Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
Parallel translations
- WEB For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
- BSB When my heart was grieved and I was pierced within,
- ESV When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
- NKJV Thus my heart was grieved, And I was vexed in my mind.
- NASB ¶When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within,
- NLT Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.
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
Looking back, Asaph confesses that his soul had been grieved and his heart embittered.
Overview
He honestly names the bitterness that his envy had produced within him. Such grief soured his spirit and clouded his judgment. This confession marks his repentance, as he recognizes that his complaint sprang from a heart not yet resting in God's goodness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Ps 37:7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
- Ps 73:3For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Lam 3:13He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.
- Job 16:13His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.
- Ps 37:1Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
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 73:21 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.