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.


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.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.