Psa 73:7 | KingComments | STEP | In the Hebrew, “but as for me” ( ) or “but I” (with emphasis), occurs three times ( ). In it is in connection with the tribulation the psalmist is going through. In and it is connected with emerging purified after the trial. He is then able to withstand it ( ). Asaph is going to tell about a time in his life when he wrestled with the question of how the goodness of God to the pure in heart could be reconciled with what he saw around him. In that regard, Psalm 73 is a good complement to Psalm 1. Psalm 1 speaks of the prosperity of the God-fearing and the adversity of the wicked. Psalm 73 begins with the practice in which the believer does not always see what God says in His Word. This is a test for faith. The psalmist knows God and His government, but when he looks around, it seems as if He is not there. He does not see God’s goodness for the pure in heart of Israel, of which he is one. On the contrary, he sees goodness for the wicked (cf. ), while for him, a pure in heart, there is only adversity. That perception has caused, he honestly admits, that his “steps had almost slipped” in the path of faith ( ). He almost crashed in his faith. His “steps had almost slipped” because he had no solid ground under his feet any longer. He had no basis for his faith any longer. Everything he had firmly believed in was not only tottering, but was on the verge of disappearing. In he tells at length the cause of his ‘near-fall’. He confesses that at the time he “was envious of the arrogant” ( ). The Hebrew word for arrogant means, firstly, to be haughty and, secondly, to behave foolishly (cf. ). It refers to people who are foolish because they arrogantly set God aside. The latter is also evident from the parallel with “the wicked”. He looked at them and saw “the prosperity of the wicked”. It is obvious that when he writes this in Psalm 73, he has already come to repentance, for he calls the people he describes “arrogant” and “wicked”. He writes this as a retrospective, to pass on the lessons of his past to believers in the future. He has been blind to their true character in his envy of them. The wicked, he has thought, are only well off after all. They have plenty of money, lots of fun, and they live in peace. What an attractive life that is. They have power and prestige, wealth and health, while God’s true people are oppressed, persecuted and killed by them with impunity. The psalmist thought: ”Why should I stay on the side of the losers?” The wicked – that is, in the future, the followers of the antichrist – go about their business unhindered until they die ( ; cf. ). There are “no pains in their death”, there is no fear of death at all. They dare to set up a big mouth against God ( ). Nothing shows the displeasure of God with their lives, nor when they leave the world. They live in prosperity and die in peace. Nothing and nobody hinders them. Physically, they have no problems. They are in perfect health. “Their body is fat” or “their strength is fresh”, for they wake up refreshed every morning. They are not plagued by bad dreams or insomnia (cf. ). All this also makes them powerful and enables them to suppress the remnant. Many people are in trouble, for example because of financial worries, but that does not apply to them ( ). Those troubles seem to pass them by. They live a very comfortable life. If suddenly something unpleasant happens in their lives, they are well insured or they buy it off. After all, money provides protection from calamity ( ). Nor are they tormented by their conscience. With other people, the conscience speaks when they have done something evil. If they do not confess it, their conscience torments them. This does not affect the wicked, because they have seared their conscience, and it no longer speaks. It is no wonder, “therefore”, that “pride is their necklace” ( ). They see their way of life as an ornament. Everything is all arrogance. Those who are haughty are hard, ruthless. The “violence” they use is part of them; it “covers them” like a “garment”. Their boastful behavior and their violent acting show how pleased they are with themselves. Any compassion for anyone else is absent. Their eyes are almost shut because of their puffy face, swollen by fat ( ). Through the small slits you can still see something of their eyes. Therein you can read their gluttony. You can see it in their fat bodies. “The imaginations of [their] heart run riot”, they have imagined a great deal about their lazy, miserable life, but what they experience is beyond their wildest expectations (cf. ). Here we see the contrast between the prideful, depraved heart of the wicked and the pure heart of the believer ( ). They don’t have a good word to say to their neighbors ( ). They mock all those poor people who in an honest way try to make something of their lives. About such people they “wickedly speak of oppression”. They can easily exploit them to live an even more luxurious life and become even fatter. Puffed up, conceited, they look down on them from on high. The wicked “speak from on high”, which indicates that they imagine themselves to be God. Therefore, of course, heaven is also the target ( ). That’s where God dwells. They do not tolerate Him above them or beside them. They set their mouths against Him (cf. ). Wherever they are on earth, their tongue parades. They see the earth as their unlimited possession. They make this clear by using abusive language for their neighbors and with slanderous language toward God. They claim total freedom of speech, in which everyone and everything is targeted ( ). Their lives without any involvement of God put the people of God on the wrong track ( ). The people drink in the evil lifestyle to the full. Their refreshment is not the water of God’s Word, but what the wicked do and teach. They want such a life. Then you take out of life what is in it, however disgusting it may be. You squeeze out of life what is in it for you. It leads them to say: “How does God know?” ( ). God doesn’t respond to anything. Then He must simply not know what is happening on earth. He may be called “the Most High”, but it is highly doubtful that He has any knowledge of what the wicked are up to. Just look at those wicked people ( ). They live life totally according to their own will, without regard to God. Yet they are “always at ease, they have increased [in] wealth”. Asaph here comes to a kind of conclusion of the life of the wicked. This is what it looks like: rest in the world and increasing their wealth. What more could you want?

‏ Psalms 73:7

Envious of the Arrogant

In the Hebrew, “but as for me” (Psa 73:2) or “but I” (with emphasis), occurs three times (Psa 73:2 ; 23 ; 28). In Psa 73:2 it is in connection with the tribulation the psalmist is going through. In Psa 73:23 and Psa 73:28 it is connected with emerging purified after the trial. He is then able to withstand it (1Cor 10:13).

Asaph is going to tell about a time in his life when he wrestled with the question of how the goodness of God to the pure in heart could be reconciled with what he saw around him. In that regard, Psalm 73 is a good complement to Psalm 1. Psalm 1 speaks of the prosperity of the God-fearing and the adversity of the wicked. Psalm 73 begins with the practice in which the believer does not always see what God says in His Word. This is a test for faith.

The psalmist knows God and His government, but when he looks around, it seems as if He is not there. He does not see God’s goodness for the pure in heart of Israel, of which he is one. On the contrary, he sees goodness for the wicked (cf. Jer 12:1b), while for him, a pure in heart, there is only adversity.

That perception has caused, he honestly admits, that his “steps had almost slipped” in the path of faith (Psa 73:2). He almost crashed in his faith. His “steps had almost slipped” because he had no solid ground under his feet any longer. He had no basis for his faith any longer. Everything he had firmly believed in was not only tottering, but was on the verge of disappearing.

In Psa 73:3-12 he tells at length the cause of his ‘near-fall’. He confesses that at the time he “was envious of the arrogant” (Psa 73:3). The Hebrew word for arrogant means, firstly, to be haughty and, secondly, to behave foolishly (cf. 1Sam 21:14). It refers to people who are foolish because they arrogantly set God aside. The latter is also evident from the parallel with Psa 73:3b “the wicked”. He looked at them and saw “the prosperity of the wicked”.

It is obvious that when he writes this in Psalm 73, he has already come to repentance, for he calls the people he describes “arrogant” and “wicked”. He writes this as a retrospective, to pass on the lessons of his past to believers in the future. He has been blind to their true character in his envy of them. The wicked, he has thought, are only well off after all. They have plenty of money, lots of fun, and they live in peace. What an attractive life that is. They have power and prestige, wealth and health, while God’s true people are oppressed, persecuted and killed by them with impunity. The psalmist thought: ”Why should I stay on the side of the losers?”

The wicked – that is, in the future, the followers of the antichrist – go about their business unhindered until they die (Psa 73:4; cf. Mal 3:15). There are “no pains in their death”, there is no fear of death at all. They dare to set up a big mouth against God (Psa 2:2-3). Nothing shows the displeasure of God with their lives, nor when they leave the world. They live in prosperity and die in peace. Nothing and nobody hinders them.

Physically, they have no problems. They are in perfect health. “Their body is fat” or “their strength is fresh”, for they wake up refreshed every morning. They are not plagued by bad dreams or insomnia (cf. Job 7:13-14). All this also makes them powerful and enables them to suppress the remnant.

Many people are in trouble, for example because of financial worries, but that does not apply to them (Psa 73:5). Those troubles seem to pass them by. They live a very comfortable life. If suddenly something unpleasant happens in their lives, they are well insured or they buy it off. After all, money provides protection from calamity (Ecc 7:12a).

Nor are they tormented by their conscience. With other people, the conscience speaks when they have done something evil. If they do not confess it, their conscience torments them. This does not affect the wicked, because they have seared their conscience, and it no longer speaks.

It is no wonder, “therefore”, that “pride is their necklace” (Psa 73:6). They see their way of life as an ornament. Everything is all arrogance. Those who are haughty are hard, ruthless. The “violence” they use is part of them; it “covers them” like a “garment”. Their boastful behavior and their violent acting show how pleased they are with themselves. Any compassion for anyone else is absent.

Their eyes are almost shut because of their puffy face, swollen by fat (Psa 73:7). Through the small slits you can still see something of their eyes. Therein you can read their gluttony. You can see it in their fat bodies. “The imaginations of [their] heart run riot”, they have imagined a great deal about their lazy, miserable life, but what they experience is beyond their wildest expectations (cf. Jer 5:28). Here we see the contrast between the prideful, depraved heart of the wicked and the pure heart of the believer (Psa 73:1).

They don’t have a good word to say to their neighbors (Psa 73:8). They mock all those poor people who in an honest way try to make something of their lives. About such people they “wickedly speak of oppression”. They can easily exploit them to live an even more luxurious life and become even fatter. Puffed up, conceited, they look down on them from on high.

The wicked “speak from on high”, which indicates that they imagine themselves to be God. Therefore, of course, heaven is also the target (Psa 73:9). That’s where God dwells. They do not tolerate Him above them or beside them. They set their mouths against Him (cf. Rev 13:6).

Wherever they are on earth, their tongue parades. They see the earth as their unlimited possession. They make this clear by using abusive language for their neighbors and with slanderous language toward God. They claim total freedom of speech, in which everyone and everything is targeted (Psa 12:5).

Their lives without any involvement of God put the people of God on the wrong track (Psa 73:10). The people drink in the evil lifestyle to the full. Their refreshment is not the water of God’s Word, but what the wicked do and teach. They want such a life. Then you take out of life what is in it, however disgusting it may be. You squeeze out of life what is in it for you.

It leads them to say: “How does God know?” (Psa 73:11). God doesn’t respond to anything. Then He must simply not know what is happening on earth. He may be called “the Most High”, but it is highly doubtful that He has any knowledge of what the wicked are up to.

Just look at those wicked people (Psa 73:12). They live life totally according to their own will, without regard to God. Yet they are “always at ease, they have increased [in] wealth”. Asaph here comes to a kind of conclusion of the life of the wicked. This is what it looks like: rest in the world and increasing their wealth. What more could you want?