Rom 2:8–9but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath and indignation,
- Ps 146:5Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Yahweh, his God:
- 1 Tim 6:10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
- Ps 5:12For you will bless the righteous. Yahweh, you will surround him with favor as with a shield.
- Ps 34:19–21Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.
- Ps 34:8Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
- Ps 16:4Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips.
- Ps 84:12Yahweh of Armies, blessed is the man who trusts in you.
- Ps 2:12Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.
- Isa 3:11Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them; for the deeds of his hands will be paid back to him.
- Eccl 8:12Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.
- Ps 40:4Blessed is the man who makes Yahweh his trust, and doesn’t respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
- Isa 57:21“There is no peace”, says my God, “for the wicked.”
- Jer 17:7–8“Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh, and whose confidence is in Yahweh.
- Ps 140:11An evil speaker won’t be established in the earth. Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.