The Term "Mourn" In Matthew 5:4

An individual once asked, “In our Lord’s sermon on the mount, He made this statement in Matthew 5:4: ‘Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.’

My question is, What kind of mourning is He talking about here?”

The Lord is speaking of mourning over one’s sin.

James 4:7-10 is a good commentary on Matthew 5:4:

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double- minded. Lament and mourn and weep! let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

The following are three biblical examples of folks who mourned over their sins: Matthew 26:75; Luke 7:36-48; Luke 18:13-14.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets