When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight
Parallel translations
- WEB When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me;
- KJV When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
- ESV But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
- 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 quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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 8:17I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun. Despite his efforts to search it out, he cannot find its meaning; even if the wise man claims to know, he is unable to comprehend.
- Ps 97:2Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are His throne’s foundation.
- Ps 77:19Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, but Your footprints were not to be found.
- Rom 11:33O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
- Luke 18:32–34He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.
- Prov 30:2–3Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
- Ps 39:6Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.
- John 16:18–19They kept asking, “Why is He saying, ‘a little while’? We do not understand what He is saying.”
- Ps 36:6Your righteousness is like the highest mountains; Your judgments are like the deepest sea. O LORD, You preserve man and beast.
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
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