Are there verses that leave you feeling confused?

Noel25 · Mar 20, 2025

I've noticed that as I read the bible, I come across certain verses that leave me puzzled. This is NOT a thread about how the bible isn't true or holy or infallible. I trust God and his word. It's actually more of a trying-to-understand thing. Maybe ya'll can post verses that leave you wondering and others can answer what they think it means?

Mine has to do with worry and fear.

In Psalm 118 5-6
I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?

It's the underlined part that has me confused. What can mere man do to me? Well a lot actually! People kill other people, they abuse and steal and do many evil things. So I don't understand this verse at all. I get that it's trying to tell us not to worry or fear because God is on our side. But evil people hurt Godly people all the time.

Lynx · Mar 21, 2025

Noel25 said:

The part in the Bible about counting everything you have as already lost ties in here. The only things people can touch are things I will lose anyway when I die. They are useful while I am here, but not worth the high blood pressure of stressing out over them if I lose them or somebody takes them.

Lynx · Mar 21, 2025

Genesis 49:6 always puzzled me. How do you dig down a wall?

Turns out it was a translation error. It was supposed to be, hamstrung an ox. Oxen were what people used to plow fields, to grow food, so hamstringing an ox would be a pretty serious offense.

PennEd · Mar 21, 2025

Noel25 said:

I've noticed that as I read the bible, I come across certain verses that leave me puzzled. This is NOT a thread about how the bible isn't true or holy or infallible. I trust God and his word. It's actually more of a trying-to-understand thing. Maybe ya'll can post verses that leave you wondering and others can answer what they think it means?

Mine has to do with worry and fear.

In Psalm 118 5-6
I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?

It's the underlined part that has me confused. What can mere man do to me? Well a lot actually! People kill other people, they abuse and steal and do many evil things. So I don't understand this verse at all. I get that it's trying to tell us not to worry or fear because God is on our side. But evil people hurt Godly people all the time.

I think it means THIS:

seoulsearch · Mar 21, 2025

Noel25 said:

Hi @Noel25,

You're asking a great question here.

I think one of the uncomfortable truths about being a Christian is that for as much as God's Word says things that can be comforting and assuring, there are also very hard truths that come with it.

I might be wrong, but I don't see these passages as saying that God will protect us from all harm in this life -- as Christians, we know the Bible clearly says we will have hardships in this life. And most people in the Bible are proof of the things that will be suffered here on earth.

Rather, I think the main theme of the Bible is that although yes, God cares about our earthly lives, His highest priority is our spiritual life, and that's what will endure throughout eternity, no matter what happens to us here on earth. These passages are basically saying, "It doesn't matter what humans do to my body, because it's God who will save my soul."

Whenever I see passages such as the ones you bring up here, talking as if people can't touch us, I always remember this passage as a counterpoint:

Matthew 10:28 -- Do not fear those that that can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear Him who can destroy both the body and soul in hell.

God's ultimate focus is on our eternal soul, not the body, which will be destroyed and replaced anyway. It's a hard truth to take, and yes, God does protect us in our physical earthly form, but it isn't always to the extent that we might want. The body here is vulnerable to what other humans can do, but this passage says our highest fear (respect, motivation to follow) should be towards God, and not people, because God alone can save the soul, which is all that will be left after this life.

I think some Christians misinterpret this as thinking God will keep them from any harm in this life, or at least, from the very worst kinds. But the hard truth is, this isn't true. Rather, what we are to believe is that:

Romans 8:28 -- For we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him.

My Lutheran school told us that this means we have to believe that no matter what bad things might happen, we have to trust that God is somehow working them out for some kind of good, according to His own plans.

The Christian life has no assurance that we will be spared everything, and not even the worst things that this life can dish up. Rather, we have to believe that God can do wondrous things through or despite them.

I know that in some ways, this doesn't seem like much comfort.

But I think it's yet another reason why the road to salvation is "The Narrow Road" -- because only a few will try to accept this.

Kainos · Mar 21, 2025

Noel25 said:

I've noticed that as I read the bible, I come across certain verses that leave me puzzled. This is NOT a thread about how the bible isn't true or holy or infallible. I trust God and his word. It's actually more of a trying-to-understand thing. Maybe ya'll can post verses that leave you wondering and others can answer what they think it means?

Mine has to do with worry and fear.

In Psalm 118 5-6
I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?

It's the underlined part that has me confused. What can mere man do to me? Well a lot actually! People kill other people, they abuse and steal and do many evil things. So I don't understand this verse at all. I get that it's trying to tell us not to worry or fear because God is on our side. But evil people hurt Godly people all the time.

The author of the Psalm wasn't suggesting that men could do nothing to harm him. He was asserting that he would not fear what any man could do to him, because the Lord was with him.

DeanM · Mar 21, 2025

The scriptures can be tricky sometimes. Common everyday things thousands of years ago would be readily understood then but confusing to modern folks. The ox metaphor mentioned by @Lynx could be confusing to city folks and even an old country boy like me might have to read it a few times to get the meaning.

And as @Lynx pointed out, again, a mistranslated term or maybe entire passage can be another monkey in the wrench. I sometimes compare translations. Sometimes it helps sometimes it doesnt.

ConfirmByDoing · Saturday at 10:13 AM

Lynx said:

Also very valuable in terms of sacrificial importance.....

Lynx said:

Also very valuable in terms of sacrificial importance.....

"Sin Offerings: Bulls were used for sin offerings, both for the congregation and the high priest, when they committed unintentional sins"

"Higher Value: A bull was considered a more valuable and choice sacrifice than other animals, reflecting the seriousness of the sin being atoned for."

Not sure where we'd be without the atonement for sin(Hebrews 9:22)

GaryA · Saturday at 2:56 PM

Lynx said:

You dig the foundation out from under it. The wall will then fall because it no longer has any support to keep it standing.

GaryA · Saturday at 3:00 PM

Lynx said:

Has it occurred to you that the translators may have used the 'dig down a wall' wording because, at the time of the translation, it was a far better remembered-and-understood concept/phrase than a 'hamstrung an ox' wording would have been?

I do not know this to be the case for this particular example; however, it seems to me that there is a good possibility of it - as being worthy of consideration.

Lynx · Saturday at 3:12 PM

GaryA said:

Are you seriously and honestly postulating they deliberately mistranslated this... But decided to keep the firmament above and Leviathan in there?

GaryA · Saturday at 3:36 PM

Noel25 said:

In addition to what was said in posts #5 and #6 (to which I can agree), I will suggest that those words also include a sense of "God is able to control/interpose/prevent [whatever man may wish to do to me]" - as a form of confidence that mitigates fear. The previous part of the verses you posted illustrate this:

1) I called on the Lord
2) He helped me
3) He is with me
4) I will not fear

In other words, He has proven that He is able and willing to help me - therefore - He is with me - I will not fear.

In other words - no one is more powerful than God - no one can do anything that He does not allow.

(And, presumedly, if He does allow something - it was for a very good reason.)

I believe it is this sense of confidence in the Lord that is being reflected here.

GaryA · Saturday at 3:41 PM

Lynx said:

Where those the best words to use at the time of the translation? Or, where there better words? What where they, if you think you know?

Daisy2 · Saturday at 3:53 PM

Sometimes it translation that causes the confusion.

Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.

Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Daniel 1:12

The Hebrew word translated as "pulse" in the King James Version (KJV) is "zero'im" (זֵרֹעִ֛ים) or "zeronim" (זֵרְעֹנִֽים), which generally means "seeds" or "herbs

(A pulse is the edible seed from a legume plant. Pulses include beans, lentils, and peas. For example, a pea pod is a legume, but the pea inside the pod is the pulse.)

Other times you can go over a verse many times and it won't mean anything to you until you need it. God never places a burden unless you are able to bear it

Lynx · Saturday at 4:25 PM

GaryA said:

I'm pretty sure "crippled an ox" would have worked very well. The Bible uses all three of those words multiple times so I know they knew those words back then. And it's much, much, incredibly much closer than digged down a wall.

Magenta · Saturday at 4:38 PM

seoulsearch said:

Hi @Noel25,

You're asking a great question here.

I think one of the uncomfortable truths about being a Christian is that for as much as God's Word says things that can be comforting and assuring, there are also very hard truths that come with it.

I might be wrong, but I don't see these passages as saying that God will protect us from all harm in this life -- as Christians, we know the Bible clearly says we will have hardships in this life. And most people in the Bible are proof of the things that will be suffered here on earth.

Rather, I think the main theme of the Bible is that although yes, God cares about our earthly lives, His highest priority is our spiritual life, and that's what will endure throughout eternity, no matter what happens to us here on earth. These passages are basically saying, "It doesn't matter what humans do to my body, because it's God who will save my soul."

Whenever I see passages such as the ones you bring up here, talking as if people can't touch us, I always remember this passage as a counterpoint:

Matthew 10:28 -- Do not fear those that that can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear Him who can destroy both the body and soul in hell.

God's ultimate focus is on our eternal soul, not the body, which will be destroyed and replaced anyway. It's a hard truth to take, and yes, God does protect us in our physical earthly form, but it isn't always to the extent that we might want. The body here is vulnerable to what other humans can do, but this passage says our highest fear (respect, motivation to follow) should be towards God, and not people, because God alone can save the soul, which is all that will be left after this life.

I think some Christians misinterpret this as thinking God will keep them from any harm in this life, or at least, from the very worst kinds. But the hard truth is, this isn't true. Rather, what we are to believe is that:

Romans 8:28 -- For we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him.

My Lutheran school told us that this means we have to believe that no matter what bad things might happen, we have to trust that God is somehow working them out for some kind of good, according to His own plans.

The Christian life has no assurance that we will be spared everything, and not even the worst things that this life can dish up. Rather, we have to believe that God can do wondrous things through or despite them.

I know that in some ways, this doesn't seem like much comfort.

But I think it's yet another reason why the road to salvation is "The Narrow Road" -- because only a few will try to accept this.

Proverbs 9 verse 10 plus Matthew 10 verse 28 ~ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

GaryA · Saturday at 4:48 PM

Lynx said:

Perhaps something to look into it a bit more. For now, how about we not take this thread too far off track...?

TheLearner · Saturday at 8:00 PM

Noel25 said:

Praise the Lord because he is good!
His faithful love will last forever!
2 Israel, say it:
“His faithful love will last forever!”
3 Aaron’s family, say it:
“His faithful love will last forever!”
4 You people worshiping the Lord, say it:
“His faithful love will last forever!”

5 I was in trouble, so I called to the Lord for help.
The Lord answered and made me free.
6 The Lord is with me, so I will not be afraid.
No one on earth can do anything to harm me.
7 The Lord is my helper.
I will see my enemies defeated.
8 It is better to trust in the Lord
than to trust in people.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord
than to trust in great leaders.

10 Many enemies surrounded me,
but with the Lord’s power I defeated them.
11 They surrounded me again and again,
but I defeated them with the Lord’s power.
12 They surrounded me like a swarm of bees,
but they were quickly destroyed like a fast-burning bush.
I defeated them with the Lord’s power.

13 My enemy attacked me and almost destroyed me,
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my reason for singing.
He saved me!
15 You can hear the victory celebration in the homes of those who live right.
The Lord has shown his great power again!
16 The Lord’s arm is raised in victory.
The Lord has shown his great power again.

17 I will live and not die,
and I will tell what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord punished me,
but he did not let me die.
19 Gates of goodness, open for me,
and I will come in and worship the Lord.
20 Those are the Lord’s gates,
and only good people can go through them.
21 Lord, I thank you for answering my prayer.
I thank you for saving me.

22 The stone that the builders rejected
became the cornerstone.
23 The Lord made this happen,
and we think it is wonderful!
24 This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be happy today!

25 The people say, “Praise the Lord!
The Lord saved us!
26 Welcome to the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”
The priests answer, “We welcome you to the Lord’s house!
27 The Lord is God, and he accepts us.

JohnDB · Sunday at 7:52 AM

Noel25 said:

OK...
Great question. You are RIGHT because we should ALWAYS ask a lot of questions when reading scripture.

This section in Psalms is poetry...not a narrative, history, prophecy or parable.
IOW a slice of a song.

So....to really understand this take a look at other narratives in scriptures to understand the mechanics....specifically when God asks questions. IE "Who told you that you were naked?" or "Where is your wife Sarah?" or one of the many other times God asks questions.

Meaning the answer should be obvious.

David in this psalm had been given a task by God....he was to become the king of Israel. But at the moment he was hiding in the desert from Saul. And it is suggestive of how nobody touches one of God's kids without God allowing it....especially when they are in the middle of doing a task God set up for them to do. They might frighten you or scare you...but not harm you if God doesn't allow it.

A too small look at scripture is part of the problem....it has to be read in the context of the rest of the chapter. Otherwise it's not going to make a lot of sense.

Karlon · Sunday at 6:48 PM

James 5:15 & 16- "& the prayer of faith shall save the sick, & the Lord shall raise him up & if has committed sins, they shall be forgiven". 16- "..... the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much". millions of Christians have an issue with this. in 1 Bible, the explanation is this: "the prayer produced by that faith WILL HEAL". then it says, " the prayer of faith preserves God's will until it is accomplished. then, lastly, it says, "God's will, however, is not to heal in every case & TRUE FAITH CAN DISCERN THAT'!!!!!!!!! so why aren't all Christians healed. why pray for healing if you believe that God may not heal you? why have faith in your prayer if you also believe God may not heal you? there has never been a time where everyone was healed. now know that i am talking about Christians who have faith & trust in God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit.

Are there verses that leave you feeling confused?

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