Psalm 73:16
New International Version
When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply

New Living Translation
So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!

English Standard Version
But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,

Berean Standard Bible
When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight

King James Bible
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

New King James Version
When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me—

New American Standard Bible
When I thought of understanding this, It was troublesome in my sight

NASB 1995
When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight

NASB 1977
When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight

Legacy Standard Bible
When I gave thought to know this, It was trouble in my sight

Amplified Bible
When I considered how to understand this, It was too great an effort for me and too painful

Christian Standard Bible
When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless

American Standard Version
When I thought how I might know this, It was too painful for me;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
It is evil in my eyes.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I undertook to understand this, but it is too hard for me,

Contemporary English Version
It was hard for me to understand all this!

Douay-Rheims Bible
I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:

English Revised Version
When I thought how I might know this, it was too painful for me;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But when I tried to understand this, it was too difficult for me.

Good News Translation
I tried to think this problem through, but it was too difficult for me

International Standard Version
When I tried to understand this, it was too difficult for me

JPS Tanakh 1917
And when I pondered how I might know this, It was wearisome in mine eyes;

Literal Standard Version
And I think to know this, | It [is] perverseness in my eyes,

Majority Standard Bible
When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight

New American Bible
Though I tried to understand all this, it was too difficult for me,

NET Bible
When I tried to make sense of this, it was troubling to me.

New Revised Standard Version
But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,

New Heart English Bible
When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me;

Webster's Bible Translation
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

World English Bible
When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me—

Young's Literal Translation
And I think to know this, Perverseness it is in mine eyes,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Endow the King with Your Justice
15If I had said, “I will speak this way,” then I would have betrayed Your children. 16When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight 17until I entered God’s sanctuary; then I discerned their end.…

Cross References
Judges 6:2
and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.

Ecclesiastes 8:17
I 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.


Treasury of Scripture

When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

when

Psalm 36:6
Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.

Psalm 77:19
Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.

Psalm 97:2
Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

too painful for me.

Psalm 39:6
Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Luke 18:32-34
For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: …

John 16:18,19
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith…

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Able Eyes Grievous Oppressive Painful Perverseness Pondered Reason Seemed Sight Task Think Thought Thoughts Tried Troublesome Turned Understand Weariness Wearisome
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Able Eyes Grievous Oppressive Painful Perverseness Pondered Reason Seemed Sight Task Think Thought Thoughts Tried Troublesome Turned Understand Weariness Wearisome
Psalm 73
1. The prophet, prevailing in a temptation
2. Shows the occasion thereof, the prosperity of the wicked
13. The wound given thereby, diffidence
15. The victory over it, knowledge of God's purpose.














(16) When I thought . . .--i.e., when I reflected in order to know this--when I tried to think the matter out, get at the bottom of it. (For the sense of the verb, comp. Psalm 78:5; Proverbs 16:9.)

It was too painful.--See margin.

Verse 16. - When I thought to know this; literally, and I meditated, that I might understand this. A process of careful thought and consideration is implied, during which the psalmist tried hard to understand the method of God's government, and to explain to himself its seeming anomalies. But he says, It was too painful for me. He did not succeed; he was baffled and perplexed, and the whole effort was a pain and a grief to him.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When I tried
וָֽ֭אֲחַשְּׁבָה (wā·’ă·ḥaš·šə·ḇāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2803: To think, account

to understand
לָדַ֣עַת (lā·ḏa·‘aṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3045: To know

all this,
זֹ֑את (zōṯ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

it
ה֣וּא (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

was troublesome
עָמָ֖ל (‘ā·māl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5999: Toil, wearing effort, worry, wheth, of body, mind

in my sight
בְעֵינָֽי׃ (ḇə·‘ê·nāy)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | first person common singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain


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OT Poetry: Psalm 73:16 When I tried to understand this it (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 73:15
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