--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Psalms do not, that is, offer us an…" description: "\"“The Psalms do not, that is, offer us an answer for “the problem of evil.” But they are clear where the answer is not to be found. It is not to be foun..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/n-t-wright-1173_problem-of-evil_the-psalms-do-not-that-is-offer-us-an-an_3214716.jpg" --- # The Psalms do not, that is, offer us an answer for “the… ![“The Psalms do not, that is, offer us an answer for “the problem of evil.” But they are clear where the answer is not to be found. It is not to be found where the pantheist wants to find it, suggesting that “evil” is merely a matter of our perception and that the world just is the way it is and we…” quote by N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/n-t-wright-1173_problem-of-evil_the-psalms-do-not-that-is-offer-us-an-an_3214716.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/n-t-wright-1173_problem-of-evil_the-psalms-do-not-that-is-offer-us-an-an_3214716.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/270/n-t-wright-1173_problem-of-evil_the-psalms-do-not-that-is-offer-us-an-an_3214716.jpg) > ““The Psalms do not, that is, offer us an answer for “the problem of evil.” But they are clear where the answer is not to be found. It is not to be found where the pantheist wants to find it, suggesting that “evil” is merely a matter of our perception and that the world just is the way it is and we should get used to it.”” [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Psalms acknowledge evil's mystery, suggesting it isn’t solved by human reasoning but by acceptance of reality. **In simple terms:** Evil may be beyond our understanding. Key Takeaway Accept mystery of evil. Themes theodicy faith perception humility Mood thoughtful somber Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - prayer - counseling - ethical decision‑making - personal loss Key Concepts theology philosophy existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when evil seems inexplicable? - Can acceptance coexist with action? A Different Perspective Accepting mystery can hinder seeking justice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answer Pantheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer-pantheist-6019622/) [Pantheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pantheist-250433/) [Pantheist Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pantheist-wants-6019623/) [Problem Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-evil-262087/) [Problem of evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-of-evil/) [Suggesting Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggesting-evil-3724958/) ## Related quotes > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Almost everyone agrees the world is not the way it ought to be. It's called the problem of evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-koukl/almost-everyone-agrees-the-world-is-not-the-way-it-ought-to-be-it-s/) [Greg Koukl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-koukl/) > [“The problem of evil can be stated simply: God is omnipotent; God is perfectly good; such a God would not permit evil to exist;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-burton-russell/the-problem-of-evil-can-be-stated-simply-god-is-omnipotent-god-is/) [Jeffrey Burton Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-burton-russell/) > [“We have spent centuries of philosophy trying to solve "the problem of evil," yet I believe the much more confounding and astounding issue is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/we-have-spent-centuries-of-philosophy-trying-to-solve-the-problem-of/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [“If there is a "problem of evil" there is also a "problem of good." 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Whenever this illusion is overcome, we behave lovingly to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-marx-hubbard/the-great-human-problem-of-evil-stems-from-the-illusion-of/) [Barbara Marx Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-marx-hubbard/) > [“If God made everything, did He make the Devil?' This is the kind of embarrassing question which any child can ask before breakfast, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/if-god-made-everything-did-he-make-the-devil-this-is-the-kind-of/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [The best answer to the problem of evil is not one so much found on paper but on wood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-best-answer-to-the-problem-of-evil-is-not-one-so-much-found-on/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [If God seems to be in no hurry to make the problem of evil go away, maybe we shouldn't be, either. Maybe our compulsion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-god-seems-to-be-in-no-hurry-to-make-the-problem-of-evil-go-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Trouble, hardship, difficulty, pain, suffering, conflict, tragedy, evil - they're all part of the \[Christian\] Story. Indeed, the problem of evil is the reason… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-koukl/trouble-hardship-difficulty-pain-suffering-conflict-tragedy-evil-they/) [Greg Koukl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-koukl/) > [We often represent God to ourselves as being able to draw from non-being a world without sorrows, faults, dangers - a world in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/we-often-represent-god-to-ourselves-as-being-able-to-draw-from-non/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [The problem of evil is raised more often by spectators of life than the actual combatants. You will hardly ever find that the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stewart/the-problem-of-evil-is-raised-more-often-by-spectators-of-life-than/) [James Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stewart/) > [The problem of good and evil is not the problem of good and evil, but only the problem of evil. In opposition to good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-riding/the-problem-of-good-and-evil-is-not-the-problem-of-good-and-evil-but/) [Laura Riding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-riding/) ## More by N.T. Wright > [“This means that the church, the followers of Jesus Christ, live in the bright interval between Easter and the final great consummation. Let's make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/this-means-that-the-church-the-followers-of-jesus-christ-live-in-the/) [N.T. 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Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“If we are talking about the victory over evil and the launch of new creation, it won’t make much sense unless we are working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/if-we-are-talking-about-the-victory-over-evil-and-the-launch-of-new/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“The personal message of Good Friday, expressed in so many hymns and prayers which draw on the tradition of the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/the-personal-message-of-good-friday-expressed-in-so-many-hymns-and/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“To recognize that the Psalms call us to pray and sing at the intersections of the times--of our time and God's time, of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/to-recognize-that-the-psalms-call-us-to-pray-and-sing-at-the/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“Successful resistance to temptation may result in an increase of moral muscle, but that is because one is going to need it. A temptation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/successful-resistance-to-temptation-may-result-in-an-increase-of/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“Blessings on the poor in spirit! The kingdom of heaven is yours” (Matt. 5:3) doesn’t mean, “You will go to heaven when you die.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/blessings-on-the-poor-in-spirit-the-kingdom-of-heaven-is-yours-matt-5/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“As C. S. Lewis regularly remarked, the chronological snobbery of the modern age (i.e. the assumption that anything that comes after around 1750 is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/as-c-s-lewis-regularly-remarked-the-chronological-snobbery-of-the/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“The kingdom of God is, at its heart, about God’s sovereignty sweeping the world with love and power, so that human beings, each made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/the-kingdom-of-god-is-at-its-heart-about-god-s-sovereignty-sweeping/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“pre-Christian Judaism, including the disciples during Jesus’s lifetime, never envisaged the death of the Messiah. That is why they never thought of his resurrection,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/pre-christian-judaism-including-the-disciples-during-jesus-s-lifetime/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) [Explore all 278 N.T. Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) ## More Problem of evil quotes > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“As things stand the "intellectuals" only come out to lick the bones left over by the tyrant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nilantha-ilangamuwa/as-things-stand-the-intellectuals-only-come-out-to-lick-the-bones/) [Nilantha Ilangamuwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nilantha-ilangamuwa/) > [“The personal message of Good Friday, expressed in so many hymns and prayers which draw on the tradition of the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/the-personal-message-of-good-friday-expressed-in-so-many-hymns-and/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [The problem of evil is raised more often by spectators of life than the actual combatants. You will hardly ever find that the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stewart/the-problem-of-evil-is-raised-more-often-by-spectators-of-life-than/) [James Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stewart/) > [We often represent God to ourselves as being able to draw from non-being a world without sorrows, faults, dangers - a world in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/we-often-represent-god-to-ourselves-as-being-able-to-draw-from-non/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [ Trouble, hardship, difficulty, pain, suffering, conflict, tragedy, evil - they're all part of the \[Christian\] Story. Indeed, the problem of evil is the reason… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-koukl/trouble-hardship-difficulty-pain-suffering-conflict-tragedy-evil-they/) [Greg Koukl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-koukl/) > [Why bad things happen to good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/why-bad-things-happen-to-good-people/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/my-argument-against-god-was-that-the-universe-seemed-so-cruel-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If God seems to be in no hurry to make the problem of evil go away, maybe we shouldn't be, either. 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Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-l-rowe/) > [“Gottlieb pulled away from her. “God may have drawn back from the world, to give us free will. The problem of evil may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elia-macneal/gottlieb-pulled-away-from-her-god-may-have-drawn-back-from-the-world/) [Susan Elia MacNeal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elia-macneal/) > [The best answer to the problem of evil is not one so much found on paper but on wood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-best-answer-to-the-problem-of-evil-is-not-one-so-much-found-on/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-does-not-call-a-line-crooked-unless-he-has-some-idea-of-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Browse all 58 Problem of evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-of-evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Psalms do not, that is, offer us an answer for “the problem of evil.” But they are clear where the answer is not to be found. It is not to be found where the pantheist wants to find it, suggesting that “evil” is merely a matter of our perception and that the world just is the way it is and we should get used to it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "N.T. 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