Psalms 73:12

12 Behold, these are the wicked, and they prosper in the world: they heap up riches.

Psalms 73:12 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 73:12

Behold, these are the ungodly
Who say and do as before declared; such as these must be without the knowledge of God, the fear, love, and worship of him: who prosper in the world; in worldly and temporal things, in their bodies and outward estates, but not in their souls and spiritual things: "in this world", as the Targum is; all their prosperity is here; their good things are in this life, their evil things will be in that to come; though ungodly, they prosper in the world, and as long as they are in it; or they are at peace and in case, and are quiet; they have nothing to disturb them, they are not in outward trouble, and their sins do not distress them, and they have no concern about another world:

they increase in riches;
which they are in the pursuit of, and overtake and enjoy in great abundance; whereby they become mighty and powerful, as the word F15 for "riches" signifies: these words are the observation of the psalmist, and which was the occasion of the following temptation he was led into.


FOOTNOTES:

F15 (lyx) "vires", Junius & Tremellius; "potentiam", Piscator.

Psalms 73:12 In-Context

10 Therefore his people turn hither, and waters in fulness are wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How can God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Behold, these are the wicked, and they prosper in the world: they heap up riches.
13 Truly have I purified my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency:
14 For all the day have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or 'and they are ever at rest' (i.e. careless): see Ezek. 23.42.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.