A-Z: General definitions: Contrition

Definition

Deep and genuine sorrow for wrongdoing, which is a form of inner repentance. (Isaiah 57:15)

Translation

Latin: Contritus, 'broken'.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹The righteous man perishes, and no one lays it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from calamity; ²he enters into peace; they rest in their beds who walk in their uprightness. ³But you, draw near, sons of the sorceress, offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman. ⁴Whom are you mocking? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not children of transgression, the offspring of deceit, ⁵you who burn with lust among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter your children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? ⁶Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion; they, they, are your lot; to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a grain offering. Shall I relent for these things? ⁷On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice. ⁸Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness. ⁹You journeyed to the king with oil and multiplied your perfumes; you sent your envoys far off, and sent down even to Sheol. ¹⁰You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say, It is hopeless; you found new life for your strength, and so you were not faint. ¹¹Whom did you dread and fear, so that you lied, and did not remember me, did not lay it to heart? Have I not held my peace, even for a long time, and you do not fear me? ¹²I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they will not profit you. ¹³When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you! The wind will carry them all off, a breath will take them away. But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land and shall inherit my holy mountain. ¹⁴And it shall be said, Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way. ¹⁵For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite. ¹⁶For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint before me, and the breath of life that I made. ¹⁷Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart. ¹⁸I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, ¹⁹creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near, says the Lord, and I will heal him. ²⁰But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. ²¹There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.

¹The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. ²He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. ³But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. ⁴Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood. ⁵Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? ⁶Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these? ⁷Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. ⁸Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it. ⁹And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell. ¹⁰Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved. ¹¹And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not? ¹²I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee. ¹³When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain; ¹⁴And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. ¹⁵For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. ¹⁶For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. ¹⁷For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. ¹⁸I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. ¹⁹I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him. ²⁰But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. ²¹There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

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