Psalms 73:21

21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,

Psalms 73:21 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 73:21

Thus my heart was grieved
Not with his own sins, nor with the sins of the wicked, but at their prosperity; for this is an account of himself, while under the temptation, and before he went into the sanctuary of the Lord; or when he was "leavened" F18, with the old leaven of wickedness, and envy, and indignation; he was in a ferment, so Plautus F19 uses the phrase for being in anger and wrath; he swelled, as what is leavened does, against God and his providence: or was "soured" F20; he was out of humour and angry with God, or was exasperated and provoked at the favours bestowed upon the wicked. Some render it "inflamed" F21, made hot; not with the love of God, and meditation upon it, but with wrath and indignation:

and I was pricked in my reins;
disturbed and distracted in his thoughts, felt a great deal of pain in his mind, while he was considering the prosperity of the wicked; which was as a sword in his bones, and as an arrow shot into his reins; see ( Lamentations 3:13 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F18 (Umxty) "effervesceret fermenti instar", Tigurine version; "in fermento esset", Cocceius; so Ainsworth.
F19 Casina, Act. 2. Sc. 5. v. 17.
F20 Acescet Montanus; "quasi aceto acri perfundebatur", Vatablus.
F21 "Inflammatum est", V. L.

Psalms 73:21 In-Context

19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes, on awaking you despise their phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was stupid and ignorant, I was like a beast toward thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee; thou dost hold my right hand.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.