Psalms 31:10

Translation
King James Version
For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
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KJV (with Strong's)
For my life H2416 is spent H3615 with grief H3015, and my years H8141 with sighing H585: my strength H3581 faileth H3782 because of mine iniquity H5771, and my bones H6106 are consumed H6244.
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Complete Jewish Bible
For my life is worn out with sorrow and my years with sighing; my strength gives out under my guilt, and my bones are wasting away.
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Berean Standard Bible
For my life is consumed with grief and my years with groaning; my iniquity has drained my strength, and my bones are wasting away.
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American Standard Version
For my life is spent with sorrow, And my years with sighing: My strength faileth because of mine iniquity, And my bones are wasted away.
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World English Bible Messianic
For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity. My bones are wasted away.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
For my life is wasted with heauinesse, and my yeeres with mourning: my strength faileth for my paine, and my bones are consumed.
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Young's Literal Translation
For my life hath been consumed in sorrow And my years in sighing. Feeble because of mine iniquity hath been my strength, And my bones have become old.
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See also
Psalms 88:15Psalms 38:3Psalms 78:33Psalms 32:3Psalms 32:4Romans 9:2Psalms 13:2
In the KJVVerse 14,342 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Psalms 31:10 powerfully articulates the Psalmist's profound physical and emotional deterioration, directly attributing his failing strength and internal decay to the burden of his own iniquity. It is a raw and honest lament, revealing the deep anguish and corrosive impact that unconfessed or unaddressed sin can have on an individual's entire being, leading to a pervasive sense of exhaustion, spiritual weakness, and internal consumption.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Psalms 31:10 is situated within a deeply personal lament psalm, traditionally attributed to David, where the speaker pours out his heart to God in a time of intense suffering. The psalm begins with an urgent plea for deliverance and refuge in God, establishing a tone of desperate reliance on divine faithfulness, as seen in Psalm 31:1-2. Verses 9-13 specifically detail the overwhelming nature of the Psalmist's affliction, encompassing emotional distress, physical decay, and social ostracism from his enemies and neighbors. Verse 10 stands out as a stark and pivotal confession, linking his suffering not just to external enemies or circumstances, but to an internal spiritual reality—his own sin. This profound acknowledgment of personal iniquity is a crucial turning point, preceding a renewed declaration of trust in God's steadfast love and faithfulness, which culminates in a shift towards praise and confidence later in the psalm, as the Psalmist moves from despair to hope in Psalm 31:19-24.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, suffering was often, though not exclusively, understood as a consequence of sin, either personal or corporate. While the book of Job famously challenges a simplistic cause-and-effect relationship between sin and suffering, the lament psalms frequently include confessions of sin as part of the appeal for divine intervention and mercy. The physical manifestations of distress described in this verse—failing strength, consumed bones—were common expressions of profound internal anguish, reflecting a holistic view of human existence where spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being were intimately interconnected. The act of lament itself was a culturally accepted and theologically vital means for individuals to express their pain, confess their failings, and appeal to God for mercy and restoration within the covenant relationship. This holistic understanding meant that internal spiritual distress was expected to have tangible, often physical, repercussions.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully encapsulates several key themes prevalent in the Psalms and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the overwhelming nature of suffering, portraying a life consumed by grief and sighing, indicative of prolonged and profound emotional and spiritual weariness that permeates every aspect of existence. Secondly, it vividly illustrates the physical decay resulting from distress, using metaphors of failing strength and consumed bones to convey a deep, internal wasting away that impacts the very core of one's being. Most critically, the verse introduces the theme of the burden of iniquity, directly attributing the Psalmist's physical and emotional decline to his own sin. This connection underscores the biblical teaching that unaddressed sin can have debilitating consequences, not only spiritually but also psychologically and even physically, as seen in other passages like Psalm 32:3-4, where David describes his bones wasting away before he confesses his transgression. This theme emphasizes the gravity of sin and the profound need for confession and divine forgiveness as the path to restoration.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Grief (Hebrew, yâgôwn', H3015): This term denotes deep sorrow, affliction, or anguish. It signifies a profound, often prolonged, emotional pain that weighs heavily on the soul, leading to a state of weariness and exhaustion. The Psalmist's life is not merely touched by grief but "spent with" it, indicating a pervasive and consuming experience that has depleted his vital energy.
  • Iniquity (Hebrew, ʻâvôn', H5771): This significant Hebrew word refers not just to a mistake or a simple transgression, but to perversity, moral evil, or the guilt and punishment due to sin. It carries the nuance of a twisting or bending away from God's righteous standard, implying a moral culpability that results in a heavy burden on the conscience and spirit. This word directly links the Psalmist's internal and external suffering to his own moral failing.
  • Consumed (Hebrew, ʻâshêsh', H6244): This primitive root suggests the idea of shrinking, failing, or withering away. When applied to bones, as in "my bones are consumed," it powerfully conveys a sense of internal decay, a wasting away of the very framework or substance of a person's being. It indicates that the Psalmist's physical and spiritual foundation is weakening and deteriorating under the oppressive weight of his distress and iniquity.

Verse Breakdown

  • "For my life is spent with grief": This clause reveals the depth of the Psalmist's emotional exhaustion. His entire existence, his "life" (H2416, chay, referring to vitality and living), is not merely experiencing grief, but is utterly consumed and worn out by it (H3615, kâlâh, to end, cease, perish). It suggests a prolonged period of intense sorrow that has depleted his vital energy and brought him to the brink of spiritual and emotional collapse.
  • "and my years with sighing": Parallel to the first clause, this emphasizes the chronic and enduring nature of his distress. "Sighing" (H585, ʼănâchâh) indicates deep groans, lamentation, and an expression of profound suffering and weariness. The reference to "years" (H8141, shâneh) underscores the long-term, pervasive impact of this anguish on his life, suggesting a sustained period of internal agony.
  • "my strength faileth because of mine iniquity": This is the pivotal confession, marking a crucial turning point in the lament. The Psalmist directly attributes his physical and emotional weakening ("my strength" H3581, kôach, vigor, power; "faileth" H3782, kâshal, to totter, stumble, faint) to his personal sin or guilt ("mine iniquity" H5771, ʻâvôn). This is not merely a consequence of external pressures but a debilitating effect stemming from an internal moral failing, highlighting the spiritual and psychological toll that unaddressed sin can exact, manifesting as a profound loss of vitality.
  • "and my bones are consumed": This powerful metaphorical statement reinforces the idea of deep, internal decay. "Bones" (H6106, ʻetsem) often represent the core or essence of a person's being, including their physical strength and vitality. To say they are "consumed" (H6244, ʻâshêsh) suggests a complete internal wasting away, as if his very foundation is shrinking, failing, or withering under the corrosive effects of his distress and iniquity, leading to a state of utter physical and spiritual depletion.

Literary Devices

Psalms 31:10 employs several potent literary devices to convey the Psalmist's profound suffering and the source of his anguish. Hyperbole is evident in phrases like "my life is spent with grief" and "my bones are consumed," which are not literal descriptions but exaggerated expressions designed to emphasize the overwhelming and all-consuming nature of his distress. This exaggeration underscores the severity of his internal and external affliction. Metaphor is powerfully used, particularly in "my bones are consumed," where the physical structure of the body (bones) is used to represent the core of his being, and the act of "consuming" vividly illustrates a deep, internal wasting away caused by his anguish and guilt. Finally, Parallelism is employed in the first two clauses ("my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing"), where similar ideas are expressed in successive phrases, reinforcing the theme of prolonged and pervasive sorrow. These devices collectively amplify the emotional intensity and theological weight of the Psalmist's confession and lament.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

This verse profoundly illustrates the biblical truth that sin, when unaddressed, carries severe consequences that can impact every dimension of human existence—spiritually, emotionally, and even physically. It underscores the concept of a holistic human being, where inner turmoil and moral failing can manifest as outward physical decay and deep emotional exhaustion. While not all suffering is a direct result of personal sin, the Psalmist's confession highlights the corrosive power of guilt and iniquity, which can indeed "consume" a person from within, leading to a profound sense of weariness and loss of vitality. Yet, within the broader context of the Psalms of lament, this confession is often a prelude to seeking God's mercy and finding restoration, demonstrating that acknowledging one's sin is a crucial step towards divine healing and renewed strength. This verse thus serves as a stark reminder of sin's debilitating effects and the profound need for God's grace and forgiveness, which alone can bring true relief and restoration.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Psalms 31:10 offers a profound validation for those experiencing deep, consuming distress, reminding us that it is permissible and even healthy to express such raw honesty before God. The Psalmist's candid confession of his "iniquity" as a source of his failing strength challenges us to engage in honest self-examination. While we must carefully avoid the simplistic conclusion that all suffering is a direct consequence of personal sin, this verse prompts us to consider if unconfessed sin, unresolved guilt, or a persistent turning away from God's ways might be contributing to our own spiritual, emotional, or even physical burdens. It calls us to acknowledge the heavy toll that sin can exact on our inner being, often manifesting as a draining of vitality and a sense of internal decay. Ultimately, this verse, within the larger Psalm of lament, encourages us not to wallow in despair but to bring our burdens, including our confessed sins, to the Lord. It teaches us that true strength and restoration are found not in hiding our weaknesses or denying our failings, but in humbly turning to God, trusting in His mercy, and seeking the forgiveness and healing that only He can provide. It is a powerful invitation to embrace vulnerability before our Creator, knowing that His grace is sufficient to restore what sin has consumed.

Questions for Reflection

  • What hidden "grief" or "sighing" might be consuming parts of my life, and am I willing to acknowledge them before God?
  • In what ways might unaddressed "iniquity" or guilt be impacting my spiritual, emotional, or even physical well-being?
  • How does the Psalmist's honesty encourage me to be more transparent with God about my struggles and failings?
  • What steps can I take to seek God's forgiveness and experience the restorative power He offers for the burdens I carry?

FAQ

Does Psalms 31:10 mean that all physical suffering is a direct result of personal sin?

Answer: Not necessarily. While Psalms 31:10 clearly links the Psalmist's failing strength and physical decline to his "iniquity," the Bible presents a more nuanced view of suffering. The book of Job famously demonstrates that righteous individuals can suffer immensely without direct personal sin being the cause. Other passages, like John 9:1-3, show Jesus refuting the idea that a man's blindness was due to his or his parents' sin. However, this verse does highlight that sin can indeed have debilitating consequences, not only spiritually and emotionally but also physically, as guilt, stress, and broken relationships can take a real toll on the body. The Psalmist's confession here is specific to his own experience, acknowledging a personal connection between his sin and his distress, which is a common theme in many lament psalms where confession precedes a plea for mercy and deliverance from the Lord.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Psalms 31:10, with its raw depiction of a life "spent with grief" and strength failing "because of mine iniquity," finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in Jesus Christ. The Psalmist's experience of being "consumed" by the weight of sin and its consequences points to the universal human condition under the curse of sin, where spiritual and physical decay are inevitable. However, Christ, the sinless Lamb of God, perfectly bore the full weight of human iniquity on the cross. He became sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). His suffering was not for His own iniquity, but for ours, as prophesied in Isaiah 53:4-5, where it states He "bore our griefs and carried our sorrows... and by His stripes we are healed." Through His sacrificial death, Jesus offers complete forgiveness for our iniquity, removing the guilt that consumes and restoring the strength that fails. He invites all who are weary and burdened by the weight of sin to come to Him, promising rest for their souls (Matthew 11:28-30). In Christ, the consuming power of sin is broken, and new life, strength, and spiritual vitality are offered to all who believe, transforming a life spent in grief into one filled with hope, peace, and the promise of eternal life.

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Commentary on Psalms 31 verses 9–18

In the foregoing verses David had appealed to God's righteousness, and pleaded his relation to him and dependence on him; here he appeals to his mercy, and pleads the greatness of his own misery, which made his case the proper object of that mercy. Observe,

I. The complaint he makes of his trouble and distress (Psa 31:9): "Have mercy upon me, O Lord! for I am in trouble, and need thy mercy." The remembrance he makes of his condition is not much unlike some even of Job's complaints. 1. His troubles had fixed a very deep impression upon his mind and made him a man of sorrows. So great was his grief that his very soul was consumed with it, and his life spent with it, and he was continually sighing, Psa 31:9, Psa 31:10. Herein he was a type of Christ, - who was intimately acquainted with grief and often in tears. We may guess by David's complexion, which was ruddy and sanguine, by his genius for music, and by his daring enterprises in his early days, that his natural disposition was both cheerful and firm, that he was apt to be cheerful, and not to lay trouble to his heart; yet here we see what he is brought to: he has almost wept out his eyes, and sighed away his breath. Let those that are airy and gay take heed of running into extremes, and never set sorrow at defiance; God can find out ways to make them melancholy if they will not otherwise learn to be serious. 2. His body was afflicted with the sorrows of his mind (Psa 31:10): My strength fails, my bones are consumed, and all because of my iniquity. As to Saul, and the quarrel he had with him, he could confidently insist upon his righteousness; but, as it was an affliction God laid upon him, he owns he had deserved it, and freely confesses his iniquity to have been the procuring cause of all his trouble; and the sense of sin touched him to the quick and wasted him more than all his calamities. 3. His friends were unkind and became shy of him. He was a fear to his acquaintance, when they saw him they fled from him, Psa 31:11. They durst not harbour him nor give him any assistance, durst not show him any countenance, nor so much as be seen in his company, for fear of being brought into trouble by it, now that Saul had proclaimed him a traitor and outlawed him. They saw how dearly Ahimelech the priest had paid for aiding and abetting him, though ignorantly; and therefore, though they could not but own he had a great deal of wrong done him, yet they had not the courage to appear for him. He was forgotten by them, as a dead man out of mind (Psa 31:12), and looked upon with contempt as a broken vessel. Those that showed him all possible respect when he was in honour at court, now that he had fallen into disgrace, though unjustly, were strange to him. Such swallow-friends the world is full of, that are gone in winter. Let those that fall on the losing side not think it strange if they be thus deserted, but make sure a friend in heaven, that will not fail them, and make use of him. 4. His enemies were unjust in their censures of him. They would not have persecuted him as they did if they had not first represented him as a bad man; he was a reproach among all his enemies, but especially among his neighbours, Psa 31:11. Those that had been the witnesses of his integrity, and could not but be convinced in their consciences that he was an honest man, were the most forward to represent him quite otherwise, that they might curry favour with Saul. Thus he heard the slander of many; every one had a stone to throw at him, because fear was in every side; that is, they durst not do otherwise, for he that would not join with his neighbours to accuse David was looked upon as disaffected to Saul. Thus the best of men have been represented under the worst characters by those that resolved to give them the worst treatment. 5. His life was aimed at and he went in continual peril of it. Fear was on every side, and he knew that, whatever counsel his enemies took against him, the design was not to take away his liberty, but to take away his life (Psa 31:13), a life so valuable, so useful, to the good services of which all Israel owed so much, and which was never forfeited. Thus, in all the plots of the Pharisees and Herodians against Christ, still the design was to take away his life, such are the enmity and cruelty of the serpent's seed.

II. His confidence in God in the midst of these troubles. Every thing looked black and dismal round about him, and threatened to drive him to despair: "But I trusted in thee, O Lord! (Psa 31:14) and was thereby kept from sinking." His enemies robbed him of his reputation among men, but they could not rob him of his comfort in God, because they could not drive him from his confidence in God. Two things he comforted himself with in his straits, and he went to God and pleaded them with him: - 1. "Thou art my God; I have chosen thee for mine, and thou hast promised to be mine;" and, if he be ours and we can by faith call him so, it is enough, when we can call nothing else ours. "Thou art my God; and therefore to whom shall I go for relief but to thee?" Those need not be straitened in their prayers who can plead this; for, if God undertake to be our God, he will do that for us which will answer the compass and vast extent of the engagement. 2. My times are in thy hand. Join this with the former and it makes the comfort complete. If God have our times in his hand, he can help us; and, if he be our God, he will help us; and then what can discourage us? It is a great support to those who have God for their God that their times are in his hand and he will be sure to order and dispose of them for the best, to all those who commit their spirits also into his hand, to suit them to their times, as David here, Psa 31:5. The time of life is in God's hands, to lengthen or shorten, embitter or sweeten, as he pleases, according to the counsel of his will. Our times (all events that concern us, and the timing of them) are at God's disposal; they are not in our own hands, for the way of man is not in himself, not in our friends' hands, nor in our enemies' hands, but in God's; every man's judgment proceedeth from him. David does not, in his prayers, prescribe to God, but subscribe to him. "Lord, my times are in thy hand, and I am well pleased that they are so; they could not be in a better hand. Thy will be done."

III. His petitions to God, in this faith and confidence, 1. He prays that God would deliver him out of the hand of his enemies (Psa 31:15), and save him (Psa 31:16), and this for his mercies' sake, and not for any merit of his own. Our opportunities are in God's hand (so some read it), and therefore he knows how to choose the best and fittest time for our deliverance, and we must be willing to wait that time. When David had Saul at his mercy in the cave those about him said, "This is the time in which God will deliver thee," Sa1 24:4. "No," says David, "the time has not come for my deliverance till it can be wrought without sin; and I will wait for that time; for it is God's time, and that is the best time." 2. That God would give him the comfort of his favour in the mean time (Psa 31:16): "Make they face to shine upon thy servant; let me have the comfortable tokens and evidences of thy favour to me, and that shall put gladness in my heart in the midst of all my griefs." 3. That his prayers to God might be answered and his hopes in God accomplished (Psa 31:17): "Let me not be ashamed of my hopes and prayers, for I have called upon thee, who never saidst to thy people, Seek in vain, and hope in vain." 4. That shame and silence might be the portion of wicked people, and particularly of his enemies. They were confident of their success against David, and that they should run him down and ruin him. "Lord," says he, "let them be made ashamed of that confidence by the disappointment of their expectations," as those that opposed the building of the wall about Jerusalem, when it was finished, were much cast down in their own eye, Neh 6:16. Let them be silent in the grave. Note, Death will silence the rage and clamour of cruel persecutors, whom reason would not silence. In the grave the wicked cease from troubling. Particularly, he prays for (that is, he prophesies) the silencing of those that reproach and calumniate the people of God ( Psa 31:18): Let lying lips be put to silence, that speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. This is a very good prayer which, (1.) We have often occasion to put up to God; for those that set their mouth against the heavens commonly revile the heirs of heaven. Religion, in the strict and serious professors of it, are every where spoken against, [1.] With a great deal of malice: They speak grievous things, on purpose to vex them, and hoping, with what they say, to do them a real mischief. They speak hard things (so the word is), which bear hard upon them, and by which they hope to fasten indelible characters of infamy upon them. [2.] With a great deal of falsehood: They are lying lips, taught by the father of lies and serving his interest. [3.] With a great deal of scorn and disdain: They speak proudly and contemptuously, as if the righteous, whom God has honoured, were the most despicable people in the world, and not worthy to be set with the dogs of their flock. One would think they thought it no sin to tell a deliberate lie if it might but serve to expose a good man either to hatred or contempt. Hear, O our God! for we are despised. (2.) We may pray in faith; for these lying lips shall be put to silence. God has many ways of doing it. Sometimes he convinces the consciences of those that reproach his people, and turns their hearts. Sometimes by his providence he visibly confutes their calumnies, and brings forth the righteousness of his people as the light. However, there is a day coming when God will convince ungodly sinners of the falsehood of all the hard speeches that have spoken against his people and will execute judgment upon them, Jde 1:14, Jde 1:15. Then shall this prayer be fully answered, and to that day we should have an eye in the singing of it, engaging ourselves likewise by well-doing, if possible, to silence the ignorance of foolish men, Pe1 2:15.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 9–18. Public domain.
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Clement of RomeAD 99
1 CLEMENT 21
Let your children take part in the instruction that is in Christ, let them learn how powerful with God is humility, how strong is a pure love, how the fear of him is beautiful and great and saves those who live in it in holiness with a pure mind. For he is a searcher of thoughts and desires; his breath is in us, and when he wills, he will take it away.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 31
"For my life has failed in pain" [Psalm 31:10]. For my life is to confess You, but it failed in pain, when the enemy had said, Let them be tortured until they deny Him. "And my years in groanings." The time that I pass in this world is not taken away from me by death, but abides, and is spent in groanings. "My strength has been weakened by want." I want the health of this body, and racking pains come on me: I want the dissolution of the body, and death forbears to come: and in this want my confidence has been weakened. "And my bones have been disturbed." And my steadfastness has been disturbed.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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