When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me;
Parallel translations
- KJV When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
- BSB When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight
- NKJV When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me—
- NASB When I thought of understanding this, It was troublesome in my sight
- NLT So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
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
When he tried to understand the prosperity of the wicked, the problem was too painful and burdensome for him.
Overview
Asaph admits that human reasoning alone could not resolve his perplexity. The puzzle of evil's prosperity exceeded his understanding. This confession of intellectual limits prepares the way for the decisive shift that comes not through reasoning but through entering God's presence in worship.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Eccl 8:17then I saw all the work of God, that man can’t find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won’t find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won’t be able to find it.
- Ps 97:2Clouds and darkness are around him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
- Ps 77:19Your way was through the sea; your paths through the great waters. Your footsteps were not known.
- Rom 11:33Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
- Luke 18:32–34For he will be delivered up to the Gentiles, will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit on.
- Prov 30:2–3“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.
- Ps 39:6“Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.
- John 16:18–19They said therefore, “What is this that he says, ‘A little while’? We don’t know what he is saying.”
- Ps 36:6Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like a great deep. Yahweh, you preserve man and animal.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 73:16 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.