15 If I say, H559 I will speak H5608 thus; H3644 behold, I should offend H898 against the generation H1755 of thy children. H1121
Nay, my sons; H1121 for it is no good H2896 report H8052 that I hear: H8085 ye make the LORD'S H3068 people H5971 to transgress. H5674
This is the generation H1755 of them that seek H1875 him, that seek H1245 thy face, H6440 O Jacob. H3290 Selah. H5542
But ye are departed H5493 out of the way; H1870 ye have caused many H7227 to stumble H3782 at the law; H8451 ye have corrupted H7843 the covenant H1285 of Levi, H3878 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
But G1161 whoso G3739 G302 shall offend G4624 one G1520 of these G5130 little ones G3398 which G3588 believe G4100 in G1519 me, G1691 it were better G4851 for him G846 that G2443 a millstone G3458 G3684 were hanged G2910 about G1909 his G846 neck, G5137 and G2532 that he were drowned G2670 in G1722 the depth G3989 of the sea. G2281 Woe G3759 unto the world G2889 because of G575 offences! G4625 for G1063 it must needs G318 be G2076 that offences G4625 come; G2064 but G4133 woe G3759 to that man G444 by G1565 whom G1223 G3739 the offence G4625 cometh! G2064
But G1161 if G1487 thy G4675 brother G80 be grieved G3076 with G1223 thy meat, G1033 now G3765 walkest thou G4043 not G3765 charitably. G26 G2596 Destroy G622 not G3361 him G1565 with thy G4675 meat, G1033 for G5228 whom G3739 Christ G5547 died. G599
It is good G2570 neither G3361 to eat G5315 flesh, G2907 nor G3366 to drink G4095 wine, G3631 nor G3366 any thing whereby G1722 G3739 thy G4675 brother G80 stumbleth, G4350 or G2228 is offended, G4624 or G2228 is made weak. G770
And G2532 through G1909 thy G4674 knowledge G1108 shall G622 the weak G770 brother G80 perish, G622 for G1223 whom G3739 Christ G5547 died? G599 But G1161 when ye sin G264 so G3779 against G1519 the brethren, G80 and G2532 wound G5180 their G846 weak G770 conscience, G4893 ye sin G264 against G1519 Christ. G5547 Wherefore, G1355 if G1487 meat G1033 make G4624 my G3450 brother G80 to offend, G4624 I will eat G5315 no G3364 flesh G2907 while the world standeth, G1519 G165 lest G3363 I make G4624 my G3450 brother G80 to offend. G4624
But G1161 ye G5210 are a chosen G1588 generation, G1085 a royal G934 priesthood, G2406 an holy G40 nation, G1484 a peculiar G1519 G4047 people; G2992 that G3704 ye should shew forth G1804 the praises G703 of him who hath called G2564 you G5209 out of G1537 darkness G4655 into G1519 his G846 marvellous G2298 light: G5457
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.