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Surely God Is Good to Israel
Psalm 73 is a song about a hard question: why do wicked people seem to do well? The writer begins with God’s goodness, admits envy, and then explains how his understanding changed.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
In this psalm, the writer contrasts two ways of seeing. At first he notices the ease, pride and riches of the wicked and feels his own innocence was pointless. Later, in God’s sanctuary, he considers their end and confesses God’s nearness, guidance and refuge.
Psalms 73:1–28Main takeaway
Psalm 73 teaches that what seems enviable can mislead us, but drawing near to God reshapes how we see both trouble and true good.
Explore the poem and its images
01God is good, yet I nearly slippedThe psalm opens with a firm truth: God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But the singer immediately admits weakness.
Explanation
The psalm opens with a firm truth: God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But the singer immediately admits weakness. His feet had almost slipped because he envied the arrogant when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. The song begins with tension between confession and experience.
02What the writer saw in the wickedThey seemed strong, untroubled and rich. Pride and violence marked them, and their speech was proud and harmful.
Explanation
They seemed strong, untroubled and rich. Pride and violence marked them, and their speech was proud and harmful. They even questioned whether God knew. Seeing this, the writer felt that cleansing his heart had been in vain and that his own days were full of pain.
03The turning point in God’s sanctuaryThe struggle was painful, and the writer knew that speaking this way openly would betray the generation of God’s children.
Explanation
The struggle was painful, and the writer knew that speaking this way openly would betray the generation of God’s children. He could not sort it out by himself. Understanding came when he entered God’s sanctuary. There he considered not only present ease, but the latter end of the wicked.
04A new understanding of God and goodThe wicked are in slippery places and face destruction. The writer also admits his own bitterness and ignorance before God.
Explanation
The wicked are in slippery places and face destruction. The writer also admits his own bitterness and ignorance before God. Yet God had still held his right hand and would guide him. So the psalm ends with a better confession: God himself is his strength, portion and refuge, and drawing near to God is his good.
Questions to explore
01What made the writer nearly slip?
Look for the link between envy and what he saw in the prosperity of the wicked.
02What changed in verse 17?
Notice that understanding came when he entered God’s sanctuary and considered their latter end.
03How does the psalm describe the writer’s real good at the end?
Use the closing lines about God as strength, portion and refuge.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 73:1–28
1Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
3For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
5They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
6Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
7Their eyes bulge with fat. Their minds pass the limits of conceit.
8They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression.
9They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.
10Therefore their people return to them, and they drink up waters of abundance.
11They say, “How does God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.
13Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,
14For all day long I have been plagued, and punished every morning.
15If I had said, “I will speak thus”, behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me—
17until I entered God’s sanctuary, and considered their latter end.
18Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
19How they are suddenly destroyed! They are completely swept away with terrors.
20As a dream when one wakes up, so, Lord, when you awake, you will despise their fantasies.
21For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.
22I was so senseless and ignorant. I was a brute beast before you.
23Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You have held my right hand.
24You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25Whom do I have in heaven? There is no one on earth whom I desire besides you.
26My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27For, behold, those who are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to you.
28But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.