Psalms 73:18-28

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.

19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!

20 They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,

22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.

23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

Psalms 73:18-28 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

• 1. S Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalms 35:6
• 2. S Psalms 17:13
• 3. Deuteronomy 28:20; Proverbs 24:22; Isaiah 47:11
• 4. S Genesis 19:15
• 5. S Job 20:8
• 6. Psalms 78:65; Isaiah 29:8
• 7. Proverbs 12:11; Proverbs 28:19
• 8. Psalms 49:10; Psalms 92:6; Psalms 94:8
• 9. Ecclesiastes 9:12,20">Ps 4Ecclesiastes 9:12,20; Ecclesiastes 3:18; Ecclesiastes 9:12
• 10. S Genesis 48:13
• 11. S Psalms 48:14
• 12. S 1 Kings 22:5; Psalms 32:8
• 13. Psalms 16:2
• 14. Philippians 3:8
• 15. Psalms 84:2
• 16. S Psalms 31:10; Psalms 40:12
• 17. Psalms 18:1
• 18. S Deuteronomy 32:9
• 19. S Psalms 34:21; Psalms 119:155
• 20. S Leviticus 6:2; Jeremiah 5:11; Hosea 4:12; Hosea 9:1
• 21. Zephaniah 3:2; Hebrews 10:22; James 4:8
• 22. Psalms 9:9
• 23. Psalms 26:7; Psalms 40:5