Psalm 32:3 kjv
When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
Psalm 32:3 nkjv
When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.
Psalm 32:3 niv
When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
Psalm 32:3 esv
For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
Psalm 32:3 nlt
When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
Psalm 32 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 38:8 | For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease, and there is no soundness in my flesh. | Unconfessed sin causes internal torment. |
| Prov 28:13 | Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper... | Concealing sin leads to spiritual failure. |
| Job 33:19-22 | Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and constant distress in his bones... his bones waste away so that they are not seen. | Suffering can be a call to repentance. |
| Ps 6:2-3 | Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled. | Physical distress linked to inner turmoil. |
| Ps 31:9-10 | Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief... For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. | Iniquity leading to physical decay and sorrow. |
| 1 Jn 1:9 | If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. | Solution to sin: confession and forgiveness. |
| Ps 32:5 | I acknowledged my sin to you... and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. | Direct contextual parallel to confession. |
| Ps 51:2-4 | Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity... For I know my transgressions... | David's prayer acknowledging and confessing sin. |
| Heb 12:5-6 | "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord... For the Lord disciplines the one he loves..." | God's loving discipline via suffering. |
| Rev 3:19 | Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline... | Christ's discipline for repentance. |
| Isa 59:2 | But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God... | Sin causes spiritual separation and distress. |
| Lam 1:20 | Look, O Lord, for I am in distress; my inner being is in an uproar; my heart is wrung within me... | Internal turmoil from deep distress. |
| Is 1:5-6 | The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds. | Spiritual sickness manifests physically. |
| Jer 8:21 | For the wound of the daughter of my people is my heart crushed; I mourn, and dismay has taken hold of me. | Profound sorrow and inner dismay. |
| Prov 17:22 | A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. | Direct link between spirit and bone health. |
| Ps 42:10 | As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me... | Bone agony can represent deep suffering. |
| Ps 38:3 | There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. | Direct link: no bone health due to sin. |
| Dan 7:15 | As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head greatly troubled me. | Inner spiritual distress and troubling thoughts. |
| Rom 7:24 | Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? | Internal anguish from indwelling sin. |
| Ps 22:14 | I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast. | Extreme physical and emotional distress. |
| Ez 37:11 | Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are completely cut off.’" | Dried bones symbolize despair and loss of hope. |
| Eccl 1:18 | For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. | The futility of worldly pursuit leading to weariness. |
| Jer 6:11 | I am full of the wrath of the Lord; I am weary of holding it in. | The exhaustion of suppressed emotion/truth. |
Psalm 32 verses
Psalm 32 3 Meaning
Psalm 32:3 reveals the detrimental consequences of suppressing unconfessed sin. It illustrates a holistic decay – physical, emotional, and spiritual – experienced by one who attempts to conceal their transgression rather than acknowledging it before God. This internal conflict manifests in visible suffering and a deep, continuous state of inner turmoil.
Psalm 32 3 Context
Psalm 32 is a "Maskil" of David, indicating a psalm of instruction or contemplation. It follows Psalm 31, a psalm of distress and trust. Psalm 32 begins by proclaiming the blessedness of the one whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered. This verse (3) describes David's own past experience before he came to this blessed state of confession and forgiveness. It paints a vivid picture of the physical and emotional agony he endured while he chose to conceal his sin, likely referring to his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah (as implied by Ps 51, a penitential psalm traditionally linked to this event). The context emphasizes the stark contrast between the internal torment of unconfessed guilt and the joy and freedom found in repentance.
Psalm 32 3 Word analysis
- For (כִּי - kî): This particle serves as a conjunction indicating a cause or reason. It explains why the blessedness described in verses 1-2 (forgiveness and lack of guile) is so profound, by recounting the painful experience that preceded it. It marks a transition from describing the state of blessedness to describing the prior state of suffering due to unconfessed sin.
- When I kept silent (הֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי - heḥěraštî): This phrase comes from the root חָרַשׁ (ḥāraš), meaning "to be silent, dumb, deaf; to keep still." It signifies an active decision to hold back, to suppress, or to refuse to speak. Here, it refers specifically to David's refusal to confess his sin to God. This silence was not a passive omission but a deliberate act of concealment, implying an internal struggle to justify or ignore his transgression, leading to immense internal pressure.
- My bones (עֲצָמוֹתַי - ʿaṣmôtay): In biblical thought, "bones" represent the very core of one's being, the foundational structure of the body, and often symbolize inner strength, vitality, or the seat of deep emotion. The weakening of bones signifies profound, internal decay, affecting not just physical health but also spiritual and emotional vigor. It points to a deep, debilitating effect on one's life force.
- Wasted away (בָּלוּ - bālû): From the root בָּלָה (bālāh), meaning "to wear out, consume, decay, grow old." It describes a gradual but thorough deterioration, akin to something being worn thin or rotting. This indicates a physical and existential erosion, suggesting a loss of vital energy and health as a direct consequence of the spiritual burden of unconfessed sin. It implies a draining away of strength and well-being.
- Through my groaning (בְּשַׁאֲגָתִי - bišəʾāḡātî): This word comes from שָׁאַג (šāʾaḡ), which literally means "to roar (as a lion)" or "to bellow." It is a strong, guttural expression of deep anguish, pain, or frustration, far beyond a mere sigh or complaint. It implies a constant, involuntary, and perhaps even subconscious, expression of torment emanating from the core of one's being. This internal "roaring" suggests that despite the external "silence," the internal pain was intensely vocal.
- All the day long (כָּל־הַיּוֹם - kol-hayyôm): This temporal phrase emphasizes the ceaseless, persistent, and unrelenting nature of the suffering. It was not episodic but continuous, offering no respite or relief. The torment pervaded every moment of David's waking existence, indicating the pervasive and oppressive nature of his guilt and distress.
Psalm 32 3 Bonus section
The concept of "bones" wasting away due to internal spiritual or emotional distress is a recurring theme in biblical wisdom literature and psalms, underscoring the ancient understanding of the interconnectedness of human well-being. This imagery reinforces that spiritual health is foundational to all other aspects of life. The "groaning" described is a profound, instinctual lament that cannot be stifled, much like the involuntary sigh of relief upon a burden being lifted, except in this case it is the continuous expression of a burden not yet released. Psalm 32 is considered a "penitential psalm," traditionally grouped with six others (Psalms 6, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143), which express sorrow for sin and seek God's mercy, serving as instructional guides for repentance.
Psalm 32 3 Commentary
Psalm 32:3 presents a powerful testimony to the holistic consequence of sin that remains unacknowledged and unconfessed. David's experience reveals that unconfessed sin is not merely a spiritual concept but a profound internal disease that impacts the entire person – body, mind, and spirit. His "keeping silent" signifies a deliberate withholding of truth, creating an inner spiritual dam that inevitably caused overflow and breakdown in his physical being. The "wasting away of bones" and "groaning all the day long" speak to a divine process of conviction where God, in His mercy, uses internal suffering to drive the sinner towards repentance. This suffering is not primarily punitive in the sense of eternal damnation, but disciplinary, meant to highlight the grievous nature of sin and lead one to seek reconciliation. It underscores that God cares for us holistically; our spiritual condition deeply affects our physical and psychological well-being. For example, individuals experiencing profound guilt might suffer from insomnia, chronic fatigue, or even digestive issues, reflecting the body's internal 'groaning' alongside the spiritual burden.