12 Behold, these are the ungodly, H7563 who prosper H7961 in the world; H5769 they increase H7685 in riches. H2428
Lo, this is the man H1397 that made H7760 not God H430 his strength; H4581 but trusted H982 in the abundance H7230 of his riches, H6239 and strengthened H5810 himself in his wickedness. H1942
From men H4962 which are thy hand, H3027 O LORD, H3068 from men H4962 of the world, H2465 which have their portion H2506 in this life, H2416 and whose belly H990 thou fillest H4390 with thy hid H6840 treasure: they are full H7646 of children, H1121 and leave H3240 the rest H3499 of their substance to their babes. H5768
They that trust H982 in their wealth, H2428 and boast H1984 themselves in the multitude H7230 of their riches; H6239
Trust H982 not in oppression, H6233 and become not vain H1891 in robbery: H1498 if riches H2428 increase, H5107 set H7896 not your heart H3820 upon them.
And they shall eat up H398 thine harvest, H7105 and thy bread, H3899 which thy sons H1121 and thy daughters H1323 should eat: H398 they shall eat up H398 thy flocks H6629 and thine herds: H1241 they shall eat up H398 thy vines H1612 and thy fig trees: H8384 they shall impoverish H7567 thy fenced H4013 cities, H5892 wherein thou H2007 trustedst, H982 with the sword. H2719
They are waxen fat, H8080 they shine: H6245 yea, they overpass H5674 the deeds H1697 of the wicked: H7451 they judge H1777 not the cause, H1779 the cause of the fatherless, H3490 yet they prosper; H6743 and the right H4941 of the needy H34 do they not judge. H8199
Righteous H6662 art thou, O LORD, H3068 when I plead H7378 with thee: yet let me talk H1696 with thee of thy judgments: H4941 Wherefore doth the way H1870 of the wicked H7563 prosper? H6743 wherefore are all they happy H7951 that deal very H899 treacherously? H898 Thou hast planted H5193 them, yea, they have taken root: H8327 they grow, H3212 yea, they bring forth H6213 fruit: H6529 thou art near H7138 in their mouth, H6310 and far from H7350 their reins. H3629
He is a merchant, H3667 the balances H3976 of deceit H4820 are in his hand: H3027 he loveth H157 to oppress. H6231 And Ephraim H669 said, H559 Yet I am become rich, H6238 I have found me out H4672 substance: H202 in all my labours H3018 they shall find H4672 none iniquity H5771 in me that were sin. H2399
G1161 There was G2258 a certain G5100 rich G4145 man, G444 which G2532 was clothed G1737 in purple G4209 and G2532 fine linen, G1040 and fared G2165 sumptuously G2988 every G2596 day: G2250
Go to G33 now, G3568 ye rich men, G4145 weep G2799 and howl G3649 for G1909 your G5216 miseries G5004 that shall come upon G1904 you. Your G5216 riches G4149 are corrupted, G4595 and G2532 your G5216 garments G2440 are G1096 motheaten. G4598 Your G5216 gold G5557 and G2532 silver G696 is cankered; G2728 and G2532 the rust G2447 of them G846 shall be G2071 a witness G3142 against G1519 you, G5213 and G2532 shall eat G5315 your G5216 flesh G4561 as it were G5613 fire. G4442 Ye have heaped treasure together G2343 for G1722 the last G2078 days. G2250
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 73
Commentary on Psalms 73 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 73
This psalm, and the ten that next follow it, carry the name of Asaph in the titles of them. If he was the penman of them (as many think), we rightly call them psalms of Asaph. If he was only the chief musician, to whom they were delivered, our marginal reading is right, which calls them psalms for Asaph. It is probable that he penned them; for we read of the words of David and of Asaph the seer, which were used in praising God in Hezekiah's time, 2 Chr. 29:30. Though the Spirit of prophecy by sacred songs descended chiefly on David, who is therefore styled "the sweet psalmist of Israel,' yet God put some of that Spirit upon those about him. This is a psalm of great use; it gives us an account of the conflict which the psalmist had with a strong temptation to envy the prosperity of wicked people. He begins his account with a sacred principle, which he held fast, and by the help of which he kept his ground and carried his point (v. 1). He then tells us,
If, in singing this psalm, we fortify ourselves against the life temptation, we do not use it in vain. The experiences of others should be our instructions.
A psalm of Asaph.
Psa 73:1-14
This psalm begins somewhat abruptly: Yet God is good to Israel (so the margin reads it); he had been thinking of the prosperity of the wicked; while he was thus musing the fire burned, and at last he spoke by way of check to himself for what he had been thinking of. "However it be, yet God is good.' Though wicked people receive many of the gifts of his providential bounty, yet we must own that he is, in a peculiar manner, good to Israel; they have favours from him which others have not.
The psalmist designs an account of a temptation he was strongly assaulted with-to envy the prosperity of the wicked, a common temptation, which has tried the graces of many of the saints. Now in this account,
Psa 73:15-20
We have seen what a strong temptation the psalmist was in to envy prospering profaneness; now here we are told how he kept his footing and got the victory.
Psa 73:21-28
Behold Samson's riddle again unriddled, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness; for we have here an account of the good improvement which the psalmist made of that sore temptation with which he had been assaulted and by which he was almost overcome. He that stumbles and does not fall, by recovering himself takes so much the longer steps forward. It was so with the psalmist here; many good lessons he learned from his temptation, his struggles with it, and his victories over it. Nor would God suffer his people to be tempted if his grace were not sufficient for them, not only to save them from harm, but to make them gainers by it; even this shall work for good.