Psalms 73:3

3 when I grew envious of the arrogant and saw how the wicked prosper.

Psalms 73:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 73:3

For I was envious at the foolish
The atheists, as in ( Psalms 14:1 ) , who deny the creation, as Arama; the wicked, as after explained, as all wicked men are, how wise soever they may be in things natural and civil, yet in religious things, in things of a spiritual nature, they have no understanding; they are proud boasters, glory in themselves, and in their outward attainments, as the word ^F4 here used signifies; the external happiness of these, their riches, health, and ease, were envied by the psalmist; see ( Psalms 37:1 ) ,

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked,
or "the peace of the wicked" {e}; with an evil eye. This was the occasion of his slip and fall, this was the temptation he was left unto for a while.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (Myllwhb) "in arrogantes", Gejerus; "stolide gloriosos", Michaelis; "at vain glorious fools", Ainsworth.
F5 (Mwlv) "pacem", Pagninus, Musculus, Piscator.

Psalms 73:3 In-Context

1 A psalm of Asaf: How good God is to Isra'el, to those who are pure in heart!

2 But as for me, I lost my balance, my feet nearly slipped,

3 when I grew envious of the arrogant and saw how the wicked prosper.

4 For when their death comes, it is painless; and meanwhile, their bodies are healthy;

5 they don't have ordinary people's troubles, they aren't plagued like others.