When I find two of my favorite authors, Matthew Henry of 17th Century England, and Mollie Hemingway of the present day both using a word that has some age on it, I pay attention.
I was reading Henry’s commentary of Psalm VI the other morning. I appreciate Henry and some of his contemporaries, the “older guys,” I call them who commented and wrote on Biblical issues in days of old. I always wonder if they might just be closer to the truth.
Henry used the word vexed. It is an unusual word, not one you hear or see often these days. And then later in the day as I continued reading in Mollie’s fine book Alito about Supreme Court Justice Alito, there it was again.
King David says in Psalm VI, “O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed,” and goes on to say “My soul is also sore vexed.” Henry comments, “It is a sad thing for a man to have his bones and his soul vexed at the same time;” (Matthew Henry Psalm VI) One could assume that to be the case.
Justice Scalia on the other hand in Mollie’s book was vexed only by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, and then probably only in spirit. Mollie says “Scalia was often vexed by Sandra Day O’Connor’s unevenness, and he had no difficulty saying so in his strongly worded dissents.” (Mollie Hemingway, ALITO)
The context in both cases helps us a bit with the meaning. Deeper research however makes it more interesting. Vexed carries thoughts of, annoyed, frustrated, agitated, and maybe with hints of perplexity. (Google)
The Google tells us: “Vexed” is indeed a very old word, tracing its roots back over 600 years. Vexed, it continues; In the English language and according to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest recorded use of “vexed” dates back to around 1425 during the Middle English period. It began as the Latin word vexare, which meant “to shake, jolt, or toss violently.”
I’m sure we can at least agree it’s not a word describing a situation of comfort.
Henry would leave you with this thought. When like King David, one finds oneself vexed in soul and body, it is “To the living God we must, at such a time, address ourselves, who is the only physician both of body and mind,”
Have a great day….