Agony

Intense suffering of body, mind or spirit, brought about by illness, death or the judgment of God.

Examples of agony

Agony of body

Psalm 6:2 See also Psalm 31:10, Psalm 42:10; Isaiah 21:3; John 16:21; Revelation 9:5, Revelation 16:10

Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am frail; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are in agony.

Agony of heart

Jeremiah 4:19 See also Deuteronomy 2:25; 1 Samuel 1:16 Hannah prays for a son; Job 6:2, Job 7:11; Psalm 6:3, Psalm 25:17, Psalm 31:7, Psalm 38:8, Psalm 55:4; Isaiah 65:14; Matthew 26:38; Mark 14:33; Luke 22:44 Jesus Christ prays on the Mount of Olives; Romans 9:2; 2 Corinthians 2:4

My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the pain in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I cannot be silent. For I have heard the sound of the horn, the alarm of battle.

Causes of agony

Illness

Jeremiah 15:18 See also Job 30:16–17; Psalm 6:2–3, Psalm 38:7, Psalm 69:29

Why is my pain unending, and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You have indeed become like a mirage to me— water that is not there.

Death

Acts 2:24 See also Job 26:5; Psalm 18:4–6, Psalm 42:10, Psalm 55:4, Psalm 116:3

But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip.

The judgment of God

Luke 16:24–25 See also Jeremiah 4:19; Ezekiel 30:16; Micah 4:10; Zechariah 9:5; Matthew 22:13, Matthew 24:51, Matthew 25:30

So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’ But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.