Bible Commentaries
Psalms 73

Verses 1-28

Psalms 73:0

Theme - A summary of the theme of Psalms 73:0 can be found in Proverbs 23:17-18.

Proverbs 23:17-18, “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.”

Psalms 37:0 also carries the same theme as Psalms 73:0.

Psalms 37:1, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.”

There are other passages in the Scriptures in which men of God cried out in despair of the prosperity of the wicked.

Job 21:7, “Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?”

Ecclesiastes 8:12, “Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:”

Jeremiah 12:1-3, “Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins. But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.”

Malachi 2:17, “Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?”

One of the reasons that the wicked have their season of prosperity is because of God’s longsuffering to all mankind (2 Peter 3:9). He works in everyone’s lives to bring them to salvation (2 Timothy 2:4).

2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

1 Timothy 2:4, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

There were times in the Old Testament when God did not destroy the children of Israel because of His covenant with them.

2 Kings 8:19, “Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.”

W. A. Criswell, long-time pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas, notes other biblical passages of the problem of evil and suffering in the book of Job, Luke 13:1-5, John 9:1-3, Romans 8:18-39, and 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 2 Corinthians 4:7 thru Psalms 5:10, Psalms 12:7-8. [85]

[85] W. A. Criswell, The Criswell Study Bible (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc, 1991), notes on Psalms 73:0.

Psalms 73:13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

Psalms 73:13 “and washed my hands in innocency” Comments - The heart refers to the cleansing of the inner man, the hands refer to the cleansing of a man's outward actions.

Scripture Reference - Note:

Deuteronomy 21:6-7, “And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley: And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.”

Psalms 26:6, “ I will wash mine hands in innocency : so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:”

Matthew 27:24, “When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.”

Psalms 73:23-24 Comments God’s Plan of Redemption Psalms 73:23-24 reflects God’s plan of redemption in the areas of justification, sanctification, and glorification. The phrase “nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand” reveals that the psalmist is in right standing with God; the phrase “thou shalt guide me with thy counsel” reveals the psalmist is walking by God’s Word in lifestyle of indoctrination and divine service; the phrase “and afterward receive me to glory” reveals the psalmist’s future hope of glorification in heaven.