Psalm 73– A Psalm of Asaph. “The third book of Hebrew psalms begins here. It opens with a psalm of Asaph, the noble singer and musician of the temple. 1 Chronicles 6:39; 25:1. Eleven other psalms bear his name. Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing in the words of David, and of Asaph the seer, the ancient name of a prophet. 2 Chronicles 29:30. “ (Joseph Sutcliffe) This shows forth the doctrinal importance of David’s psalms. 1 Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. “‘Truly God is good to Israel’- That is, to His covenant people.—“‘to such as are pure in heart’— The question arises whether the second clause of the verse limits, or only repeats, the first. No doubt in theory God was understood to be good to Israel generally, but the very subject of the psalm seems to require a limitation here. The poet sees that a moral correspondence with their profession is necessary, even in the chosen people, the truth which Paul stated with such insistance, ‘For they are not all Israel whippmnnch are of Israel.’” (C. J. Ellicott) 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. “‘But as for me,’ literally , it is, ‘And I’ [almost stumbled]: which ought to be read with emphasis; for he means that those temptations, which cast an affront upon the honor of God, and overwhelm faith, not only assail the common class of men, or those who are endued only with some small measure of the fear of God, but that he himself, who ought to have profited above all others in the school of God, had experienced his own share of them.“ (John Calvin) I was in grave danger of backsliding.— “‘My steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious at the foolish,’— 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.” (John Gill)— “‘when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.’ Here is the old question, the wicked prosper in spite of all their pride, their violence and corruption, while the righteous suffer.” (Arno Gaebelein) 4 For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. 6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace; violence covers them like a garment. “‘For there are no bands in their death [that of the wicked]; or, no sufferings ( δυσπάθειαι, Aquila; ‘torments,’ Cheyne).” (Pulpit Commentary) as described in the Word. “‘But their strength is firm,’ Heb. ‘and their strength is fat,’ i.e. sound and good; the best of any thing being called fat in Scripture, as Genesis 41:2 Daniel 1:15.” (Matthew Poole) “Compare Job 21:13, ‘They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave;’ and Job 21:23, ‘One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.’” (Pulpit Commentary) “‘Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; or, is as a chain about their neck (Revised Version)—makes them stiffen their neck, and hold their head aloft. Not being afflicted, they regard themselves as favourites of Heaven, and are therefore puffed up with pride, which they show in their gait and bearing.” (Pulpit Commentary) “‘Violence covereth them as a garment’— Violence or wrong-dealing, is the perpetual companion of pride [and disregard for proper doctrine], and covereth them as a garment finely fitted to their bodies, as was the harlot’s habit Proverbs 7:10– ‘Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.’” (John Trapp) 7 Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish. 8 They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; they speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth. “‘Their eyes bulge with [the] abundance’ of this earth. They want everything temporal that they see, with no thought of the unseen— the eternal. “‘They are corrupt’— ימיקו yamiku, they mock, act dissolutely. ‘And speak wickedly concerning oppression’ - They vindicate excessive acts of government: they push justice to its rigour. They neither show equity, lenity, nor mercy; they are cruel, and they vindicate their proceedings. “They set their mouth against the heavens’ - They blaspheme God, ridicule religion, mock at Providence, and laugh at a future state.— ‘Their tongue walketh through the earth’ - They find fault with everything; they traduce the memory of the just in heaven, and ridicule the saints that are upon earth.” (Adam Clarke) 10 Therefore His people return here, and waters of a full cup are drained by them. “‘Therefore’— because of this oppression— “‘shall my people return here, and days of abundance shall be found by them.’ [Vulgate] The Septuagint is the same. The Ethiopic, Arabic, and Syriac, nearly the same. The Hebrew text is, למו ימצו מלא ומי הלם עמו ישוב לכן lachen yashub ammo (עמי ammi ) halom ; umey male yimmatsu lamo ; ‘Therefore shall my people be [fully] converted, where they shall find abundance of waters.’” (Adam Clarke)
11 And they say, “How does God know and is there knowledge in the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches. 13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning. “And they”— the godly— “say, ‘How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?’ Thus the flesh moves even the godly to dispute with God concerning their poor estate, and the prosperity of the wicked.” (Geneva Study Bible) They feel their religious mediations and practices have all been in vain. 15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children 16 When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me— 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!They are utterly consumed with terrors. 20 As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image. “‘If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend [against] the generation of thy children.’ If I give place to this wicked thought, I offend against your providence, seeing you do all things most wisely and preserve your children in their greatest dangers.— ‘When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me, until I went into the sanctuary of God’— until I entered into your school and learned by your Word and Holy Spirit that you order all things most wisely and justly.” (Geneva Study Bible)— “‘Then I understood their end,’ that is not the first but rather the second death herein described: “Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.” (18-19) “‘As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake,”— in judgement,and they also awake in bodily resurrection— “You shall despise their image.’ They will find themselves destitute of all their riches and honours, and it will be as if they had only dreamed of them, and never enjoyed them.” (Gill)
“Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds, he will perish forever, like his own dung; those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’ Like a dream he flies away, no more to be found, banished like a vision of the night.” (Job 20:6-8) “Then the hordes of all the nations that fight against Ariel, that attack her and her fortress and besiege her, will be as it is with a dream, with a vision in the night— as when a hungry person dreams of eating, but awakens hungry still; as when a thirsty person dreams of drinking, but awakens faint and thirsty still. So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion.” (Isaiah 29:8) 21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was vexed in my mind. 22 I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;You hold me by my right hand. 24 You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. I was foolish but now have a applied the balm of Your Word. They will die eternally; yet, “I am continually with You;You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.” etc. 26 My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in Yahweh God, that I may declare all Your works.