Psalm 73 21

Psalm 73:21 kjv

Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

Psalm 73:21 nkjv

Thus my heart was grieved, And I was vexed in my mind.

Psalm 73:21 niv

When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,

Psalm 73:21 esv

When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,

Psalm 73:21 nlt

Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
and I was all torn up inside.

Psalm 73 verses

Psalm 73 21 Meaning

Psalm 73:21 expresses the deep internal turmoil and bitterness experienced by the psalmist Asaph. It signifies a moment of profound spiritual and emotional distress where his heart was not merely saddened, but corrupted and soured by envy and doubt, causing a sharp, painful sting in the innermost parts of his being—his conscience and deepest affections. This verse captures the apex of his misguided bitterness before his revelation in the sanctuary.

Psalm 73 21 Context

Psalm 73 records the severe spiritual struggle of Asaph, a chief musician and seer. For a time, he deeply envied the apparent ease, prosperity, and lack of troubles experienced by the wicked, leading him to doubt God's justice and goodness. He questioned the value of his own righteous living (Ps 73:1-14), feeling his efforts were in vain. Verse 21 occurs at the climax of his agonizing internal conflict, just before he finds clarity and resolution by entering the sanctuary of God (Ps 73:17). This bitterness was not just sadness, but a corrosive resentment that deeply disturbed his soul and his understanding of God's ways.

Psalm 73 21 Word analysis

• When my heart was grieved: The Hebrew word here is חָמַץ (chamatz), meaning to be sour, leavened, or to ferment. It implies not just grief or sorrow, but a bitter, rancid, or corrosive feeling, like wine that has turned to vinegar. This indicates that Asaph's heart was corrupted by envy and doubt, leading to an acidic and morally unsound state. The "heart" (לֵב - lev) in Hebrew anthropology refers to the whole inner man: the seat of intellect, will, emotions, and moral character.
• and I was pricked: The Hebrew verb is שָׁנַן (shanán), which means to sharpen, pierce, or sting. This signifies a sharp, acute, cutting pain, as if something sharp had physically wounded him. It emphasizes the intensity and penetrating nature of his inner anguish, suggesting not just general distress but a very specific, deeply felt pain.
• in my reins: The Hebrew word כְּלָיוֹת (kelyayoth), literally refers to the "kidneys" (or "reins" in older English). In biblical literature, the kidneys, along with the heart, represent the deepest inner self, the seat of affections, conscience, innermost thoughts, moral discernment, and the secrets of one's being. God is often described as testing or searching the "heart and reins" (Jer 17:10). For Asaph to be "pricked in his reins" implies that the sharp pain and bitterness had penetrated to the core of his spiritual and moral essence, affecting his very conscience and deepest feelings about God and justice.
• words-group analysis: "my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins": This parallelism highlights the comprehensive nature of Asaph's inner suffering. "Grieved" in his "heart" describes the souring of his will and emotions, his entire intellectual and feeling capacity turned bitter. "Pricked" in his "reins" specifies a deeper, sharper pain impacting his spiritual core and moral sensibilities. The combination vividly portrays an all-encompassing internal agony stemming from profound spiritual discontent and questioning God's righteousness, illustrating the pervasive effect of envy and doubt on the inner person.

Psalm 73 21 Bonus section

This verse offers a poignant depiction of the internal spiritual battle often waged in the heart of a believer. The terms "grieved" (chamatz) and "pricked" (shanán) together convey an experience beyond mere sadness, speaking to an acute, agonizing, and almost physical spiritual pain. It underscores the biblical anthropology where the heart and reins are deeply intertwined with one's moral and spiritual health, not just physical organs. Asaph's use of such vivid, almost bodily metaphors highlights that our emotional and spiritual states have a profound, visceral impact on our entire being. It suggests that allowing bitter envy and doubt to fester (chamatz) results in sharp spiritual wounds that cut deeply into our core beliefs and trust in God, leading to intense suffering in the hidden recesses of our soul, where God alone truly sees and tests us. This deep-seated pain serves as a call to spiritual repentance and a turning towards divine truth.

Psalm 73 21 Commentary

Psalm 73:21 lays bare Asaph's deep, almost corrosive internal suffering resulting from his bitter envy of the wicked's prosperity and his subsequent doubt of God's justice. His heart, the center of his being, had "soured," reflecting a distorted perspective and emotional decay, akin to a fermented, putrefied substance. This bitterness did not merely surface but "pricked" his "reins," signifying a piercing pain in his conscience and innermost spirit. It illustrates the profound spiritual and psychological distress that can arise when a believer grapples with apparent discrepancies between divine promises and observed reality. Asaph's honest confession here is crucial, demonstrating that true spiritual breakthrough often follows the painful acknowledgement of our own corrupted thoughts and emotional turmoil. It shows that sinful states, like envy and bitterness, lead to self-inflicted spiritual wounds.For example, a Christian experiencing financial struggles might see unbelieving friends succeed effortlessly. If unchecked, this can lead to "sourness" in the heart, making one doubt God's faithfulness, and developing a "pricking in the reins"—a sharp pang of spiritual guilt and questioning of their own commitment, all stemming from that initial envy. This verse reminds us to recognize and confess such bitter feelings before they corrupt the soul, seeking divine wisdom for true peace.