Wisdom & Poetry · Old Testament
Psalms 73
Psalm 73: feet that almost slipped at the prosperity of the wicked
General context
The speaker says God is truly good to Israel, to those of a clean heart, but his own feet were almost gone, for he was envious at the foolish when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. There are no bands in their death, they are not plagued like other men, pride is their chain and violence their garment, their eyes stand out with fatness, and they set their mouth against the heavens. So God's people return here and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them, and the wicked ask how God knows and whether there is knowledge in the most High. These are the ungodly who prosper and increase in riches. The speaker says he has cleansed his heart in vain, being plagued all day; yet to say so would offend the generation of God's children. It was too painful to understand until he went into the sanctuary of God and understood their end: God set them in slippery places and cast them down to destruction; they are brought to desolation in a moment, consumed with terrors, despised like a dream when one awakes. Grieved and pricked in his reins, he was foolish and ignorant, a beast before God. Nevertheless he is continually with God, who holds his right hand, will guide him with counsel and afterward receive him to glory. He has no one in heaven but God and desires none on earth beside him; his flesh and heart fail, but God is the strength of his heart and his portion for ever. Those far from God will perish, and God has destroyed those who go a whoring from him; but it is good for the speaker to draw near to God, having put his trust in the Lord God to declare all his works.
Cited passages: Psalms 73:1, Psalms 73:2, Psalms 73:3, Psalms 73:4, Psalms 73:5, Psalms 73:6, Psalms 73:7, Psalms 73:9, Psalms 73:10, Psalms 73:11, Psalms 73:12, Psalms 73:13, Psalms 73:14, Psalms 73:15, Psalms 73:17, Psalms 73:18, Psalms 73:19, Psalms 73:20, Psalms 73:22, Psalms 73:23, Psalms 73:24, Psalms 73:25, Psalms 73:26, Psalms 73:27, Psalms 73:28
Psalms 73 (KJV)
1Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
2But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
6Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
8They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
9They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
12Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
13Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
14For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
16When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
17Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
18Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
19How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
28But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
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Historical context
The text as printed here carries no heading; verse 1 opens with "Truly God is good to Israel", so this source names no author, occasion or musical direction. The speaker is a single "I" who speaks about God in the third person at first and turns to address him as "thou" from verse 15 onward. "Israel" in verse 1 and "the sanctuary of God" in verse 17 are the only names of a people or place; the sanctuary is not located, and what the speaker saw or heard there is not described, only that "then understood I their end". The wicked are a class, not named individuals, and their words, "How doth God know?", are quoted. Verse 10, "Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them", is compressed and the text does not explain who returns or what the cup is. The speaker's own trouble is stated as being "plagued" and "chastened every morning" without detail. "Afterward receive me to glory" is stated without saying what or when that is. There is no Selah in this psalm.
Cited passages: Psalms 73:1, Psalms 73:15, Psalms 73:17, Psalms 73:11, Psalms 73:10, Psalms 73:14, Psalms 73:24
Literary context
The psalm is a confession told in order: a creed, a near fall, a long look at the wicked, a crisis, a turning point, and a settled end. The opening "Truly God is good" is at once qualified by "But as for me", and the pivot of the whole poem is a single word at verse 17, "Until". Before it the speaker's complaint has no answer and his cleansing seems "in vain"; after it the wicked are seen from their end, set "in slippery places", gone "as in a moment", like "a dream when one awaketh". Slipping is the shared image: the speaker's steps "had well nigh slipped", and the wicked stand on "slippery places". Verse 22, "I was as a beast before thee", is followed by "Nevertheless", and the last movement is a string of things held: a right hand, counsel, a portion, the strength of a heart. The wicked's speech is set against the heavens; the speaker's desire is set on nothing in heaven or earth but God. The psalm closes on nearness, "good for me to draw near to God", answering its opening claim that God is good.
Cited passages: Psalms 73:1, Psalms 73:2, Psalms 73:17, Psalms 73:13, Psalms 73:18, Psalms 73:20, Psalms 73:22, Psalms 73:23, Psalms 73:9, Psalms 73:28
Key moments
- My feet were almost gone (Psalms 73:2). The speaker admits his steps nearly slipped.
- Envious at the foolish (Psalms 73:3). He was envious when he saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Pride as a chain (Psalms 73:6). Pride surrounds the wicked like a chain and violence covers them like a garment.
- Cleansed my heart in vain (Psalms 73:13). He says his clean heart and washed hands seem to have been for nothing.
- Until I went into the sanctuary (Psalms 73:17). In the sanctuary of God he understands the end of the wicked.
- As a beast before thee (Psalms 73:22). He calls himself foolish and ignorant, yet held by God's right hand.
- Whom have I in heaven but thee? (Psalms 73:25). He desires nothing in heaven or earth beside God.
For reflection
The speaker says the question was too painful until he went into the sanctuary, and the text does not say what he saw there; what kind of understanding does the poem present as changing not the facts but the person looking at them?
