[Faith-talk] Psalm 73, and Commentary on Psalm 73

[Everett Gavel]

Good Morning,

How many of us have felt like this?  Felt the 
supposedly unjust way sinners thrive, and believers 
seem to barely survive?  Psalm 73 was written by Asaph, 
King David's worship leader.  He had such doubts at 
times, too, as he shares in this Psalm below.  The text 
of Psalm 73 is below (NIV), with the commentary from 
Matthew Henry below that, explaining it a bit.

You Can Proclaim 'TGIF' Every Day--Just Let It Stand 
for, "Today, God Is First!"


All for His Glory!
Everett



Psalm 73
New International Version (NIV)

BOOK III : Psalms 73-89
A psalm of Asaph.

1 Surely God is good to Israel,
       to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
       I had nearly lost my foothold.

3 For I envied the arrogant
       when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 They have no struggles;
       their bodies are healthy and strong. [a]

5 They are free from the burdens common to man;
       they are not plagued by human ills.

6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
       they clothe themselves with violence.

7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity [b] ;
       the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.

 8 They scoff, and speak with malice;
       in their arrogance they threaten oppression.

9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
       and their tongues take possession of the earth.

10 Therefore their people turn to them
       and drink up waters in abundance. [c]

11 They say, "How can God know?
       Does the Most High have knowledge?"

12 This is what the wicked are like-
       always carefree, they increase in wealth.

13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
       in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

14 All day long I have been plagued;
       I have been punished every morning.

15 If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
       I would have betrayed your children.

16 When I tried to understand all this,
       it was oppressive to me

17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
       then I understood their final destiny.

18 Surely you place them on slippery ground;
       you cast them down to ruin.

19 How suddenly are they destroyed,
       completely swept away by terrors!

20 As a dream when one awakes,
       so when you arise, O Lord,
       you will despise them as fantasies.

21 When my heart was grieved
       and my spirit embittered,

22 I was senseless and ignorant;
       I was a brute beast before you.

23 Yet I am always with you;
       you hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel,
       and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
       And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
       but God is the strength of my heart
       and my portion forever.

27 Those who are far from you will perish;
       you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.
       I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
       I will tell of all your deeds.


Footnotes:
Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the 
Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / 
their bodies are healthy
Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint Hebrew Their 
eyes bulge with fat
Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is 
uncertain.



Psalm 73, Bible Commentary, Matthew Henry
http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=19&c=73

Psalm 73
Matthew Henry's Commentary

Chapter Contents
The psalmist's temptation. (1-14)
How he gained a victory over it. (15-20)
How he profited by it. (21-28)


Commentary on Psalm 73:1-14

The psalmist was strongly tempted to envy the 
prosperity of the wicked; a common temptation, which 
has tried the graces of many saints. But he lays down 
the great principle by which he resolved to abide. It 
is the goodness of God. This is a truth which cannot be 
shaken. Good thoughts of God will fortify against 
Satan's temptations. The faith even of strong believers 
may be sorely shaken, and ready to fail. There are 
storms that will try the firmest anchors. Foolish and 
wicked people have sometimes a great share of outward 
prosperity. They seem to have the least share of the 
troubles of this life; and they seem to have the 
greatest share of its comforts. They live without the 
fear of God, yet they prosper, and get on in the world. 
Wicked men often spend their lives without much 
sickness, and end them without great pain; while many 
godly persons scarcely know what health is, and die 
with great sufferings. Often the wicked are not 
frightened, either by the remembrance of their sins, or 
the prospect of their misery, but they die without 
terror. We cannot judge men's state beyond death, by 
what passes at their death. He looked abroad, and saw 
many of God's people greatly at a loss. Because the 
wicked are so very daring, therefore his people return 
hither; they know not what to say to it, and the 
rather, because they drink deep of the bitter cup of 
affliction. He spoke feelingly when he spoke of his own 
troubles; there is no disputing against sense, except 
by faith. From all this arose a strong temptation to 
cast off religion. But let us learn that the true 
course of sanctification consists in cleansing a man 
from all pollution both of soul and body. The heart is 
cleansed by the blood of Christ laid hold upon by 
faith; and by the begun works of the Lord's Spirit, 
manifested in the hearty resolution, purpose, and study 
of holiness, and a blameless course of life and 
actions, the hands are cleansed. It is not in vain to 
serve God and keep his ordinances.


Commentary on Psalm 73:15-20

The psalmist having shown the progress of his 
temptation, shows how faith and grace prevailed. He 
kept up respect for God's people, and with that he 
restrained himself from speaking what he had thought 
amiss. It is a sign that we repent of the evil thoughts 
of the heart, if we suppress them. Nothing gives more 
offence to God's children, than to say it is vain to 
serve God; for there is nothing more contrary to their 
universal experience. He prayed to God to make this 
matter plain to him; and he understood the wretched end 
of wicked people; even in the height of their 
prosperity they were but ripening for ruin. The 
sanctuary must be the resort of a tempted soul. The 
righteous man's afflictions end in peace, therefore he 
is happy; the wicked man's enjoyments end in 
destruction, therefore he is miserable. The prosperity 
of the wicked is short and uncertain, slippery places. 
See what their prosperity is; it is but a vain show, it 
is only a corrupt imagination, not substance, but a 
mere shadow; it is as a dream, which may please us a 
little while we are slumbering, yet even then it 
disturbs our repose.


Commentary on Psalm 73:21-28

God would not suffer his people to be tempted, if his 
grace were not sufficient, not only to save them from 
harm, but to make them gainers by it. This temptation, 
the working of envy and discontent, is very painful. In 
reflecting upon it, the psalmist owns it was his folly 
and ignorance thus to vex himself. If good men, at any 
time, through the surprise and strength of temptation, 
think, or speak, or act amiss, they will reflect upon 
it with sorrow and shame. We must ascribe our safety in 
temptation, and our victory, not to our own wisdom, but 
to the gracious presence of God with us, and Christ's 
intercession for us. All who commit themselves to God, 
shall be guided with the counsel both of his word and 
of his Spirit, the best counsellors here, and shall be 
received to his glory in another world; the believing 
hopes and prospects of which will reconcile us to all 
dark providences. And the psalmist was hereby quickened 
to cleave the closer to God. Heaven itself could not 
make us happy without the presence and love of our God. 
The world and all its glory vanishes. The body will 
fail by sickness, age, and death; when the flesh fails, 
the conduct, courage, and comfort fail. But Christ 
Jesus, our Lord, offers to be all in all to every poor 
sinner, who renounces all other portions and 
confidences. By sin we are all far from God. And a 
profession Christ, if we go on in sin, will increase 
our condemnation. May we draw near, and keep near, to 
our God, by faith and prayer, and find it good to do 
so. Those that with an upright heart put their trust in 
God, shall never want matter for thanksgiving to him. 
Blessed Lord, who hast so graciously promised to become 
our portion in the next world, prevent us from choosing 
any other in this.