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Psalms 73

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Part of Book III📖 Psalms introduction

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1Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. ✦ 2But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. ✦ 3For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. ✦ 4They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. ✦ 5They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. ✦ 6They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. ✦ 7These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for! ✦ 8They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others. ✦ 9They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth. ✦ 10And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words. ✦ 11“What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?” ✦ 12Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. ✦ 13Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? ✦ 14I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. ✦ 15If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people. ✦ 16So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! ✦ 17Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. ✦ 18Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. ✦ 19In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. ✦ 20When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning. ✦ 21Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. ✦ 22I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. ✦ 23Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. ✦ 24You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. ✦ 25Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. ✦ 26My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. ✦ 27Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. ✦ 28But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. ✦

Tap any verse for its study page. Underlined terms mark a concept, person, or place; ✦ marks verses with cross-references.

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.

Where this chapter connects

Ps 37 ·12Job 21 ·9Ps 17 ·9Ps 119 ·6Ps 16 ·6Ps 73 ·5Jas 4 ·5Jer 5 ·4

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 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.

Resources, by level

Lay

  • ★ Start hereAudioThrough the WordThrough the Word · ~10 min/chapter · Free · evangelical

    A clear ~10-minute audio teaching for every one of the Bible's 1,189 chapters — the most systematic free way to study chapter by chapter.

  • ★ Start hereCommentaryPsalms (Tyndale OT Commentaries)Derek Kidner · Paid · evangelical

    Concise, theologically rich, and wonderfully accessible — the best place to start on the Psalms.

Pastoral

  • SermonChuck Smith — C2000 SeriesChuck Smith · Free · evangelical

    Free verse-by-verse audio through the entire Bible from the founder of Calvary Chapel.

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

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

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 73YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and chapter teaching from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — Psalms 73David Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Readable, verse-by-verse exposition of the whole chapter.

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

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

  • ReferenceBlue Letter Bible — Psalms 73Blue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Interlinear, lexicon, and study tools across the chapter.

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