73:1(A Psalm of Asaph.) Truly a God [is] good to Israel,
[even] to such as are of a clean heart.
(a) As it were between hope and despair he bursts forth
into this affection, being assured that God would
continue his favour toward such as were godly indeed,
and not hypocrites.
73:4 For [there are] b no bands in their death: but their
strength [is] firm.
(b) The wicked in this life live at pleasure and are not
drawn to death like prisoners: that is, by sickness
which is death's messenger.
73:6c Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain;
violence covereth them [as] a garment.
(c) They glory in their pride as some do in their chains,
and in cruelty, as some do in apparel.
73:9 They d set their mouth against the heavens, and their
tongue walketh through the earth.
(d) They blaspheme God, and do not fear his power and rail
upon men, because they esteem themselves above all
others.
73:10 Therefore his e people return hither: and waters of a
full [cup] are wrung out to them.
(e) Not only the reprobate, but also the people of God
often fall back seeing the prosperous estate of the
wicked, and are overwhelmed with sorrows, thinking
that God does not correctly consider the estate of the
godly.
73:11 And they f say, How doth God know? and is there
knowledge in the most High?
(f) Thus the flesh moves even the godly to dispute with
God concerning their poor estate, and the prosperity
of the wicked.
73:15 If I say, g I will speak thus; behold, I should offend
[against] the generation of thy children.
(g) If I give place to this wicked thought, I offend
against your providence, seeing you do all things most
wisely and preserve your children in their greatest
dangers.
73:17 Until I went into the h sanctuary of God; [then]
understood I their end.
(h) Until I entered into your school and learned by your
word and Holy Spirit that you order all things most
wisely and justly.
73:19 How are they [brought] into desolation, as in a moment!
they are i utterly consumed with terrors.
(i) By your fearful judgment.
73:20 As a dream when [one] awaketh; [so], O Lord, when k thou
awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
(k) When you open our eyes to consider your heavenly
happiness, we contemn all their vain pomp.
73:22 So foolish [was] I, and ignorant: I was [as] a l beast
before thee.
(l) For the more that man goes about by his own reason to
seek out God's judgments, the more he declares himself
a beast.
73:23 Nevertheless I [am] continually m with thee: thou hast
holden [me] by my right hand.
(m) By faith I was assured that your providence always
watched over me to preserve me.
73:25 Whom have I in n heaven [but thee]? and [there is] none
upon earth [that] I desire beside thee.
(n) He sought neither help nor comfort of any save God
only.
73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: [but] God [is] the strength
of my heart, and my o portion for ever.
(o) He teaches us to deny ourselves, to have God our whole
sufficiency, and only contentment.
73:27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou
hast destroyed all them that p go a whoring from thee.
(p) That is, forsake you to seek others.
73:28 But [it is] good for me q to draw near to God: I have
put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy
works.
(q) Though all the world shrinks from God, yet he promises
to trust in him and to magnify his works.
