If I am guilty, woe to me! If I am in the right, I cannot lift up my head, for I am filled with disgrace and look on my affliction.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job declares that whether he's deemed guilty or innocent, he can't find relief because he's utterly overwhelmed by disgrace and suffering. The phrase "look on my affliction" isn't just about seeing his pain, but about being consumed by it, making even righteousness feel insufficient to lift his head in hope.
If I am guilty, woe to me! If I am in the right, I cannot lift up my head, for I am filled with disgrace and look on my affliction.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Job is in the depths of despair, questioning God directly about the overwhelming suffering he faces. He's grappling with the feeling that whether he's truly wicked or righteous, his circumstances offer no relief, leaving him confused and ashamed. He pleads with God to acknowledge and act on his severe affliction.
Job feels trapped, no matter which way he turns. Is he guilty or righteous? Both seem to lead to disaster.
Job is in an impossible situation. He addresses God, acknowledging that if he's truly wicked, then his suffering is deserved and brings woe. But even if he's innocent, he can't claim vindication. The weight of his affliction is so heavy that he can't 'lift up his head'—a posture of confidence and innocence. His current state of suffering and disgrace prevents him from finding solace in any potential righteousness. He's filled with confusion, unable to reconcile his perceived integrity with his devastating circumstances.
Job isn't just suffering physically; he's deeply confused and shamed. What does this confusion reveal about his state?
The phrase 'filled with disgrace' speaks to the profound shame Job experiences. His friends accuse him of hidden sin, and his suffering seems to confirm their judgment in his own eyes. This leads to a deep internal 'confusion.' He doesn't know how to understand his situation: Is God just? Am I truly wicked? Am I righteous but still suffering unjustly? This confusion isn't just intellectual doubt; it's an emotional and spiritual turmoil that paralyzes him. He can't find solid ground because his afflictions make any claim of righteousness feel hollow.
Understand the original words
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rasha · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
The state of being held responsible for a wrong or a crime. It implies a moral fault that makes one deserving of judgment or penalty.
oi · Hebrew Interjection
A cry of distress, lamentation, or a declaration of impending disaster and judgment. It marks a state of deep misery and hopelessness.
tsadaq · Hebrew Verb/Adjective
The state of being morally justified or in accordance with God’s standard of holiness. It is the position of having a clean record before God.
qalon · Hebrew Noun
The state of shame, dishonor, or humiliation. It reflects a loss of dignity or standing, often caused by suffering or being judged unworthy.
oni · Hebrew Noun
Distress, misery, or oppression; the condition of being put under pressure or suffering. It is often used to describe the external state of difficulty that tests a person’s faith.
This Psalm vividly contrasts lifting one's head in confidence with God's protection against those who rise up against us, highlighting how Job's inability to 'lift up his head' signifies a profound lack of security and divine favor.
Luke 21:28Jesus connects the 'lifting up of heads' with redemption and the approach of salvation, making Job's statement even more poignant as he feels utterly devoid of any hope or sign of impending deliverance.
Romans 8:33-34This passage speaks of God justifying believers, with no one being able to bring a charge against them, a stark contrast to Job's deep confusion and despair, where he feels condemned regardless of his state.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9The Apostle Paul describes enduring hardship while not being crushed, perplexed but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. This resonates with Job's feeling of affliction and confusion, yet it offers a more hopeful perspective rooted in steadfast faith.
clarkeJob 10:15: "If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;"
If I be wicked - I must meet with that punishment that is due to the workers of iniquity. If I be righteous - I am only in the state which my duty to my Creator requires me to be in; and I cannot therefore suppose that on this account I can deserve any thing by way of favor from the justice of my Maker. I am full of confusion - I am confoun…
pooleJob 10:15: "If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction;"
If I be wicked, i.e. an ungodly hypocrite, as my friends esteem me, then I am truly and extremely, and must be eternally, miserable. Righteous, i.e. an upright and good man: so, whether good or bad, all comes to one; I have no relief. Yet will I not lift up my head; or, yet can I not , &c; the future tense being used potentially; yet I have…
Job declares that whether he's deemed guilty or innocent, he can't find relief because he's utterly overwhelmed by disgrace and suffering. The phrase "look on my affliction" isn't just about seeing his pain, but about being consumed by it, making even righteousness feel insufficient to lift his head in hope.
Job is in the depths of despair, questioning God directly about the overwhelming suffering he faces. He's grappling with the feeling that whether he's truly wicked or righteous, his circumstances offer no relief, leaving him confused and ashamed. He pleads with God to acknowledge and act on his severe affliction.
Job is in the depths of despair, questioning God directly about the overwhelming suffering he faces. He's grappling with the feeling that whether he's truly wicked or righteous, his circumstances offer no relief, leaving him confused and ashamed. He pleads with God to acknowledge and act on his severe affliction.
"If I am guilty, woe to me! If I am in the right, I cannot lift up my head, for I am filled with disgrace and look on my affliction." — Job declares that whether he's deemed guilty or innocent, he can't find relief because he's utterly overwhelmed by disgrace and suffering. The phrase "look on my affliction" isn't just about seeing h…
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Last reviewed October 2026