Psalms 73:22 — Word Study
WLCוַאֲנִי־ בַ֭עַר וְלֹ֣א אֵדָ֑ע בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת הָיִ֥יתִי עִמָּֽךְ׃
BSAI wasʼănîy [the emphatic I] senselessbaʻar [stupid, brutish] andlôʼ ignorantyâdaʻ▸ [lacking knowledge, unaware] I washâyâh■ ◂a brute beastbᵉhêmâh [like an animal, without understanding] before Youʻim [in Your presence, with You]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַאֲנִי־ | and I | Conjunction, pronoun |
| בַ֭עַר | [was] stupid | Adj |
| וְלֹ֣א | and not | Conjunction, particle |
| אֵדָ֑ע | I knew | Verb, Qal, imperfect first person common singular |
| בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת | animals | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| הָיִ֥יתִי | I was | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| עִמָּֽךְ׃ | with you | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You. |
| KJV | So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. |
| ASV | So brutish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee. |
| YLT | And I am brutish, and do not know. A beast I have been with Thee. |
| WEB | I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you. |
| BBE | As for me, I was foolish, and without knowledge; I was like a beast before you. |
Where they part company is בַ֭עַר — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with two subordinate phrases elaborating on the speaker's state.






7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֲנִי
verbיָדַע
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 73:22
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Reflections on Understanding Before Godgenerated
Psalm 73:22 captures the psalmist's deep sense of ignorance and brutishness in contrast to God's wisdom. This verse follows a moment of personal anguish and serves as a confession of the speaker's state before God, who remains constant and present, as seen in the surrounding verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 69:5 | You know my folly, O God, and my guilt is not hidden from You. |
| 2 | Psalm 92:6 | A senseless man does not know, and a fool does not understand, |
| 3 | Proverbs 30:2 | Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man. |
| 4 | Ecclesiastes 3:18 | I said to myself, “As for the sons of men, God tests them so that they may see for themselves that they are but beasts.” |
| 5 | Psalm 32:9 | Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֲנִי, va.'a.ni-generated
The word אֲנִי (aniy) is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It emphasizes the speaker's personal experience and feelings. This word is fundamental in Hebrew, often used to express self-reference and can imply possession.
In this verse, it underscores the speaker's admission of their own foolishness and lack of understanding, making the confession deeply personal.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against. The BSB has stupid, and so do the KJV and ASV: all three maintain the bluntness of בַ֭עַר.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of a main clause followed by a series of descriptors. The finite verb הָיִ֥יתִי (ha.Yi.ti), meaning 'I was,' anchors the sentence, with the subject אֲנִי (aniy) preceding it for emphasis.
The structure highlights the speaker's state of being, with the additional phrases elaborating on their ignorance and comparison to animals, creating a stark contrast with God's presence.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֲנִי as ἐγὼ (egō), maintaining the first-person emphasis. This choice shows continuity in the personal nature of the confession.
The Greek word ἐχουδενωμένος corresponds to בַ֭עַר, indicating a similar sense of being rendered worthless or foolish, aligning with the Hebrew's intent.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 73:22 reveals the speaker's admission of being senseless and ignorant before God, likening themselves to a brute beast. This reflects a moment of realization about their own understanding in the face of divine wisdom.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The speaker acknowledges their lack of understanding and awareness, recognizing their foolishness in contrast to God's wisdom.
This comparison emphasizes the speaker's feeling of being without understanding, similar to how animals act without reason.
This phrase highlights the speaker's awareness of being in God's presence, which adds weight to their confession of ignorance.
It follows a moment of emotional turmoil, providing a stark contrast to the later realization of God's constant presence and guidance.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel ignorant or lacking understanding?
- How can recognizing my limitations before God help me grow in wisdom?
- What does it mean for me to be in God's presence, and how does that affect my understanding?
- How can I learn to rely on God's guidance rather than my own understanding?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early church father Augustine of Hippo references this verse to illustrate the speaker's realization of their own nothingness before God.
And hear how. "And I was brought unto nothing, and I knew not" [Psalms 73:22].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 73 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 73:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleSo foolish was I,.... To envy the prosperity of the wicked, which is of so short a continuance; to arraign the providence and perfections of God, and to conclude so hastily that there was nothing in
Read John Gill on Psalms 73 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. -He condemns his past beastlike folly and expresses his assurance of God's presence and guidance, notwithstanding his folly. Verse 21.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 73 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleAs a beast. Heb. beasts, which may signify a great beast; a most stupid and sottish creature, like one not only void of grace, but of reason too; for reason itself, especially assisted by the Holy Scriptures, did sufficiently discover that, all things considered, I had no sufficient cause to envy the prosperity of wicked men. I minded only present things, as the brutes do. and did not consider things to come, as reasonable creatures do, and ought to do. Before thee; in thy sight or judgment, and therefore in truth, , howsoever I seemed to myself or others to have some degree of reason and discretion.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 73 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 73:22 So foolish [was] I, and ignorant: I was [as] a beast before thee.Ver. 22. So foolish was I and ignorant] By this befooling and be beasting himself, he retracteth and bewaileth his former fluctuation and folly, Psalms 73:2-3. This is the proper fruit of his godly sorrow, Psalms 73:12. I was as a beast before thee] Heb. Behemoth, as a great beast, or as many beasts in one. Thus he aggravateth and layeth load upon his sin, and so must we.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 73 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15–28. Faith triumphant in the conviction of an ultimate judgement and the consciousness of the supreme blessedness of fellowship with God.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 73 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleSo foolish was I, and ignorant - Such low and imperfect views did I take of the subject.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 73 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible22. Foolish… ignorant… as a beast—Strong terms, expressive of his blindness and stupidity in his deceived and doubting state.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 73 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You.
I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You.
I was ignorant and lacked insight; I was as senseless as an animal before you.
Tyndale line
So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
So brutish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee.
So brutish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee.
So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
So foolish was I and ignorant: I was a beast before thee.
Strictly literal
Then I was brutish and knew nothing; I was [as] a beast with thee.
And I am brutish, and do not know. A beast I have been with Thee.
And I am brutish, and do not know. I have been a beast with You.
But I was indeed foolish, and I knew it not: I was as a [thoughtless] beast with thee.
I was ignorant and lacked insight; I was like a senseless animal before you.
From the Latin
Arise, O God, judge thy own cause: remember thy reproaches with which the foolish man hath reproached thee all the day.
Simplified
I was stupid and ignorant. I was like a brute beast to you.
As for me, I was foolish, and without knowledge; I was like a beast before you.
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads, "וַאֲנִי־ בַ֭עַר וְלֹ֣א אֵדָ֑ע בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת הָיִ֥יתִי עִמָּֽךְ׃" which translates to "I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You." The Septuagint agrees with the Masoretic Text in terms of the meaning conveyed, as all seven words correspond directly, although the word order may differ. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional variants for this verse, confirming the consistency of the text across these witnesses.
וַאֲנִי־ בַ֭עַר וְלֹ֣א אֵדָ֑ע בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת הָיִ֥יתִי עִמָּֽךְ׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 73:22
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֲנִי, transliterated as aniy, is a first-person singular pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me.' It is often used for emphasis and can also imply possession, as in 'mine' or 'myself.' The word is derived from a form that indicates self-reference, and it appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.
אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי pron. 1s. comm. I
base
H589 אֲנִי, אָ֑נִי I
589 'aniy an-ee'
contracted from 595; I:--I, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, X
which, X who.
see HEBREW for 0595
אֲנִי (a.ni) — I.
I (first pers. sing. -usually used for emphasis)
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronounHC/Pp1bs
בַּ֫עַר (ba'ar) refers to brutishness or stupidity, often used to describe a foolish person. It is derived from a root meaning 'foot' in a sense of consumption. The term appears in a poetic context, emphasizing a lack of intelligence or base behavior.
בַּ֫עַר n.m. brutishness (only poet.)
base
H1198 בַּ֫עַר
1198 ba`ar bah'-ar
from 1197; properly, foot (as consumed); i.e. (by exten.) of
cattle brutishness; (concretely) stupid:--brutish (person),
foolish.
see HEBREW for 01197
בַּ֫עַר (ba.ar) — stupid.
brutishness, stupidity, brutish (person)
Adj — AdjHAamsa
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particleHC/Tn
יָדַע (yada`) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' encompassing a wide range of senses including perception, recognition, and experience. It can refer to knowing someone intimately or being skilled in a task. The word has various forms, indicating actions such as making known or being made known. Lexicons note its use in both literal and figurative contexts, but there is no significant disagreement among them.
יָדַע 943 vb. know
Qal
know, learn to know
perceive
perceive and see; find out and discern
discriminate, distinguish
know by experience
recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
consider
not know = not expect
know a person, be acquainted with
know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse
know how, to do a thing, be able to do it
be skilful in
abs. have knowledge, be wise
Niph.
be made known, be or become known, of things
make oneself known of pers.
be perceived
be instructed
Pi. cause to know
Pu. known
Hiph. make known, declare
Hoph. made known
Hithp. make oneself known
base
H3045 יָדַע know .. . know, learn to know
. perceive
. perceive and see; find out and discern
. discriminate, distinguish
. know by experience
. recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess
. consider
. not know = not expect
. know a person, be acquainted with
. know a person carnally, of sexual intercourse
. . know how, to do a thing, be able to do it
. be skilful in
. abs. have knowledge, be wise
. . be made known, be or become known, of things
. make oneself known of pers.
. be perceived
. be instructed
. cause to know
. known
. make known, declare
. made known
. make oneself known
3045 yada` yaw-dah'
a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing);
used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally,
euphemistically and inferentially (including observation,
care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation,
punishment, etc.) (as follow):--acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted
with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware,
(un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X
could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to)
discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel,
can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause
to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have
(knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be
learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X
prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man
of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell,
יָדַע (ya.da) — to know.
1) to know
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to know
1a1a) to know, learn to know
1a1b) to perceive
1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern
1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish
1a1e) to know by experience
1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess
1a1g) to consider
1a2) to know, be acquainted with
1a3) to know (a person carnally)
1a4) to know how, be skilful in
1a5) to have knowledge, be wise
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed
1b2) to make oneself known
1b3) to be perceived
1b4) to be instructed
1c) (Piel) to cause to know
1d) (Poal) to cause to know
1e) (Pual)
1e1) to be known
1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle)
1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare
1g) (Hophal) to be made known
1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself
Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
V-Qal-Imperf-1cs — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common singularHVqi1cs
בְּהֵמָה (bhemah) refers to a beast or animal, typically denoting domesticated livestock or cattle, and occasionally wild beasts. It is derived from a root that suggests being mute, implying a 'dumb beast.' The term encompasses all living creatures other than humans, with a specific mention of large quadrupeds.
בְּהֵמָה 187 n.f. beast, animal, cattle
of living creatures other than man
opp. also to wild beasts
rarely of wild beasts, esp. carnivora
base
H929 בְּהֵמָה beast, animal, cattle . of living creatures other than man
. opp. also to wild beasts
. rarely of wild beasts, esp. carnivora
929 bhemah be-hay-maw'
from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly,
a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often
collective):--beast, cattle.
בְּהֵמָה (be.he.mah) — animal.
1) beast, cattle, animal
1a) beasts (coll of all animals)
1b) cattle, livestock (of domestic animals)
1c) wild beasts
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be
Qal
Fall out, happen
occur, take place, come about, come to pass
esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass
וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
Come into being, become
abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
sq. prep.
become
sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
sq. pred. adj.
become like
sq. pred. לְ pers.
sq. לְ pred.
oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.
with עַל and לְ
sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)
exist, be in existence
abide, remain, continue
with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie
as copula, joining subj. & pred.
H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen
. occur, take place, come about, come to pass
. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)
. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה
. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)
. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come
. sq. prep.
. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)
. sq. pred. adj.
. become like
. sq. pred. + לְ pers.
. sq. לְ pred.
. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.
. with עַל and לְ
. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of
. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence
. abide, remain, continue
1961 hayah haw-yaw
a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,
come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or
auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,
committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,
fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit
(one-)self, require, X use.
see HEBREW for 01933
הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.
1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) ---
1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass
1a1b) to come about, come to pass
1a2) to come into being, become
1a2a) to arise, appear, come
1a2b) to become
1a2b1) to become
1a2b2) to become like
1a2b3) to be instituted, be established
1a3) to be
1a3a) to exist, be in existence
1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)
1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)
1a3d) to accompany, be with
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about
1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.
עִם prep. with
of fellowship and companionship
of aid
Of actions done jointly with another
If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against
Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another
Of a common lot together with the wicked
Of equality or resemblance generally aid
Of time, as long as
Of a locality, close to, beside
Of persons, עִם is spec.
in the house or family or service of
In possession of
In the custody or care of
Beside = except
With = friendly with
Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one
Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding
base
מֵעִם 72 from with or beside
base
H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship
. Of a locality, close to, beside
. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of
. In possession of
. In the custody or care of
. Beside = except
. With = friendly with
. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one
. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding
H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside
5973 `im eem
from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction
with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;
often with prepositional prefix (and then usually
unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X
long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from
(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,
with(-al).
see HEBREW for 06004
עִם (im) — with.
1) with
1a) with
1b) against
1c) toward
1d) as long as
מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.
1a) beside, except
1b) in spite of
Prep | Suff — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp2ms
