Psalms 73:16

New Living Translation

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

Parallel Translations

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

New American Standard Bible (1995)
When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therfore I considered howe I might vnderstande this: but it was to paynefull in myne eyes.

Darby Translation
When I thought to be able to know this, it was a grievous task in mine eyes;

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

Literal Translation
And I thought to know this; it was a travail in my eyes,

Easy-to-Read Version
I tried hard to understand all this, but it was too hard for me.

World English Bible
When I tried to understand this, It was too painful for me;

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

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then thought I to vnderstonde this, but it was to harde for me.

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

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

Bible in Basic English
When my thoughts were turned to see the reason of this, it was a weariness in my eyes;

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

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

New English Translation
When I tried to make sense of this, it was troubling to me.

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

Complete Jewish Bible
When I tried to understand all this, I found it too hard for me —

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then thought I to know this, but it was too painefull for me,

George Lamsa Translation
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me.

Hebrew Names Version
When I tried to understand this, It was too painful for me;

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when I pondered how I might know this, it was wearisome in mine eyes;

New Life Bible
It was too hard for me when I tried to understand this,

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I undertook to understand this, but it is too hard for me,

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

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

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

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:

Douay-Rheims Bible
(72-16) I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:

Lexham English Bible
When I thought about how to understand this, it was troubling in my eyes

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

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

New Century Version
I tried to understand all this, but it was too hard for me to see

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

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

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
I gesside, that Y schulde knowe this; trauel is bifore me.

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

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

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people. ¹⁶ So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! ¹⁷ Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. ¹⁸ Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. ¹⁹ In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. ²⁰ When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

When: Psalms 36:6, Psalms 77:19, Psalms 97:2, Proverbs 30:2, Proverbs 30:3, Ecclesiastes 8:17, Romans 11:33

too painful for me: Heb. labour in mine eyes, Psalms 39:6, Luke 18:32-34, John 16:18, John 16:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 43:18 - the men Job 24:1 - not see Job 37:19 - we Habakkuk 2:1 - stand Acts 8:31 - How

Gill's Notes on the Bible

When I thought to know this,.... How to reconcile the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous, to the perfections of God, and his wise providence in the government of the world, by the mere dint of reason, without consulting the sacred oracles, or his own and others' experience:

it was too painful for me: too laborious and toilsome, a work he was not equal to; "hic labor, hoc opus"; see Ecclesiastes 8:17.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When I thought to know this - When I endeavored to comprehend this, or to explain it to myself. The idea is that he “thought” on the subject, or “meditated” on it with a view to be able to understand it. He did not express his opinions and feelings to others, but he dwelt on them in his own mind; not to find additional difficulties, not to confirm himself in opposition to God, and not to find new occasions for distrusting the divine government, but to understand exactly how this was. It was his object to seek and understand “the truth.”

It was too painful for me - Margin, “It was labor in mine eyes.” The Hebrew word rendered “painful,” means properly labor, toil, a burden; and the idea is, that the question was a burden - was too weighty for his weak powers.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 73:16. When I thought to know this — When I reviewed the history of our fathers, I saw that, though thou hadst from time to time hidden thy face because of their sins, yet thou hadst never utterly abandoned them to their adversaries; and it was not reasonable to conclude that thou wouldst do now what thou hadst never done before; and yet the continuance of our captivity, the oppressive hardships which we suffer, and the small prospect there is of release, puzzle me again. These things have been very painful to me.