Lexical Summary sarappim: Seraphim Original Word: שַׂרְעַף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance thought For ca'iph; cogitation -- thought. see HEBREW ca'iph NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as seippim Definition disquieting thoughts NASB Translation anxious thoughts (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [שַׂרְעַמִּים] noun [masculine] plural disquieting thoughts (compare סַרְעַמָּה below סעף, Ges§ 85w); — suffix שַׂרְעַמַּי Psalm 94:19 (apparently of anxious doubts); as secrets מָּ֑י-, Psalm 139:23 (open to ׳י לְבָבִי). I. שׂער (√ of following; compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Background and Semantic Range The word conveys an inner commotion that multiplies within the soul—restless, swirling, even tempest-like reflections that unsettle the heart. Unlike ordinary thoughts (Hebrew machashavot or ra‘yôn), שַׂרְעַף highlights emotional turmoil: agitation, misgivings, and the “noisy” mental traffic produced by fear or guilt. Biblical Occurrences 1. Psalm 94:19: “When anxiety overwhelms me, Your consolation delights my soul”. Here שַׂרְעַף is the turmoil that is answered by the Lord’s “consolation,” demonstrating the sufficiency of divine comfort against internal chaos. Theological Significance • Divine Omniscience and Care. Both psalms join the exposure of anxiety with the assurance of God’s consoling presence, affirming that the Lord both knows and ministers to the deepest regions of human unrest. Pastoral and Devotional Implications • Honest Prayer. The term legitimizes bringing raw anxiety into the prayer closet, rather than masking it with pious clichés. Historical and Liturgical Usage Jewish and Christian liturgies have employed Psalm 94 and Psalm 139 in evening prayers, recognizing that restless thoughts often intensify at night. Early church fathers saw in Psalm 139 a pattern for daily examen, encouraging believers to submit anxious ruminations to the Lord before sleep. Christological Dimensions Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, experienced the full spectrum of human agitation (“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow,” Matthew 26:38) yet entrusted Himself to the Father, providing a perfect model and a perfect High Priest who sympathizes with our שַׂרְעַף and grants peace (John 14:27). New Testament Parallels • Philippians 4:6-7: the command against anxiety finds its Old Testament backdrop in שַׂרְעַף; prayer and thanksgiving parallel the “consolations” of Psalm 94. Summary שַׂרְעַף portrays the noise of anxious thoughts that can only be quieted by divine consolation. Scripture consistently unites honesty about such turmoil with confidence in God’s sovereign, comforting, and sanctifying presence, providing both theological grounding and practical guidance for believers across the ages. Forms and Transliterations שַׂרְעַפַּ֣י שַׂרְעַפָּֽי׃ שרעפי שרעפי׃ śar‘appay śar‘appāy śar·‘ap·pay śar·‘ap·pāy sarapPaiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 94:19 HEB: בְּרֹ֣ב שַׂרְעַפַּ֣י בְּקִרְבִּ֑י תַּ֝נְחוּמֶ֗יךָ NAS: When my anxious thoughts multiply KJV: In the multitude of my thoughts within INT: multiply my anxious within your consolations Psalm 139:23 2 Occurrences |
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: Aramaic סַעְרָא or (׳שׂ), 
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