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Psalm Seventy-three
New King James Version (NKJV)
YLT
A
Psalm of Asaph.
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 73
A Psalm of Asaph. It seems by the title that Asaph was the
penman of this psalm
as it is certain that he was a composer of psalms and
hymns; see 2 Chronicles 29:30
though it may be rendered
"a psalm for Asaph"
or "unto
Asaph"F1; and might have David for its author
as some think
who
having penned it
sent it to Asaph
to be made use of by him in public
service; see 1 Chronicles 16:7
and so the Targum paraphrases it
"a
song by the hands of Asaph;'
the
occasion of it was a temptation the psalmist fell into
through the prosperity
of the wicked
and the afflictions of the righteous
to think there was nothing
in religion
that it was a vain and useless thing; under which he continued
until he went into the house of God
and was taught better; when he
acknowledged his stupidity and folly
and penned this psalm
to prevent others
falling into the same snare
and to set forth the goodness of God to his
people
with which it begins.
Psalm 73:1 Truly
God is good to Israel
To such as are pure in heart.
YLT
1Only -- good to Israel [is]
God
to the clean of heart. And I -- as a little thing
My feet have been
turned aside
Truly God is good to Israel
.... To Israel
literally
understood; in choosing them to be his people above all people on earth; in
bringing them into a good land; in favouring them with many external
privileges
civil and religious; in giving them his word
statutes
and
ordinances
as he did not to other nations: or
spiritually understood
the
Israel whom God has chosen
redeemed
and called by his special grace; verily
of a truth
God is good to these; there is abundant proof and evidence of it;
See Gill on Psalm 34:8
or
"only" God is good to such; though he is good to all in a
providential way
yet only to his chosen and redeemed ones in a way of special
favour; the goodness others share is but a shadow of goodness
in comparison of
what they do and shall partake of; they are blessed with blessings indeed
and
are only blessed; so this particle is rendered in Psalm 62:2
or
"but"
or "notwithstanding"F2אך
"attamen"
Tigurine version
Piscator
Gussetius
Michaelis.
God is
good
&c. that is
though he suffers the wicked to prosper
and his own
people much afflicted
yet he is good to them; he supports them under their
afflictions
and makes all to work for their good; gives them grace here
and
glory hereafter;
even to such as are of a clean heart; this
character excludes the carnal Israelites
who were pure in their own eyes
but
not cleansed from their filthiness
and describes the true Israel of God
and explains
who are meant by them
such as are pure in heart
inwardly Jews
Israelites
indeed
in whom there is no guile; this is not natural to men
their hearts are
by nature unclean
nor is it in their power to make them clean: this is God's
work
he only can create a clean heart
and renew a right spirit; which is done
by the sanctifying influences of his grace
and by the sprinkling of the blood
of Jesus
and thus purifying their heart's by faith; yet so as not to be free
from all impurity of spirit
but as to have a conscience purged from the guilt
of sin
and to have the heart sincere and upright towards God.
Psalm 73:2 2 But as for me
my feet had
almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped.
YLT
2As nothing
have my steps
slipped
For I have been envious of the boastful
But as for me
.... Who am one of the Israel of God whose
heart has been renewed and purified by the grace of God
and to whom he has
been kind and good in a thousand instances; yet
ungrateful creature that I am
my feet were almost gone; out of the good ways of
God
the ways of truth and holiness just upon the turn
ready to forsake them
and give up all religion as a vain thing:
my steps had well nigh slipped
or "poured
out"F3שפכה "effusi sunt"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Cocceius; "effusi fuissent"
Musculus
Gejerus
Michaelis. like water; the allusion is to standing on wet and slippery
ground
where a man can scarcely keep upon his feet. It may be observed
that
good men are liable to slips and falls
to fall into sin
snares
and
temptations
and from their steadfastness in the faith
but not totally and
finally; their feet may be "almost"
but not "altogether"
gone: their steps may "well nigh" slip
but not "quite";
they may fall
but not be utterly cast down; at least they rise again
and are
made to stand; for God is able to keep them
and does keep them
from a total
and final falling away.
Psalm 73:3 3 For I was envious
of the boastful
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
YLT
3The peace of the wicked I
see
That there are no bands at their death
For I was envious at the foolish
.... The atheists
as in Psalm 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
wordF4בהוללים "in arrogantes"
Gejerus; "stolide gloriosos"
Michaelis; "at vain glorious
fools"
Ainsworth. here used signifies; the external happiness of these
their riches
health
and ease
were envied by the psalmist; see Psalm 37:1
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked
or "the
peace of the wicked"F5שלום
"pacem"
Pagninus
Musculus
Piscator. ; with an evil eye. This was
the occasion of his slip and fall
this was the temptation he was left unto for
a while.
Psalm 73:4 4 For there are no
pangs in their death
But their strength is firm.
YLT
4And their might [is] firm.
For there are no bands in their death
.... Nothing
that binds and straitens them
afflicts and distresses them; they have no pain
of mind nor of body
but die at once
suddenly
in a moment
wholly at ease and
quiet
without any bitterness of soul; see Job 21:13
or
"there are no bands until their death"F6למו־תאם "usque ad mortem eorum"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator
Gejerus
Michaelis. ; they have no straits nor
difficulties all their life long
no distempers nor diseases which may be
called "bonds"
Luke 13:12
till
they come to die: the Vulgate Latin version is
"there is no respect to
their death"; they take no notice of it
they have no care or concern
about it; or
as the Targum
"they
are not terrified nor troubled because of the day of their death;'
they
put it away far from them
and think nothing about it: but their strength is
firm; they are hale and robust
healthful and sound
to the day of their death;
their strength is not weakened in the way by diseases and distempers. Some take
the word rendered "strength" to signify a porch or palace
and
translate it
they are strong as a palace
or in a palace
or their palace is
strongF7אולם "palatium vel sicut
palatium"; so some in Piscator; "porticus"
Schmidt; so R.
Jonah
Arama
and Jerom. their houses are well built
and continue long.
Psalm 73:5 5 They are not in
trouble as other men
Nor are they plagued like other men.
YLT
5In the misery of mortals
they are not
And with common men they are not plagued.
They are not in trouble
as other men
.... Either of
body or of mind
as the saints are
who through many tribulations enter the
kingdom; or are not in "labour"F8בעמל
"in labore"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Musculus
Junius &
Tremellius
Gejerus.
do not labour for food and raiment
or get their bread
by the sweat of their brow
as poor men do; nor are weary
so Arama:
"neither are they plagued like other men"; smitten of God
corrected
and chastised by him
as his children are; the rod of God is not upon them
Job 21:9.
Psalm 73:6 6 Therefore pride serves as
their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment.
YLT
6Therefore hath pride
encircled them
Violence covereth them as a dress.
Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain
Which was the
sin of the devils
and of our first parents
and of Sodom
and is the sin of
antichrist; and which
of all sins
is most hateful to God; this arises from
at least is increased by
outward prosperity. Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked;
pride and fulness of bread went together in Sodom; and
where it is
predominant
it binds as a chain; such who are under the power of it are slaves
unto it
they are chained and fettered by it
and it possesses them wholly; it
shows itself in the several members of their bodies
in their eyes and feet
their walk and gait
and in their conduct and behaviour
and in the several
actions of their lives
and is rightly called "the pride of life"; or
rather they bind it about themselves as a chain
fancying it to be an ornament
to them
what sets them off
and makes them look great in the eyes of others;
whereas the reverse is what is of great price
and in high esteem with God and
good men; namely
the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit:
violence covereth them as a garment; wicked men that are
prosperous and proud are generally oppressive to others; and are very often
open in their acts of violence
which are as openly done and to be seen of all
men
as the clothes upon their backs; and frequently the clothes they wear are
got by rapine and oppression
so that they may properly be called garments of
violence; see Isaiah 59:6.
Psalm 73:7 7 Their eyes bulge[a] with
abundance; They have more than heart could wish.
YLT
7Their eye hath come out
from fat. The imaginations of the heart transgressed;
Or
their face
the eyes being put for the whole face; so the Targum
"their
face is changed
because of fatness;'
see
Job 15:27
otherwise through fatness the eyes are almost enclosed: or "it goes forth
out of the fatness of their eyes"F9יצא
מחלב עינמו "prodit vel
exit e pinguedine oculorum eorum"
Michaelis. ; that is
either
"pride"
which shows itself in haughty looks and scornful airs
through the abundance possessed; or "violence"
seen in the
fierceness of the eyes
and fury of the countenance; or "their eyes go out
through fatness"F11"Exivit prae adipe oculus eorum"
Montanus; "egreditur prae pinguedine"
Gejerus. that is
through the
plenty they enjoy
their eyes go out in lust after lawful objects:
they have more than heart could wish; that they
themselves could have wished for heretofore
though not now; for what is it
that a worldly covetous heart cannot and does not wish for? if it had all the
world
it would not satisfy it: or "the imaginations of the heart go
on"F12עברו משכיות
לבב "pergunt cogitationes cordis eorum"
Piscator. ; that is
after more
not being content with such things as they
have; or "they"
i.e. their pride and violence
exceed the imaginations of the heartF13"Excesserunt
imaginationes cordis"
Cocceius; "excedunt"
Michaelis. ; they
are more than can be conceived of
they overpass the deeds of the wicked
Jeremiah 5:28 or
"they transgress by the imaginations of the heart"F14"Transgrediuntur
cogitationibus cordis"
Gejerus. ; which are evil
and that continually.
Psalm 73:8 8 They scoff and speak
wickedly concerning oppression; They speak loftily.
YLT
8They do corruptly
And they
speak in the wickedness of oppression
From on high they speak.
They are corrupt
.... In themselves
in their principles
and
in their practices
being shapen and conceived in sin
and born of the flesh;
and are corrupters
or "corrupt" themselves
and their ways
and also
others by their corrupt speech
evil communications
and bad examples: or
"they consume away"; like smoke
or into it
as Psalm 37:20 or as
wax melteth at the fire
Psalm 68:2
where
the same word is used as here: or "they cause to consume away"F15ימיקו "dissolutos reddunt"
Vatablus;
"reddent se dissolutos"
Montanus; "faciunt tabescere"
Cocceius
Gejerus
Michaelis. ; "they melt or dissolve others"; they
consume them
and waste their estates by their oppression and violence; they
make their hearts to melt with their threatening and terrifying words; or they make
them dissolute in their lives by keeping them company:
and speak wickedly concerning oppression; they speak
oppression and revolt
threaten with it
Isaiah 59:13
and
speak in vindication of it
and in a boasting glorying manner; so Arama; which
is speaking wickedly concerning it:
they speak loftily: proudly
arrogantly
in a haughty and
imperious manner: or "from on high"F16ממרום
"a sublimi"
Musculus
Tigurine version
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "ex alto"
Cocceius
Gejerus
Michaelis. ; as if they were
in heaven
and above all creatures
and even God himself; and as if what they
said were oracles
and to be received as such
without any scruple and hesitation.
Thus Pharaoh
Sennacherib
and Nebuchadnezzar spake
Exodus 5:2 and the
little horn
or antichrist
Daniel 7:20.
Psalm 73:9 9 They set their mouth
against the heavens
And their tongue walks through the earth.
YLT
9They have set in the
heavens their mouth
And their tongue walketh in the earth.
They set their mouth against the heavens
.... Against
God in heaven
see Daniel 4:26
against his being
saying
there is no God; against his perfections
thinking
him to be such an one as themselves; against his purposes and decrees
replying
against him
and charging him with insincerity
cruelty
and unrighteousness;
and against his providence
either denying it
or affirming it to be unequal;
and against his doctrines
ordinances
and ministers. Aben Ezra interprets it
also of the angels of heaven
who are spoken against
when it is denied that
there are any such beings
as were by the Sadducees; and blasphemed
when the
worshipping of them is introduced. The Targum understands it of the saints of
heaven
with which compare Revelation 13:6 it
may be applied to civil magistrates
the higher powers
who represent on earth
God in heaven; and there are some that despise dominion
and speak evil of such
dignities:
and their tongue walketh through the earth: sparing none
high nor low
but injures all sorts of persons with their lies and calumnies.
This denotes the unbridled liberty which wicked men take with their tongues;
there is no restraint upon them
no stopping of them; see Psalm 12:5 the
universal mischief they are continually doing
and the diabolical influence of
their detraction and falsehood; like Satan
their tongues walk to and fro in
the earth
doing all the injury to the credit and characters of men they
possibly can.
Psalm 73:10 10 Therefore his people
return here
And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
YLT
10Therefore do His people
return hither
And waters of fulness are wrung out to them.
Therefore his people return hither
.... Either the true
people of God
and so the Targum
the people of the Lord
and whom the psalmist
owned for his people; for the Septuagint
Vulgate Latin
Syriac
Arabic
and
Ethiopic versions
read "my people"; who seeing the prosperity of the
wicked
and feeling their own afflictions
return to the same way of thinking
and fall by the same snare and temptation as the psalmist did; or such who were
only the people of God by profession
but hypocrites
who observing the trouble
that attends a religious life
and the prosperity of wicked men
return from
the good ways of God they have outwardly walked in for some time
to the
conversation of these men
and join themselves to them: or else
"his" being put for "their"
the sense is
the people of
these wicked men
of everyone of them
return unto them
and flock about them
and caress and flatter them
because of their prosperous circumstances
and
join with them in their evil practices of oppression and slander; which sense
seems best to agree with what goes before and follows after:
and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them; meaning
either to the people of God
and to be understood either of the abundance of
their tears
on account of their afflictions inward and outward; see Psalm 6:6
so the
Targum
"and
many tears flow unto them;'
or
of their afflictions themselves
which are oftentimes compared to waters in
Scripture; see Psalm 42:7
which
are given them in measure: it is a cup of them that is put into their hands
and in full measure; they have a full cup of them; many are their tribulations
through which they enter the kingdom
and they are all of God; it is he that
wrings them out to them with his fatherly hand: or else
taking the people to
mean the followers and companions of the wicked
the words are to be understood
of the plenty of good things which such men enjoy in this life
their cup runs
over; and indeed these seem to be the persons who are introduced speaking the
following words.
Psalm 73:11 11 And they say
“How does
God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
YLT
11And they have said
`How
hath God known? And is there knowledge in the Most High?'
And they say
how doth God know?.... Owning there is a
God
but questioning his knowledge; for the words are not an inquiry about the
way and manner of his knowing things; which is not by the senses
as hearing
and seeing; eyes and ears are improperly ascribed to him; nor in a discursive
way
by reasoning
and inferring one thing from another; for he knows things
intuitively
beholding all things in his own eternal mind and will: but they
are a question about his knowledge itself
as follows:
and is their knowledge in the most High? they
acknowledge God to be the most High
and yet doubt whether there is knowledge
in him; and indeed the higher with respect to place
and at the greater
distance he was from them
the less they imagined he knew of affairs below; see
Job 22:13 for the
knowledge called in question is to be understood of his providential notice of
human affairs
which they thought he did not concern himself with
as being
below his regard; see Ezekiel 9:9 and
therefore concluded that their acts of oppression and violence
and their
insolent words against God and men
would pass unobserved
and with impunity.
If these are the words of good men
of the people of God under affliction
they
are to be considered as under a temptation from their affliction
and the
prosperity of the wicked
to call in question the providence of God in the
government of the world
and his love to them
which is sometimes expressed by
his knowledge of them
Psalm 1:6.
Psalm 73:12 12 Behold
these are
the ungodly
Who are always at ease; They increase in riches.
YLT
12Lo
these [are] the wicked
and easy ones of the age
They have increased strength.
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 wordF15חיל
"vires"
Junius & Tremellius; "potentiam"
Piscator.
for "riches" signifies: these words are the observation of the
psalmist
and which was the occasion of the following temptation he was led
into.
Psalm 73:13 13 Surely I have cleansed my
heart in vain
And washed my hands in innocence.
YLT
13Only -- a vain thing! I
have purified my heart
And I wash in innocency my hands
Verily
I have cleansed my heart in vain
.... Which
supposes that his heart had been unclean
as every man's is
and which appears
by what is in it
and by what comes out of it; that it was now cleansed
not in
an absolute and legal sense
as if it was wholly free from sin
for this no man
can say; but in an evangelical sense
being purified by faith in the blood of
Christ; that he had himself some concern in the cleansing of his heart
which
seems to be contrary to Proverbs 20:9 and
besides
this is the Lord's own work
Psalm 51:10
wherefore this may be considered as a wrong and rash expression of his; for as
he was wrong in one part of it
its being cleansed in vain
so he might be in
the other
in ascribing it to himself; though it may be allowed
consistent
with what is before observed
that a believer has a concern in the cleansing of
his heart; for
being convinced of the impurity of it
he owns and laments it
before the Lord; and
seeing the fountain of the Redeemer's blood opened
he applies
to it
and to him for cleansing; and expresses a love unto
a great and
studious concern for purity of heart as well as life; and
under the influence
of divine grace
is enabled to keep a watch over it
whereby
through the same
grace
it is preserved from much pollution; and by fresh application to the
blood of Christ
is cleansed from what it daily contracts:
and washed my hands in innocency: that is
"in
vain"
as before; which denotes the performance of good works
a course of
holy life and conversation
which when right springs from purity of heart; See
Gill on Psalm 26:6
now the
psalmist under temptation concluded that all his religion and devotion were in
vain
all his hearing
and reading
and attending on ordinances
all his
concern for purity of heart and life; since those who showed no regard to these
things prospered in the world
and increased in riches
abounded in ease and
plenty
and seemed to be rather the favourites of heaven than religious men;
and this temptation was strengthened by the following observation.
Psalm 73:14 14 For all day long I have
been plagued
And chastened every morning.
YLT
14And I am plagued all the
day
And my reproof [is] every morning.
For all the day long have I been plagued
....
"Smitten or scourged"F16נגוע
"flagellatus"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus; "percussus"
Gejerus.
as in Psalm 73:5
that
is
afflicted of God; which is no ways inconsistent with his love
nor with his
covenant
nor with an interest in him
as a covenant God and Father; see Psalm 89:29
and chastened every morning; not in wrath
but in
love
and for good; not with the chastisement of a cruel one
but of a loving
and tender father; and therefore not to be improved in such a manner
as if on
this account there was nothing in religion; whereas the daily notices the Lord
takes of his people this way show his regard unto them
and care of them.
Psalm 73:15 15 If I had said
“I will
speak thus
” Behold
I would have been untrue to the generation of Your
children.
YLT
15If I have said
`I recount
thus
' Lo
a generation of Thy sons I have deceived.
If I say
I will speak thus
.... Either as the wicked
do
Psalm 73:8 or
rather as he had thought in his own mind
Psalm 73:13
wherefore he kept it all to himself
and did not make known to others the
reasonings of his mind
and the temptations he laboured under:
behold
I should offend against the generation of thy children; of whom care
should be taken
above all things
that they be not offended
Matthew 18:6
or
"should condemn"; as the Targum; or as Jarchi
"I
should make them transgressors
and wicked persons;'
should
represent them as if they were men hated and rejected of God
because of their
afflictions: the words may be rendered
"behold the generation of thy
children
I have transgressed"F17הנה דור בניך בגדתי
"ecce generatio filiorum tuorum
praevaricatus sum"
Pagninus
Montanus. ; by giving way to the above temptation
which might have been
prevented by considering the church
children
and people of God
and the care
he has taken of them
the regard he has shown to them
and the preservation of
them in all ages. The words are an apostrophe to God
who has children by
adopting grace
and which appear so by their regeneration; and there is a
generation of them in all ages; when one goes
another comes; there is always a
seed
a spiritual offspring
to serve him
which is counted for a generation.
Psalm 73:16 16 When I thought how
to understand this
It was too painful for me—
YLT
16And I think to know this
Perverseness it [is] in mine eyes
When I thought to know this
.... How to reconcile the
prosperity of the wicked
and the afflictions of the righteous
to the
perfections of God
and his wise providence in the government of the world
by
the mere dint of reason
without consulting the sacred oracles
or his own and others'
experience:
it was too painful for me: too laborious and
toilsome
a work he was not equal to; "hic labor
hoc opus"; see Ecclesiastes 8:17.
Psalm 73:17 17 Until I went into the
sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.
YLT
17Till I come in to the
sanctuaries of God
I attend to their latter end.
Until I went into the sanctuary of God
.... The
tabernacle or house of God
where the Word of God was read and explained
prayer was made
and sacrifices offered up
and where fellowship was had with
the saints
and communion with God himself; which for one hour or moment is
preferable to all the prosperity of the wicked
during their whole life. This
shows that though the psalmist was beset with the temptation
yet not overcome;
it did not so far prevail as to cause him to neglect public worship
and
relinquish the house of God
and the ordinances of it; and it is right
under
temptations
doubts
and difficulties
to attend the public ministrations
which is the way and means to have relief under temptations
to have doubts
resolved
and difficulties removed: some by "the sanctuary of God"
understand the Scriptures
which are holy and of God
and are profitable for
instruction
and are to be consulted and entered into by a serious reading of
and deep meditation on them; whereby may be known the happiness that is
prepared for the saints in the other world
and the misery of the wicked
and
hereby judgment may be made of the present case and condition of each: others
interpret it of the world of spirits
which may be entered into by
contemplation; when it may be observed that the spirits of just men upon their
dissolution possess unspeakable joys and glories
and the souls of the wicked
are in inconceivable torments:
then understood I their end; both of the godly and of
the wicked; that the end of the righteous is peace
rest
salvation
and
eternal life
and the end of the wicked is ruin
destruction
and death; see Psalm 37:35.
Psalm 73:18 18 Surely You set them in
slippery places; You cast them down to destruction.
YLT
18Only
in slippery places
Thou dost set them
Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations.
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places
.... In which
a man cannot stand long
and without danger; and the higher they are the more
dangerous
being slippery
and such are places of honour and riches. The phrase
denotes the uncertainty and instability of these things
and the danger men are
in who are possessed of them of falling into destruction and misery. The Targum
is
"thou
didst set them in darkness;'
to
be in slippery places
and in the dark
is very uncomfortable
unsafe
and
dangerous indeed; See Psalm 35:6 and it
may be observed
that all this honour
promotion
and riches
are of God; it is
he that sets them in these places of honour and profit; and he that sets them
up can pull them down
as he does; so it follows
thou castest them down into destruction: into temporal
destruction
by removing them from their high stations into a very low
mean
and contemptible state
as were Shebna and Nebuchadnezzar
Isaiah 22:15 and
into everlasting destruction
from whence there is no recovery; see Psalm 55:23.
Psalm 73:19 19 Oh
how they are brought
to desolation
as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.
YLT
19How have they become a
desolation as in a moment
They have been ended -- consumed from terrors.
How are they brought into desolation
as in a moment?.... Very
suddenly
which is often the case of wicked men
who cry Peace and safety
and
sudden destruction comes upon them
1 Thessalonians 5:3
so as in a moment were the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah
of Pharaoh and his
host
and of Korah and his company
Lamentations 4:6
the words are expressed with admiration
as wondering at the sudden and amazing
turn of things:
they are utterly consumed with terrors: their
destruction is not only sudden
but entire; it is like the breaking in pieces
of a potter's vessel; a shard of which cannot be gathered up and used
or like
the casting of a millstone into the sea
which will never rise more; such will
be the destruction of antichrist; see Revelation 2:27 and
this is done "with terrors"; either by terrible judgments inflicted
on them from without; or with terrors inwardly seizing upon their minds and
consciences; as
at the time of temporal calamities
or at death
however at
judgment
when the awful sentence will be pronounced upon them; see Job 27:20.
Psalm 73:20 20 As a dream when one
awakes
So
Lord
when You awake
You shall despise their image.
YLT
20As a dream from awakening
O Lord
In awaking
their image Thou despisest.
As a dream when one awaketh
.... So will be all the
temporal felicity of wicked men
all an illusion
all a dream; when they lift
up their eyes in hell
and awake in the resurrection
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; see Job 20:6 so
"O Lord
when thou awakest"; to judgment
to take vengeance on wicked
men
and vindicate his own people; and who seems sometimes to be as it were
asleep
and to take no notice of things
when the judgment of the ungodly
and
their damnation
seem to slumber
though it does not; see Psalm 7:6 or when
he awakes the dead at the time of the resurrection. Death is often compared to
sleep in Scripture
and the resurrection to an awaking out of it
which is the
Lord's work
Isaiah 26:19
and
so the Targum
"O
Lord
when thou shalt raise them from their graves:'
thou shalt despise their image; the image of the earthly
man
of sin and of Satan
which is upon both their souls and bodies; which will
both be destroyed in hell: or their riches and honour
the vain show in which
they have walked
their outward pomp and splendour; which was only a show
an
outward appearance
and no solidity and substance; and which will not be
esteemed in the great day of account
but despised; see Job 36:18
the
wicked will awake
and arise to everlasting shame and contempt
Daniel 12:2.
Psalm 73:21 21 Thus my heart was grieved
And I was vexed in my mind.
YLT
21For my heart doth show
itself violent
And my reins prick themselves
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"F18יתחמץ "effervesceret fermenti instar"
Tigurine
version; "in fermento esset"
Cocceius; so Ainsworth.
with the old
leaven of wickedness
and envy
and indignation; he was in a ferment
so
PlautusF19Casina
Act. 2. Sc. 5. v. 17. uses the phrase for being in
anger and wrath; he swelled
as what is leavened does
against God and his
providence: or was "soured"F20Acescet Montanus;
"quasi aceto acri perfundebatur"
Vatablus. ; 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"Inflammatum
est"
V. L.
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.
Psalm 73:22 22 I was so foolish
and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.
YLT
22And I am brutish
and do
not know. A beast I have been with Thee.
So foolish was I
.... To envy the prosperity of the wicked
which is of so short a continuance; to arraign the providence and perfections
of God
and to conclude so hastily that there was nothing in religion:
and ignorant; or
"I knew not"F23לא אדע "nescivi"
V. L.
"non cognoscebam"
Pagninus
Montanus; "nec sciebam"
Piscator; "non noveram"
Cocceius. ; what he attempted to know
Psalm 73:16
nor
the end of the wicked
till he went into the sanctuary of the Lord; nor the
counsel and design of God
in his methods of providence towards wicked men:
I was as a beast before thee
or "with thee"F24עמך "apud te"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
&c.
; in the knowledge of the ways and works of God
even those of providence; see Psalm 92:5
unteachable
untractable
kicking against God and his providential
dispensations; not behaving like a man
much
less like a saint; but even as
the worst of brutes
as the behemoth in Job 40:15
for the
same word is here used; he concluded that God
who saw all the wickedness of
his heart
the workings and reasonings of his mind
which were so vain and
foolish
could esteem him no other than as a beast; so the Targum
"as
a beast I am accounted with thee:'
the
words may be rendered
"I was the veriest beast before thee"; there
being no note of similitude in the text; the word for "beast" being
in the plural number
may be used for a superlative; PlautusF25Trinum.
Act. 4. Sc. 2. v. 110. uses the word "bellua"
beast
for a stupid
man.
Psalm 73:23 23 Nevertheless I am
continually with You; You hold me by my right hand.
YLT
23And I [am] continually with
Thee
Thou hast laid hold on my right hand.
Nevertheless
I am continually with thee
.... Upon the
heart of God
in his hands
under his eye
under his wings of protection and
care
and not suffered to depart from him finally and totally; he could not be
disunited and removed from him by the above temptation; nor was he left to cast
off the fear of the Lord
and to forsake his worship and service; nor
altogether to lose his love and affection for him
which still continued; see Psalm 73:25
or
"I shall be always with thee"F26ואני
תמיד "ego jugiter futurus sum"
Junius
& Tremellius
Piscator; "itaque ego in posterum semper tecum
ero"
Michaelis. ; not now
for though the saints are always in union with
the Lord
yet they have not always communion with him; but hereafter
in
heaven
to all eternity:
thou hast holden me by my right hand; as an
instance of condescension
respect
and familiarity; see Acts 23:19
as a
parent takes his child by the hand
and learns it to go
so the Lord takes his
children by the hand
and teaches them to walk by faith in him
Hosea 11:3 or in
order to keep them from falling
and bear them up under temptations and
exercises; as well as to lead them into more intimate communion with himself in
his sanctuary
and to raise them up out of their low estate to an exalted one;
see Isaiah 45:1
and
likewise to put something into their hands
to supply their wants
and fill
them with his good things; see Ezekiel 16:49.
Psalm 73:24 24 You will guide me with
Your counsel
And afterward receive me to glory.
YLT
24With Thy counsel Thou dost
lead me
And after honour dost receive me.
Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel
.... Which is
wise and prudent
wholesome
suitable
and seasonable
hearty
sincere
and
faithful
and which is freely given
and when taken
infallibly succeeds: or
"according to thy counsel"F1בעצתך
"pro consilio tuo"
Michaelis. ; the determinate counsels
purposes
and will of God
which were of old faithfulness and truth; who does all things
after the counsel of his own will in providence and grace: or "by thy
counsel"F2"Consilio tuo"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius. ; by the Scriptures of truth
the revealed word
which
contains the will of God
and directions for a holy walk and conversation; by
the Gospel and truths of it
called the whole counsel of God
Acts 20:27
and by
his Holy Spirit
which is a spirit of counsel as well as of might; and by which
the Lord guides his people in the ways of peace
truth
righteousness
and
holiness
through this world
to the heavenly glory
as follows:
and afterward receive me to glory; into a glorious place
an house not made with hands
a city whose builder and maker is God
into a
kingdom and glory
or a glorious kingdom; and into glorious company
the
company of Father
Son
and Spirit
angels and glorified saints
where glorious
things will be seen
and a glory enjoyed both in soul and body to all eternity;
for this glory is eternal glory
a glory that passes not away: or "in
glory"F3כבוד "in gloria"
Gejerus. ; in a glorious manner: some render it
"after glory thou wilt
receive me"F4אחר כבוד
"post gloriam"
Hammond. ; that is
after all the glory and honour
thou hast bestowed upon me here
thou wilt take me to thyself in heaven; so the
Targum
"after
the glory is completed
which thou saidst thou wouldst bring upon me
thou wilt
receive me:'
but
rather the sense is
"after" thou hast led and guided me by thy
counsel through the wilderness of this world; "after" all the
afflictions and temptations of this present life are over; "after" I
have passed through the valley of the shadow of death
or "after"
death itself
thou wilt receive me into everlasting joy and happiness; see 1 Peter 5:10.
Psalm 73:25 25 Whom have I in heaven but
You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
YLT
25Whom have I in the heavens?
And with Thee none I have desired in earth.
Whom have I in heaven but thee
.... Which includes God
the Father
Son
and Spirit; God the Father
as his only covenant God and
Father; Christ as his only Mediator
Saviour
and Redeemer
Head
Husband
Advocate
and Intercessor; the Spirit as his only sanctifier
Comforter
earnest
and sealer; and is expressive of their being the one and only Lord
God
the sole object of worship
trust
and confidence; his only helper and
guide; and in whom his supreme happiness and glory lay; and it excludes the
sun
moon
and stars
in the lower heavens
from being the object of worship
and trust; and angels and glorified saints in the highest heavens: the words
may be rendered
"who is for me in heaven?"F5מי לי "quis pro me?"
Gejerus. on my side
my protector and defender; see Romans 8:31.
and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee; or "with
thee"F6עמך "tecum"
Pagninus
Montanus
Tigurine version
Masculus
Gejerus. ; there are many
things on earth desirable
as riches
health
friends
food
raiment
&c.
but not to be compared with God and Christ
and the blessed Spirit; with the
love of God
the grace of Christ
and the communion of the Holy Ghost; there
are none to be loved and delighted in as they
nor anything so desirable as
fellowship with them: or "with thee I desire not the earth"F7לא חפצתי בארץ
"nec terram totam diligo tecum"
Gejerus. ; the whole world
and all
things in it
are nothing in comparison of God; if a man was possessed of the
whole of it
and had not interest in the Lord
he would be miserable; and if he
has an interest in him
he has enough without it; for all things are his
God
is all in all; wherefore he is willing to leave all
and be with him for ever:
the Targum is
"who
is like unto thee
that is
mine in heaven but thee? and with thee I do not
desire a companion on earth.'
See
Psalm 89:6.
Psalm 73:26 26 My flesh and my heart
fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
YLT
26Consumed hath been my flesh
and my heart
The rock of my heart and my portion [is] God to the age.
My flesh and my heart faileth
.... Either through
vehement desires of communion with God deferred
see Psalm 84:2 or
through afflictive dispensations of Providence
being smitten and chastened
continually
Psalm 73:14
or
through inward trials and exercises
by reason of indwelling sin
temptations
and desertions: or rather the words are expressive of the body being emaciated
by sickness and diseases; and the heart fainting through fear of death
or
rather failing at it
being at the point of death; the heart being
as philosophers
say
the first that lives
and the last that dies:
but God is the strength of my heart
or "the rock of my
heart"F8וור לבבי
"rupes cordis mei"
Montanus
Musculus
Piscator
Cocceius
"petra cordis mei"
Tigurine version
Gejerus
Michaelis; so
Ainsworth. ; when overwhelmed with distress through outward trouble
or in the
lowest condition with respect to spiritual things; when grace is weak
corruptions strong
temptations prevail
and afflictions are many; then does
the Lord support and sustain his people
and strengthens them with strength in
their souls; and in the moment of death
by showing them that its sting is
taken away
and its curse removed; that their souls are going to their Lord
and about to enter into his joy; and that their bodies will rise again glorious
and incorruptible:
and my portion for ever; both in life and at
death
and to all eternity; this is a very large portion indeed; such who have
it inherit all things; yea
it is immense and inconceivable; it is a soul
satisfying one
and is safe and secure; it can never be taken away
nor can it
be spent; it will last always; see Psalm 142:5.
Psalm 73:27 27 For indeed
those who are far
from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for
harlotry.
YLT
27For
lo
those far from
Thee do perish
Thou hast cut off every one
Who is going a whoring from Thee.
For
lo
they that are far from thee
.... Who are
alienated from the life of God
far from the law of God
and subjection and
obedience to it; and from righteousness either moral or evangelical
and from
the love and fear of God
and worship of him:
shall perish; not merely at death
as even righteous men
do
but be lost eternally:
thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee; that follow
after other gods
and worship them; which is spiritual adultery and
fornication
the Scriptures often speak of
and intend by it idolatry; see Deuteronomy 31:16
or who set their hearts and affections upon the creature
and have them
alienated from God; and love the creature more and besides the Creator: the
past tense seems to be put for the future
and so some render it
"thou
shalt destroy"
or "cut off"F9הצמתה
"perdes"
Tigurine version
Musculus
so some in Vatablus;
"exscindes"
Michaelis. ; destroy them soul and body
and punish them
with an everlasting destruction in hell; the Targum is
"that
wander from thy fear;'
that
is
from the worship of God.
Psalm 73:28 28 But it is good for
me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD
That I may declare all Your works.
YLT
28And I -- nearness of God to
me [is] good
I have placed in the Lord Jehovah my refuge
To recount all Thy
works!
But it is good for me to draw near to God
.... In
prayer
and other acts of religious worship; to attend the word and ordinances
in the sanctuary
where the psalmist had lately been delivered out of a sore
temptation
and so had a recent experience
which was fresh in his mind
of the
advantages of such exercises; for it is both an honourable good
what is
becoming and commendable
and a pleasant good
what yields delight and
satisfaction
and a profitable good
to draw nigh to God by Christ
the new and
living way
assisted by the Holy Spirit; which
when done aright
is with
faith
sincerity
reverence
and a holy boldness:
I have put my trust in the Lord God; as the rock of his
refuge and salvation
as his portion and inheritance:
that I may declare all thy works; of providence and grace
by proclaiming the wisdom
power
goodness
and faithfulness of God in them; by
giving him the glory of them
and by expressing thankfulness for them
both by
words and deeds.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)