### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mᵉtsûwqâh**, represented by `{{H4691}}`, denotes a state of **anguish** or **distress**. Derived from a root meaning narrowness, it figuratively describes a tight, troubling situation. It appears 7 times in 7 unique verses, consistently portraying a condition of severe hardship.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H4691}}` is most prominent in Psalms, where it describes the condition from which God delivers His people. In a recurring pattern, individuals cry out to the LORD `{{H3068}}` in their trouble, and He saves or delivers them from their **distresses** ([[Psalms 107:6]], [[Psalms 107:13]], [[Psalms 107:19]], [[Psalms 107:28]]). The term also characterizes the day of the LORD, a time of divine judgment described as a day of trouble and **distress** [[Zephaniah 1:15]]. On a personal level, it is the **anguish** that, paired with trouble, makes one afraid and can prevail against a person like a king ready for battle [[Job 15:24]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help define the context of `{{H4691}}`:
* `{{H6862}}` **tsar** (trouble): This word, meaning a tight or narrow place, frequently appears alongside `{{H4691}}` to describe the situation that leads to distress ([[Psalms 107:6]], [[Job 15:24]]).
* `{{H6869}}` **tsârâh** (trouble, distress): The feminine form of `{{H6862}}`, this word for tightness or affliction is used in parallel with `{{H4691}}` to intensify the description of hardship, as in the day of trouble and **distress** [[Zephaniah 1:15]] and the troubles of the heart [[Psalms 25:17]].
* `{{H2199}}` **zâʻaq** (to cry out, shriek): This term describes the human response to being in distress. It signifies a shriek from anguish or danger, as when people **cried** unto the LORD from their troubles and he saved them from their distresses [[Psalms 107:13]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H4691}}` is found in its role within the dynamic of human suffering and divine response.
* **A Catalyst for Crying Out to God:** The state of **distress** `{{H4691}}` consistently prompts people to cry out to the LORD for help, demonstrating that profound hardship can lead to a posture of dependence on God ([[Psalms 107:13]], [[Psalms 107:19]]).
* **An Element of Divine Judgment:** In Zephaniah, **distress** `{{H4691}}` is presented as a component of God's righteous judgment on a day of **wrath** `{{H5678}}`, linking it to divine accountability [[Zephaniah 1:15]].
* **An Occasion for Divine Deliverance:** Scripture repeatedly shows that the LORD responds to cries from **distress**. He acts to **save** `{{H3467}}`, **deliver** `{{H5337}}`, and **bring out** `{{H3318}}` those who are afflicted, highlighting his character as a savior ([[Psalms 107:6]], [[Psalms 107:13]], [[Psalms 107:28]]).
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4691}}` conveys more than simple difficulty; it describes a deep and confining **anguish**. It serves as a powerful descriptor for both the overwhelming personal affliction that can make one afraid [[Job 15:24]] and the distress characteristic of God's judgment [[Zephaniah 1:15]]. Most importantly, it is consistently portrayed as the desperate state from which people cry out to God, leading to His divine deliverance and salvation.
TRV