Logos Bible Study

Psalm 73:3–11

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3For I enviedb the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.c

4They have no struggles;

their bodies are healthy and strong.a

5They are freed from common human burdens;

they are not plagued by human ills.

6Therefore pridee is their necklace;f

they clothe themselves with violence.g

7From their callous heartsh comes iniquityb;

their evil imaginations have no limits.

8They scoff, and speak with malice;i

with arrogancej they threaten oppression.k

9Their mouths lay claim to heaven,

and their tongues take possession of the earth.

10Therefore their people turn to them

and drink up waters in abundance.c

11They say, “How would God know?

Does the Most High know anything?”

Read in Logos
Psalm 73:3: For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Footnotes

  1. aWith a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
  2. bSyriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
  3. cThe meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.

Cross references

  1. bPr 3:31; 23:17; 24:1–2
  2. cSee Job 9:24; See 21:7; Jer 12:1; Mal 3:15
  3. dver 12; Eze 23:42
  4. eSee Lev 26:19
  5. fSee Ge 41:42; SS 4:9; Eze 16:11
  6. gSee Ge 6:11; See Pr 4:17
  7. hSee Ps 17:10
  8. iPs 41:5; Eze 25:15; Col 3:8
  9. jPs 17:10
  10. kSee Ps 10:7; See 12:5

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death;

their bodies are fat and sleek.

They are not in trouble as others are;

they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

Therefore pride is their necklace;

violence covers them as a garment.

Their eyes swell out through fatness;

their hearts overflow with follies.

They scoff and speak with malice;

loftily they threaten oppression.

They set their mouths against the heavens,

and their tongue struts through the earth.

Therefore his people turn back to them,

and find no fault in them.

And they say, “How can God know?

Is there knowledge in the Most High?”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For I envied the arrogant;

I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

They have an easy time until they die,

and their bodies are well fed.

They are not in trouble like others;

they are not afflicted like most people.

Therefore, pride is their necklace,

and violence covers them like a garment.

Their eyes bulge out from fatness;

the imaginations of their hearts run wild.

They mock, and they speak maliciously;

they arrogantly threaten oppression.

They set their mouths against heaven,

and their tongues strut across the earth.

Therefore his people turn to them

and drink in their overflowing words.

The wicked say, “How can God know?

Does the Most High know everything?”

NLTNew Living Translation

For I envied the proud

when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.

They seem to live such painless lives;

their bodies are so healthy and strong.

They don’t have troubles like other people;

they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.

They wear pride like a jeweled necklace

and clothe themselves with cruelty.

These fat cats have everything

their hearts could ever wish for!

They scoff and speak only evil;

in their pride they seek to crush others.

They boast against the very heavens,

and their words strut throughout the earth.

And so the people are dismayed and confused,

drinking in all their words.

“What does God know?” they ask.

“Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

because I envied the boastful

when I saw the well-being of the wicked.

For there are no pains up to their death,

and their bodies are healthy.

They do not have ordinary trouble,

and they are not plagued as other people.

Therefore pride is their necklace;

an outfit of violence covers them.

Their eye bulges from fat.

Imaginings overflow their heart.

They mock and speak maliciously of oppression;

they speak as though from on high.

They set their mouth against the heavens,

and their tongue roams the earth.

Therefore his people turn there,

and abundant waters are slurped up by them.

And they say, “How does God know?”

and, “Does the Most High have knowledge?”

KJV 1900King James Version

For I was envious at the foolish,

When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For there are no bands in their death:

But their strength is firm.

They are not in trouble as other men;

Neither are they plagued like other men.

Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain;

Violence covereth them as a garment.

Their eyes stand out with fatness:

They have more than heart could wish.

They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression:

They speak loftily.

They set their mouth against the heavens,

And their tongue walketh through the earth.

Therefore his people return hither:

And waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

And they say, How doth God know?

And is there knowledge in the most High?