How to Understand This

Psalms: An Introduction and Commentary Psalm 73. Struggling with the Prosperity of the Wicked

The composer of Psalm 73 struggled with the age-old problem of the suffering of the innocent and the prosperity of the wicked, and he wrote the psalm after coming to a place of resolution (v. 1). The connections between this psalm and Proverbs and Job (see Comment section) indicate that the psalm is a wisdom poem.

The Book of Psalms Psalm 73: Why Do the Wicked Prosper?

Psalm 72 strikes a high note. It is flush with the hopes and dreams for the future. In contrast, Psalm 73 opens Book Three on a note of confusion and doubt. Life with God will not be lived in an idyllic world, at least for the moment, but in a world where the values espoused in the previous psalm do not always meet with the realities of life

The Reason of the Crisis 1-12

Affirmation of Faith

Psalm 73:1 ESV

1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

The Psalmist plight 1-3

​The Wicked’s prosperity (Shalom) 4-12 - Shalom is the fruit of righteousness

Psalm 1:3 ESV

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Psalm 1:4 ESV

4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

“Almost slip” vs 2 - reason is what he saw - experienced

His prosperity

Healthy vs. 4

Trouble Free vs. 5

They are rich 12

They Are Prideful

What they do in their Pride

Speak violence & threaten

They even speak against Heaven

How can God know v. 11

The Turning Point in the Crisis 13-17

The Resolution of the Crisis 18-28

The Plight of the Wicked 18-20

The Prosperity of the Righteous 21-28

Slipping

2 Samuel 22:37 ESV

37 You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip;

Psalm 18:36 ESV

36 You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.

Psalm 37:30–31 ESV

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.

Psalms 42–89, Volume 2 Theological Implications

Psalm 72 prayed that God would act through the king so as to grant well-being and freedom from violence and extortion forever (vv. 3, 4, 14, 17). But often, all one can see is the well-being of the faithless and their exercise of violence and oppression forever (73:3, 6, 8, 12).66 At the beginning of Book III of the Psalter, Ps. 73 restates the convictions of Pss. 1–2 but does so in light of the realism that has characterized the rest of Books I and II.67 “Initially the psalmist was on slippery ground (vv. 1–3), while the wicked seemed secure (vv. 4–12). In the end the reverse is true; the wicked are slipping (vv. 18–20) and the psalmist is stable (vv. 21–28)”; likewise, initially the wicked seem to be doing well “forever” whereas the psalmist is perpetually afflicted, but in the end the wicked come to a complete end in a moment, whereas actually God was continually with the psalmist and was the psalmist’s allocation “forever.”68 The psalm brings out a feature that characterizes many psalms. The change that comes over the psalmist issued not from Yhwh’s having acted but from the psalmist having gained a conviction that Yhwh will act

Vs 28

Psalm 118:17–18 ESV

17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. 18 The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Hebrews 4:14–16 (ESV)

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.