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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 73:21-28

Behold Samson's riddle again unriddled, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness; for we have here an account of the good improvement which the psalmist made of that sore temptation with which he had been assaulted and by which he was almost overcome. He that stumbles and does not fall, by recovering himself takes so much the longer steps forward. It was so with the psalmist here; many good lessons he learned from his temptation, his struggles with it, and his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 73:21

Thus my heart was grieved ,.... Not with his own sins, nor with the sins of the wicked, but at their prosperity; for this is an account of himself, while under the temptation, and before he went into the sanctuary of the Lord; or when he was "leavened" F18 יתחמץ "effervesceret fermenti instar", Tigurine version; "in fermento esset", Cocceius; so Ainsworth. , with the old leaven of wickedness, and envy, and indignation; he was in a ferment, so Plautus F19 Casina, Act. 2. Sc. 5. v.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 73:22

So foolish was I ,.... To envy the prosperity of the wicked, which is of so short a continuance; to arraign the providence and perfections of God, and to conclude so hastily that there was nothing in religion: and ignorant ; or, "I knew not" F23 לא אדע "nescivi", V. L. "non cognoscebam", Pagninus, Montanus; "nec sciebam", Piscator; "non noveram", Cocceius. ; what he attempted to know, Psalm 73:16 , nor the end of the wicked, till he went into the sanctuary of the Lord; nor... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 73:21

Thus may heart was grieved - The different views which I got of this subject quite confounded me; I was equally astonished at their sudden overthrow and my own ignorance. I felt as if I were a beast in stupidity. I permitted my mind to be wholly occupied with sensible things, like the beasts that perish and did not look into a future state; nor did I consider, nor submit to, the wise designs of an unerring Providence. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 73:21

Verse 21 21.For my heart was in a ferment. The Psalmist again returns to the confession which he had previously made, acknowledging that whilst he felt his heart pierced with perverse envy and emulation, he had complained against God, in a peevish or fretful manner. He compares his anger to leaven. Some translate, My heart was steeped in vinegar. But it is more suitable to explain the verb thus, My heart was soured or swollen, as dough is swollen by leaven. Thus Plautus, when speaking of a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 73:22

Verse 22 22.And I was foolish and ignorant. David here rebuking himself sharply, as it became him to do, in the first place declares that he was foolish; secondly, he charges himself with ignorance; and, thirdly, he affirms that he resembled the brutes. Had he only acknowledged his ignorance, it might have been asked, Whence this vice or fault of ignorance proceeded? He therefore ascribes it to his own folly; and the more emphatically to express his folly, he compares himself to the lower... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 73:1-28

Metrically, the psalm seems to fall into eight stanzas; the first and last of two verses each, the remaining six each of four verses. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 73:1-28

The grievous conflict of the flesh and the Spirit, and the glorious conquest of the Spirit at the last. I. THE BEGINNING OF THE PSALM . In this he ingeniously pointeth at those rocks against which he was like to have split his soul. II. THE MIDDLE OF THE PSALM . In this he candidly confesseth his ignorance and folly to have been the chiefest foundation of his fault. III. THE END OF THE PSALM . In this he gratefully kisseth that hand which led him out... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 73:1-28

Asaph's trial and deliverance. Asaph was greatly tempted, as this psalm plainly shows. It does not matter whether he speaks of himself or, as is likely, of some other servant of God. Consider— I. HIS TEMPTATION . 1 . It was a very terrible one. (See Psalms 73:2 , "My feet were almost gone," etc.) How honest the Bible is! It tells the whole truth about men, and good men, too. It shows them tempted, and all but overcome. 2 . It arose from his seeing " the prosperity of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 73:1-28

The solution of a great problem. The question here is—Why should good men suffer, and bad men prosper, when the Law had said that God was a righteous Judge, meting out to men in this world the due recompense of their deeds? The course of things should perfectly reflect the righteousness of God. The psalmist struggles for a solution of this problem. The first verse contains the conclusion he had arrived at. I. HIS DANGER . Expressed in the second, thirteenth, and twenty-second... read more

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