Bible Dictionaries
Sorrow

Holman Bible Dictionary

Emotional, mental, or physical pain or stress. Hebrew does not have a general word for sorrow. Rather it uses about fifteen different words to express the different dimensions of sorrow. Some speak to emotional pain (Psalm 13:2 ). Trouble and sorrow were not meant to be part of the human experience. Humanity's sin brought sorrow to them (Genesis 3:16-19 ). Sometimes God was seen as chastising His people for their sin (Amos 4:6-12 ). To remove sorrow, the prophets urged repentance that led to obedience (Joel 2:12-13; Hosea 6:6 ).

The Greek word for sorrow is usually lupe. It means “grief, sorrow, pain of mind or spirit, affliction.” Paul distinguished between godly and worldly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:8-11 ). Sorrow can lead a person to a deeper faith in God; or it can cause a person to live with regret, centered on the experience that caused the sorrow. Jesus gave believers words of hope to overcome trouble, distress, and sorrow: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV).