Psalms 90:7 — Word Study
WLCכִּֽי־ כָלִ֥ינוּ בְאַפֶּ֑ךָ וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ נִבְהָֽלְנוּ׃
BSAForkîy [because of our sins] we are consumedkâlâh■ [burned up, used up] by Your angerʼaph [intense emotion] and terrifiedbâhal■ [dismayed, alarmed] by Your wrathchêmâh [rage, intense anger, fury]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | for | Particle |
| כָלִ֥ינוּ | we come to an end | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common plural |
| בְאַפֶּ֑ךָ | in anger your | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ | and by rage your | Conjunction, preposition, noun common feminine singular construct |
| נִבְהָֽלְנוּ׃ | we are terrified | Verb, Niphal, perfect first person common plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath. |
| KJV | For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. |
| ASV | For we are consumed in thine anger, And in thy wrath are we troubled. |
| YLT | For we were consumed in Thine anger, And in Thy fury we have been troubled. |
| WEB | For we are consumed in your anger. We are troubled in your wrath. |
| BBE | We are burned up by the heat of your passion, and troubled by your wrath. |
Where they part company is נִבְהָֽלְנוּ — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is supported by two prepositional phrases that explain the causes of the actions described.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbכָּלָה
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 90:7
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 — A Reflection on Human Mortalitygenerated
Psalm 90:7 reflects on the frailty of human life and the impact of sin on our relationship with God. The psalmist acknowledges that because of our sins, we experience the consuming nature of God's anger and the terror of His wrath. This passage serves as a reminder of the seriousness of sin and its consequences, as it is woven into the larger theme of the psalm, which contrasts human mortality with God's eternal nature.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 90:9–11 | For all our days decline in Your fury; we finish our years with a sigh. |
| 2 | Psalm 39:11 | You discipline and correct a man for his iniquity, consuming like a moth what he holds dear; surely each man is but a vapor. Selah |
| 3 | Psalm 59:13 | Consume them in wrath; consume them till they are no more, so it may be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob. Selah |
| 4 | Numbers 17:12–13 | Then the Israelites declared to Moses, “Look, we are perishing! We are lost; we are all lost! |
| 5 | Deuteronomy 2:14–16 | The time we spent traveling from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the Brook of Zered was thirty-eight years, until that entire generation of fighting men had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — כָּלִ֥ינוּ, kha.Li.nugenerated
The verb כָּלָה (kalah) means to finish or come to an end. It conveys a sense of being consumed or used up, indicating a complete depletion of resources or vitality. In this verse, it emphasizes the totality of the experience of divine anger against human sin.
The parsing as a perfect first person common plural verb indicates that the speaker is including themselves in the experience of being consumed, highlighting a collective human condition.
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.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is governed by two finite verbs: כָּלִ֥ינוּ (we are consumed) and נִבְהָֽלְנוּ (we are terrified). The first verb introduces the cause of the second, creating a cause-and-effect relationship between sin and the resulting fear.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the verbs, drawing attention to the actions of being consumed and terrified, which are direct responses to God's anger and wrath.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates כָּלָה as ἐχελίπομεν, which conveys a sense of being utterly consumed or finished. This choice reflects a strong interpretation of the Hebrew's meaning, emphasizing totality.
For נִבְהָֽלְנוּ, the Septuagint uses ἐταράξθημεν, which suggests a disturbance or agitation, aligning with the Hebrew's connotation of being terrified.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 90:7 speaks about how our sins lead us to feel consumed by God's anger and terrified by His wrath. This verse reminds us of the serious consequences of our actions and how they affect our relationship with God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Being consumed by God's anger suggests that our sins lead to a complete depletion of our well-being, resulting in suffering.
The psalmist expresses terror because of the awareness of God's wrath against sin, which can be overwhelming.
This verse relates to mortality by highlighting that human life is transient and can be affected by divine judgment.
We learn that sin has serious consequences that can lead to feelings of despair and fear in the presence of God's anger.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see the effects of sin in my own life?
- How can I better understand the seriousness of God's anger towards sin?
- What steps can I take to address the fears that arise from my own shortcomings?
- How does recognizing God's wrath help me appreciate His mercy?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 90:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleFor we are consumed by thine anger,.... Kimchi applies this to the Jews in captivity; but it is to be understood of the Israelites in the wilderness, who are here introduced by Moses as owning and
Read John Gill on Psalms 90 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow - i:e., if one be possessed of an unusually strong constitution, and thereby his years reach fourscore.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 90 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWe; either, 1. We men; or rather, 2. We Israelites in this wilderness. Consumed; either naturally, by the frame of our bodies; or violently, by extraordinary judgments. Thou dost not suffer us to live so long as we might by the course of nature. Thine anger, caused by our sinful state and lives.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 90 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 90:7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.Ver. 7. For we are consumed by thine anger] Justly conceived for our sins, Psalms 90:8. This is a cause of death that philosophy discovereth not, as being blind, and not able to see far off, and therefore cannot prescribe any sufficient remedy against the tear of death, such as is here set down, Psalms 90:12, but such as made Cicero complain, that the disease was too hard for the medicine, and such as left men either doubtful (Socrates, for instance) or desperate, and devoid of sense, as Petronius in Tacitus, Qui in ipsis atriis morris delicias quaesivit, solaced himself with singing such light sonnets as this…
Read John Trapp on Psalms 90 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) We.—The change to the first person plural shows that the poet was not merely moralising on the brevity of human life, but uttering a dirge over the departed glory of Israel. Instead of proving superior to vicissitude the covenant race had shared it. Troubled.—Comp. Psalms 48:6. Better here, frightened away.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 90 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 7. We are consumed by thine anger] Death had not entered into the world, if men had not fallen from God. By thy wrath are we troubled] Pain, disease, and sickness are so many proofs of our defection from original rectitude. The anger and wrath of God are moved against all sinners. Even in protracted life we consume away, and only seem to live in order to die. "Our wasting lives grow shorter still, As days and months increase; And every beating pulse we tell Leaves but the number less."
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 90 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges7–12. Human life is at best brief and uncertain; and Israel’s life is being spent under the cloud of God’s wrath for the punishment of its sins.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 90 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleFor we are consumed by thine anger - That is, Death - the cutting off of the race of man - may be regarded as an expression of thy displeasure against mankind as a race of sinners.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 90 →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
For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath.
For we are consumed in your anger. We are troubled in your wrath.
For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath.
Yes, we are consumed by your anger; we are terrified by your wrath.
Tyndale line
For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
For we are consumed in thine anger, And in thy wrath are we troubled.
For we are consumed in thine anger, and in thy wrath are we troubled.
For we are consumed by thy anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
Strictly literal
For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy fury are we troubled.
For we were consumed in Thine anger, And in Thy fury we have been troubled.
For we were consumed in Your anger, || And we have been troubled in Your fury.
For [thus] are we consumed by thy anger, and by thy fury are we terrified.
Truly, we are consumed in your anger, and in your wrath we are terrified.
From the Latin
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.
Simplified
We are burned up by your anger, terrified by your fury.
We are burned up by the heat of your passion, and troubled by your wrath.
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, "כִּֽי־ כָלִ֥ינוּ בְאַפֶּ֑ךָ וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ נִבְהָֽלְנוּ׃" which translates to, "For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath." The Septuagint aligns closely with this text, as all five words correspond directly, although the order and articles may differ due to the Greek syntax. There are no significant differences in meaning between these witnesses for this verse.
כִּֽי־ כָלִ֥ינוּ בְאַפֶּ֑ךָ וּֽבַחֲמָתְךָ֥ נִבְהָֽלְנוּ׃
5 of the 5 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 90:7
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.
כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'
כִּי conj. that, for, when
that
Of time, when, of the past
elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
Because, since
base
כִּי אם־
each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
that if
for if
(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
limiting the prec. clause, except
the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
after an oath, surely
base
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
base
H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that
. . Of time, when, of the past
. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
. Because, since
H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if
. for if
. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except
. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
. after an oath, surely
H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
3588 kiy kee
a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional
prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent
or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative
conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by
other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,
where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,
even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +
nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,
therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,
whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
כִּי (ki) — for.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if
1f) but rather, but
1g) except that
1h) only, nevertheless
1i) surely
1j) that is
1k) but if
1l) for though
1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.
1) except if
1a) but if
1b) even though
כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.
1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since
1a) that
1a1) yea, indeed
1b) when (of time)
1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)
1c) because, since (causal connection)
1d) but (after negative)
Conj — ParticleHTc
for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.
In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…
The Hebrew word כָּלָה (*kalah*) is a primitive root meaning to end or finish. It encompasses a range of meanings, including to complete, accomplish, perish, and destroy. The entries indicate various uses in both intransitive and transitive forms, covering actions like finishing a task or causing something to cease. Notably, it can also imply negative connotations, such as plotting or destruction.
כָּלָה 204 vb. be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
Qal
be complete, at an end, of a period of time
be completed, finished, of a work
be accomplished, fulfilled
be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted
be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water
waste away, be exhausted, fail
come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed
Pi.
complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.
complete a period of time
finish doing a thing
make an end, end
accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
accomplish in thought, determine
put an end to, cause to cease
cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
destroy, sts. exterminate
base
H3615 כָּלָה be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent .. . be complete, at an end, of a period of time
. be completed, finished, of a work
. be accomplished, fulfilled
. be idealy complete, be determined, always in a bad sense, plotted
. . be spent, used up (prop. come to an end), of water
. waste away, be exhausted, fail
. come to an end, vanish = perish, be destroyed
. . . complete, bring to an end, finish, a thing, task, work, etc.
. complete a period of time
. finish doing a thing
. make an end, end
. accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
. accomplish in thought, determine
. . put an end to, cause to cease
. cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
. destroy, sts. exterminate
3615 kalah kaw-law'
a primitive root; to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be
finished, perish) or transitived (to complete, prepare,
consume):--accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine,
destroy (utterly), be (when ... were) done, (be an) end (of),
expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, X fully, X
have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make
clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste.
כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: finish.
: finish
1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be complete, be at an end
1a2) to be completed, be finished
1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled
1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense)
1a5) to be spent, be used up
1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail
1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish
1b2) to complete (a period of time)
1b3) to finish (doing a thing)
1b4) to make an end, end
1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass
1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought)
1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease
1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend
1b9) to destroy, exterminate
1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed
כָּלָה (ka.lah) — to end: destroy.
: destroy
V-Qal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common pluralHVqp1cp
qets, 'ephec, kalah; telos, sunteleo:
The end of anything is its termination, hence, also, final object or purpose.
It is the translation of several Hebrew and Greek words, chiefly in the Old Testament of qets (properly, "a cutting off") and other words from the same root (Ge 6:13, "The end of all flesh is come before me"); 'acharith, "hinder part," is also frequently translated "end" (De 11:12; Ps 37:37,38, American Revised Version: "There is a happy end to the man of peace .... The end of the wicked shall be cut off"; the English Revised Version "latter end" (Ps 37:37), margin "reward" or "future posterity"; Ps 73:17…
End
In Heb. 13:7, is the rendering of the unusual Greek word ekbasin, meaning “outcome”, i.e., death. It occurs only elsewhere in 1 Cor. 10:13, where it is rendered “escape.”
The Hebrew word אַף (aph) primarily means nostril or nose, but it also refers to the face and is often associated with anger. It can denote a person's countenance or expressions of ire. The entries highlight its connection to rapid breathing in passionate states, indicating its use in contexts of anger or wrath.
אַף 277 n.m. nostril, nose, face, anger
nostril, as organ of breathing
Dn. face
mostly anger
base
H639 אַף nostril, nose, face, anger
639 'aph af
from 599; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and
occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in
passion) ire:--anger(-gry), + before, countenance, face, +
forebearing, forehead, + (long-)suffering, nose, nostril,
snout, X worthy, wrath.
see HEBREW for 0599
אַף (aph) — face: anger.
: anger
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face: nose.
: nose
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face.
: face
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms
The Hebrew word חֵמָה (*chemah*) primarily means heat and rage, encompassing concepts like fever, poison, and burning anger. It can refer to human anger as well as divine wrath, and is noted in Daniel's vision. The entries highlight its figurative use related to intense emotions and reactions.
חֵמָה, (once חֵמָא) 121 n.f. heat, rage
heat:
fever
venom, poison
burning anger, rage:
of man
of the he-goat in Daniel's vision
of God
base
H2534 חֵמָה, (once חֵמָא) heat, rage . heat: . fever
. venom, poison
. burning anger, rage: . of man
. of the he-goat in Daniel's vision
. of God
2534 chemah khay-maw'
or (Dan. 11:44) chemaC {khay-maw'}; from 3179; heat;
figuratively, anger, poison (from its fever):--anger, bottles,
hot displeasure, furious(-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison,
rage, wrath(- ful). See 2529.
see HEBREW for 03179
see HEBREW for 02529
חֵמָה (che.mah) — rage.
1) heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles
1a) heat
1a1) fever
1a2) venom, poison (fig.)
1b) burning anger, rage
Aramaic equivalent: che.ma (חֱמָא "rage" H2528)
Conj | Prep | N-fs | Suff — Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffixHC/R/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
בָּהַל (bahal) is a Hebrew verb that conveys a range of meanings related to disturbance and haste. It can mean to be disturbed, terrified, or anxious, as well as to act hastily or make haste. The entries indicate various grammatical forms, including Niph, Pi, Pu, and Hiph, which reflect different nuances of dismay and urgency.
[בָּהַל] vb.
Niph.
be disturbed, dismayed, terrified
be in haste, hasty
Pi.
dismay, terrify
hasten, make haste, act hastily
Pu. hastened; hastily gained
Hiph.
dismay, terrify
(late) hasten, hurry
base
H926 בָּהַל . . be disturbed, dismayed, terrified
. be in haste, hasty
. . dismay, terrify
. hasten, make haste, act hastily
. hastened; hastily gained
. . dismay, terrify
. (late) hasten, hurry
926 bahal baw-hal'
a primitive root; to tremble inwardly (or palpitate), i.e.
(figuratively) be (causative, make) (suddenly) alarmed or
agitated; by implication to hasten anxiously:--be (make)
affrighted (afraid, amazed, dismayed, rash), (be, get, make)
haste(-n, -y, -ily), (give) speedy(-ily), thrust out, trouble,
vex.
בָּהַל (ba.hal) — to dismay.
1) to disturb, alarm, terrify, hurry, be disturbed, be anxious, be afraid, be hurried, be nervous
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be disturbed, dismayed, terrified, anxious
1a2) to be in haste, be hasty
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to make haste, act hastily, be hurried, be hastened
1b2) to dismay, terrify
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to hasten
1c2) hastened, hastily gained (part.)
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to hasten, hurry, make haste
1d2) to dismay, terrify
V-Niphal-Perf-1cp — Verb · Niphal · perfect first person common pluralHVNp1cp