The term "contrite" is derived from the Latin word "contritus," meaning "crushed" or "broken in spirit." In the biblical context, contrition refers to a deep, sincere sorrow for sin, accompanied by a humble and repentant heart. It is a recognition of one's own sinfulness and a genuine desire to seek God's forgiveness and mercy.

Biblical References:

1. Psalm 51:17 : "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." This verse highlights the value God places on a contrite heart over ritual sacrifices. King David, after his sin with Bathsheba, expresses his deep remorse and understanding that true repentance comes from a heart that is genuinely broken over sin.

2. Isaiah 57:15 : "For 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.'" Here, God promises His presence and revival to those who are contrite, emphasizing His closeness to the humble and repentant.

3. Isaiah 66:2 : "Has not My hand made all these things, and so they came into being? declares the LORD. This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at My word." This passage underscores that God esteems those who are contrite, valuing their humility and reverence for His word above all else.

4. Psalm 34:18 : "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit." This verse reassures believers that God is especially close to those who are brokenhearted and contrite, offering salvation and comfort.

Theological Significance:

In the Christian faith, contrition is an essential aspect of repentance. It involves more than just feeling sorry for one's sins; it requires a heartfelt acknowledgment of wrongdoing and a commitment to turn away from sin. A contrite heart is open to God's transformative work, allowing the Holy Spirit to bring about true change and renewal.

Contrition is often seen as a prerequisite for receiving God's grace and forgiveness. It aligns with the teachings of Jesus, who emphasized the importance of humility and repentance in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). The tax collector's contrite spirit, as he humbly asked for God's mercy, is contrasted with the self-righteousness of the Pharisee.

Practical Application:

Believers are encouraged to cultivate a contrite heart by regularly examining their lives in light of God's holiness. This involves confessing sins, seeking God's forgiveness, and striving to live in obedience to His commands. The practice of contrition fosters a deeper relationship with God, as it aligns the believer's heart with His will and opens the way for spiritual growth and maturity.

In worship and prayer, Christians are reminded of the importance of approaching God with a contrite spirit, acknowledging their dependence on His grace and mercy. This attitude not only honors God but also leads to a more profound experience of His love and presence in their lives.1. (a.) Regretful, sorrowful, broken in spirit because of a sense of sin.

2. (a.) Broken down with grief and penitence; deeply sorrowful for sin because it is displeasing to God; humbly and thoroughly penitent.

3. (n.) A contrite person.

4. (v.) In a contrite manner.

CONTRITE; CONTRITION

kon'-trit, kontrish'-un (dakka', "bruise"): Only in Old Testament (Psalm 34:18 Psalm 51:17 Isaiah 57:15); nakheh, "smitten" (Isaiah 66:2). Contrite, "crushed," is only the superlative of "broken"; "a contrite heart" is "a heart broken to pieces." In Holy Scripture, the heart is the seat of all feeling, whether joy or sorrow. A contrite heart is one in which the natural pride and self-sufficiency have been completely humbled by the consciousness of guilt. The theological term "contrition" designates more than is found in these passages. It refers to the grief experienced as a consequence of the revelation of sin made by the preaching of the law (Jeremiah 23:29). The Augsburg Confession (Article XII) analyzes repentance into two parts: "Contrition and faith," the one the fruit of the preaching of the law, the other of the gospel. While contrition has its degrees, and is not equal in all persons, the promise of forgiveness is not dependent upon the degree of contrition, but solely upon the merit of Christ. It is not simply a precondition of faith, but, as hatred of sin, combined with the purpose, by God's aid, to overcome it, grows with faith.

H. E. Jacobs

1793. dakka' -- contrite
... 1792, 1793. dakka'. 1793a . contrite. Transliteration: dakka' Phonetic Spelling:
(dak-kaw') Short Definition: contrite. contrite, destruction ...
/hebrew/1793.htm - 5k

1793a. dakka -- contrite
... contrite. Transliteration: dakka Short Definition: contrite. Word Origin from daka
Definition contrite NASB Word Usage contrite (1), who are crushed (1). ...
/hebrew/1793a.htm - 5k

1792. daka -- to crush
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to crush NASB Word Usage become contrite (1),
contrite (1), crush (7), crushed (7), crushing (1), oppressed (1). ...
/hebrew/1792.htm - 6k

1794. dakah -- to crush
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition to crush NASB Word Usage broken (1), contrite
(1), crouches (1), crushed (2). break sore, contrite, crouch. ...
/hebrew/1794.htm - 6k

5223. nakeh -- smitten, stricken
... Word Origin from nakah Definition smitten, stricken NASB Word Usage contrite
(1), crippled (2). contrite, lame. Smitten, ie (literally ...
/hebrew/5223.htm - 6k

October the Twenty-First the Contrite Heart
... OCTOBER The Twenty-first THE CONTRITE HEART. ISAIAH lvii.13-21. ... "I dwell with him
also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.". And who are the contrite? ...
/.../october the twenty-first the contrite.htm

The Broken and Contrite Heart
... SERMON XVII. THE BROKEN AND CONTRITE HEART. Isaiah, lvii.15-21. For ... wrong. He
wanted to produce in them the humble and the contrite heart. ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xvii the broken and.htm

Whether Man Should be Contrite on Account of the Punishment, and ...
... OF THE OBJECT OF CONTRITION (SIX ARTICLES) Whether man should be contrite on
account of the punishment, and not only on account of his sin? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether man should be contrite.htm

The Contrite Heart. Isa 47:15:00
... SONG OF SOLOMON Hymn 64 The contrite heart. Isa 47:15. William Cowper 8,6,8,6.
The contrite heart. Isa 47:15. The LORD will happiness divine. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 64 the contrite heart.htm

Whether Our Souls are Contrite for Sins Even after this Life?
... OF THE TIME FOR CONTRITION (THREE ARTICLES) Whether our souls are contrite
for sins even after this life? Objection 1: It would ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether our souls are contrite.htm

The Hope of the Contrite.
... THE HOPE OF THE CONTRITE. 7,7,7,7 Weg mein Herz mit dem Gedanken. [181]Paul Gerhardt.
trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1869. Hence, my heart, with such a thought. ...
/.../winkworth/christian singers of germany/the hope of the contrite.htm

With Broken Heart and Contrite Sigh
... II. THE CHRISTIAN YEAR Ash Wednesday and Lent 133. With broken heart and contrite
sigh. LM ... Cornelius Elven, 1852. With broken heart and contrite sigh,. ...
/.../ash wednesday and lent 133.htm

Whether, when Deprived of Charity, a Man Can Make Satisfaction for ...
... Whether, when deprived of charity, a man can make satisfaction for sins
for which he was previously contrite? Objection 1: It would ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether when deprived of charity.htm

Whether a Man Ought to have Contrition for Another's Sin?
... For one should not ask forgiveness for a sin unless one is contrite for
it. ... Therefore man should be contrite for the sins of others. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether a man ought to 7.htm

Thirteenth Day. Holiness and Humility.
... 'Thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy:
I dwell in the High and Holy place, with him that is of a contrite and humble ...
/.../murray/holy in christ/thirteenth day holiness and humility.htm

Contrite (5 Occurrences)
... penitent. 3. (n.) A contrite person. 4. (v.) In a contrite manner. Int.
Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CONTRITE; CONTRITION. kon ...
/c/contrite.htm - 9k

Contrition (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) The state of being contrite; deep sorrow and repentance for sin, because
sin is displeasing to God; humble penitence; through repentance. Int. ...
/c/contrition.htm - 8k

Inhabiteth (6 Occurrences)
... 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 ...
/i/inhabiteth.htm - 8k

Inhabits (2 Occurrences)
... thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell
in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble ...
/i/inhabits.htm - 7k

Brokenhearted (5 Occurrences)
... Such people are in the right condition to be met and blessed by God. Compare "of
contrite spirit" (Psalm 31:18 Isaiah 66:2). Multi-Version Concordance ...
/b/brokenhearted.htm - 8k

Eternity (23 Occurrences)
... 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 ...
/e/eternity.htm - 24k

Lofty (44 Occurrences)
... thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell
in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble ...
/l/lofty.htm - 20k

Revive (31 Occurrences)
... thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell
in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble ...
/r/revive.htm - 18k

Impenitent (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Not penitent; not repenting of sin; not contrite;
of a hard heart. 2. (n.) One who is not penitent. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/i/impenitent.htm - 6k

Indulgence (3 Occurrences)
... It is a payment of the debt of justice to God by the application of the merits of
Christ and his saints to the contrite soul through the church. ...
/i/indulgence.htm - 8k

What does it mean to be contrite? What is contrition? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that God will not despise a broken spirit and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17)? | GotQuestions.org

What is penitence? What does the Bible say about penitence? | GotQuestions.org

Contrite: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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