Psalms 73:3-18

3 For I was 1envious of the arrogant As I saw the 2prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat.
5 They are 3not in trouble as other men, Nor are they 4plagued like mankind.
6 Therefore pride is 5their necklace; The 6garment of violence covers them.
7 Their eye bulges from 7fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot.
8 They 8mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They 9speak from on high.
9 They have 10set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return to this place, And waters of 11abundance are drunk by them.
11 They say, "12How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?"
12 Behold, 13these are the wicked; And always 14at ease, they have increased in wealth.
13 Surely 15in vain I have kept my heart pure And 16washed my hands in innocence;
14 For I have been stricken 17all day long And 18chastened every morning.
15 If I had said, "I will speak thus," Behold, I would have betrayed the 19generation of Your children.
16 When I 20pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight
17 Until I came into the 21sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their 22end.
18 Surely You set them in 23slippery places; You cast them down to 24destruction.

Psalms 73:3-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 73

\\<>\\. It seems by the title that Asaph was the penman of this psalm, as it is certain that he was a composer of psalms and hymns; see 2Ch 29:30, though it may be rendered, "a psalm for Asaph", or "unto Asaph" {a}; and might have David for its author, as some think, who, having penned it, sent it to Asaph, to be made use of by him in public service; see 1Ch 16:7, and so the Targum paraphrases it, ``a song by the hands of Asaph;'' the occasion of it was a temptation the psalmist fell into, through the prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous, to think there was nothing in religion, that it was a vain and useless thing; under which he continued until he went into the house of God, and was taught better; when he acknowledged his stupidity and folly, and penned this psalm, to prevent others falling into the same snare, and to set forth the goodness of God to his people, with which it begins.

Cross References 24

  • 1. Psalms 37:1; Proverbs 23:17
  • 2. Job 21:7; Psalms 37:7; Jeremiah 12:1
  • 3. Job 21:9; Psalms 73:12
  • 4. Psalms 73:14
  • 5. Genesis 41:42; Proverbs 1:9
  • 6. Psalms 109:18
  • 7. Job 15:27; Psalms 17:10; Jeremiah 5:28
  • 8. Psalms 1:1
  • 9. Psalms 17:10; 2 Peter 2:18; Jude 16
  • 10. Revelation 13:6
  • 11. Psalms 23:5
  • 12. Job 22:13
  • 13. Psalms 49:6; Psalms 52:7
  • 14. Jeremiah 49:31; Ezekiel 23:42
  • 15. Job 21:15; Job 34:9; Job 35:3
  • 16. Psalms 26:6
  • 17. Psalms 38:6
  • 18. Job 33:19; Psalms 118:18
  • 19. Psalms 14:5
  • 20. Ecclesiastes 8:17
  • 21. Psalms 27:4; Psalms 77:13
  • 22. Psalms 37:38
  • 23. Psalms 35:6
  • 24. Psalms 35:8; Psalms 36:12

Footnotes 18

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