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My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
Psalms 73:26 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
  • BSB My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
  • ESV My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
  • NKJV My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
  • NASB My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
  • NLT My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Though his flesh and heart may fail, God is the strength of his heart and his portion forever.

Overview

Asaph confesses that even when his body and spirit give out, God remains his unfailing strength and everlasting inheritance. God himself, not earthly prosperity, is the believer's lasting portion. This confidence in God as our forever-portion is grounded in Christ, in whom believers possess an eternal inheritance (1 Peter 1:4).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 21

  • 2 Cor 12:9–10And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
  • Isa 40:29–31He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
  • Ps 138:3In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
  • Ps 18:2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
  • 2 Cor 4:8–10We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
  • 2 Cor 4:16–18For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
  • Ps 16:5–6The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
  • Ps 84:2My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
  • Lam 3:24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
  • Ps 63:1O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
  • Ps 142:5I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
  • Ps 27:14Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
  • Rev 21:3–4And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
  • Phil 1:21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
  • Ps 119:81–82My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.
  • 2 Tim 4:6–8For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
  • Ps 40:12For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
  • Job 13:15Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
  • Ps 119:57Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.
  • 2 Pet 1:14Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
  • Rev 21:7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 73:26YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.

How Psalms 73:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.