Dictionary of Bible Themes: 5945 self-pity

5945 self-pity

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5760 Human attitudes and behaviour » 5945 self-pity

Sorrow or despondency aroused by one's own suffering or misfortune. It can result from personal loss or suffering, hardship in God's service or the judgment of God. Its cure is to remember the goodness of God.

Examples of self-pity as a result of personal loss or suffering

The Israelites in the wilderness

Exodus 16:3 See also Exodus 14:10-12; Exodus 17:3; Numbers 11:4-6; Numbers 14:1-4; Deuteronomy 1:26-28; 1 Corinthians 10:10-11

Job

Job 6:1-13; Job 10:1 See also Job 3:1-26; Job 12:1-6; Job 16:6-17:2; Job 30:9-31

Other examples

Genesis 27:34,38; 2 Samuel 15:30; 2 Kings 20:2-3 pp Isaiah 38:2-3; Psalm 10:1; Psalm 73:2-3,13-14; Psalm 74:1

Examples of self-pity as a result of hardship in the service of God

Moses

Numbers 11:11-15 See also Exodus 5:22-23; Exodus 17:4

Elijah

1 Kings 19:4 See also 1 Kings 19:10,14

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 15:10 See also Jeremiah 15:18; Jeremiah 20:7-10,14-18

Other examples

Jeremiah 45:3 See also Jonah 4:1-5

Examples of self-pity as a result of God's judgment

Psalm 137:1-9; Lamentations 3:1-18; Revelation 18:9-19 The kings, merchants and sailors will be full of self-pity when they see the destruction of Babylon, because their opportunities for making wealth will be gone.

People calling upon others to pity them

Job 19:21 See also Mark 9:22; Luke 17:13

Turning to God puts self-pity in its true perspective

Psalm 43:5; Psalm 73:16-17 See also Psalm 3:1-4; Psalm 13:1-6; Psalm 37:1-7; Psalm 73:23-28; Psalm 106:7; Lamentations 3:19-26,31-33; 2 Corinthians 1:5; Corinthians 6:3-10; James 1:2-3; 1 Peter 4:13