Psalm 73

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 73:26

My flesh and my heart faileth ,.... Either through vehement desires of communion with God deferred, see Psalm 84:2 or through afflictive dispensations of Providence, being smitten and chastened continually, Psalm 73:14 , or through inward trials and exercises, by reason of indwelling sin, temptations, and desertions: or rather the words are expressive of the body being emaciated by sickness and diseases; and the heart fainting through fear of death, or rather failing at it, being at the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 73:27

For, lo, they that are far from thee ,.... Who are alienated from the life of God, far from the law of God, and subjection and obedience to it; and from righteousness either moral or evangelical, and from the love and fear of God, and worship of him: shall perish ; not merely at death, as even righteous men do, but be lost eternally: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee ; that follow after other gods, and worship them; which is spiritual adultery and fornication,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 73:28

But it is good for me to draw near to God ,.... In prayer, and other acts of religious worship; to attend the word and ordinances in the sanctuary, where the psalmist had lately been delivered out of a sore temptation, and so had a recent experience, which was fresh in his mind, of the advantages of such exercises; for it is both an honourable good, what is becoming and commendable, and a pleasant good, what yields delight and satisfaction, and a profitable good, to draw nigh to God by... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 73

The psalmist speaks of God's goodness to his people, Psalm 73:1 ; shows how much he was stumbled at the prosperity of the wicked, and describes their state, Psalm 73:2-12 ; details the process of the temptation, and the pain he suffered in consequence, Psalm 73:13-16 ; shows how he was delivered, and the dismal reverse of the state of the once prosperous ungodly man, by which his own false views were corrected, Psalm 73:17-22 ; his great confidence in God, and the good consequences of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 73:1

Truly God is good to Israel - Captives as they were, they still had many blessings from God; and they had promises of deliverance, which must be fulfilled in due time. Such as are of a clean heart - Those who have a clean heart must have inward happiness: and, because they resemble God, they can never be forsaken by him. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 73:2

My feet were almost gone - I had nearly given up my confidence. I was ready to find fault with the dispensations of providence; and thought the Judge of all the earth did not do right. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 73:3

I was envious at the foolish - I saw persons who worshipped not the true God, and others who were abandoned to all vices, in possession of every temporal comfort, while the godly were in straits, difficulties, and affliction. I began then to doubt whether there was a wise providence; and my mind became irritated. It seems to have been a maxim among the ancient heathens, Θεου ονειδος τους κακους ευδαιμονειν , "The prosperity of the wicked is a reproach to the gods." But they had no just... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 73:4

No bands in their death - Many of the godly have sore conflicts at their death. Their enemy then thrusts sore at them that they may fall; or that their confidence in their God may be shaken. But of this the ungodly know nothing. Satan will not molest them; he is sure of his prey; they are entangled, and cannot now break their nets; their consciences are seared, they have no sense of guilt. If they think at all of another world, they presume on that mercy which they never sought, and of which... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 73:6

Pride compasseth them about as a chain - Perhaps there is an allusion here to the office which some of them bore. Chains of gold, and golden rings, were ensigns of magistracy and civil power. As these chains encompassed their necks, or the rings their wrists and fingers, as the signs of the offices in virtue of which they acted; so חמס chamas , violence, oppressive conduct, encompassed them. They made no other use of their great power, than to oppress the poor and the needy; and to drive... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 73:7

Their eyes stand out with fatness - " Their countenance is changed because of fatness." - Chaldee. By fatness, or corpulency, the natural lines of the face are changed, or rather obliterated. The characteristic distinctions are gone; and we see little remaining besides the human hog. They have more than heart could wish - I doubt this translation. Whose heart ever said, I have enough, which had not its portion with God? It would be more literal to say, "They surpass the thoughts of their... read more

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