What is the meaning of Psalm 73?
Introduction to Psalm 73
Psalm 73 stands as one of the most profound theological reflections in the Psalter, wrestling with the age-old question of theodicy—why do the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer? Written by Asaph, this psalm masterfully traces his spiritual journey from near-apostasy to profound revelation. The raw honesty of his struggle, combined with the transformative insight he receives in God’s sanctuary, makes this psalm particularly relevant for believers grappling with similar questions today.
This psalm serves as a bridge between intellectual understanding and experiential faith, demonstrating how personal encounter with God transforms our perspective on life’s apparent inequities. Its message resonates deeply with anyone who has ever questioned God’s justice in the face of evident evil and injustice in the world.
Context of Psalm 73
Psalm 73 opens Book III of the Psalter (Psalms 73-89), a collection primarily attributed to Asaph and the sons of Korah. As the first psalm in this collection, it sets a thematic tone for the subsequent psalms, which often deal with national and personal crises of faith. The placement is significant because it follows the primarily Davidic psalms of Books I and II, shifting focus from the monarchy to broader theological questions facing the community of faith.
Within the larger biblical narrative, this psalm echoes the wisdom tradition found in books like Job and Ecclesiastes, which wrestle with similar questions about divine justice and the apparent prosperity of the wicked. The psalm’s resolution prefigures New Testament teachings about eternal perspective and the temporary nature of worldly success (1 John 2:17).
The historical context likely places this psalm in the period of the divided kingdom, when social inequities and moral decline would have been particularly evident to faithful observers like Asaph. This setting helps explain the psalmist’s deep struggle with seeing the wicked prosper while the faithful suffered.
Ancient Key Word Study
- שָׁלוֹם (shalom) – “peace, prosperity” (v.3): More than mere absence of conflict, this term encompasses complete well-being. Its use here carries ironic undertones, as the prosperity of the wicked is ultimately shown to be superficial and temporary.
- טָהוֹר (tahor) – “pure” (v.1): Primarily used in ceremonial contexts for ritual purity, here it describes moral purity of heart. The word choice suggests that true purity is not just external conformity but internal alignment with God.
- הוֹלְלִים (holelim) – “arrogant” (v.3): Derived from a root meaning “to shine,” it describes those who make themselves conspicuous through boastful behavior. The term suggests a deliberate self-aggrandizement that defies God’s order.
- מַשְׂכִּיּוֹת (maskiyot) – “imagination” (v.7): This rare term refers to carefully crafted mental images or concepts. Here it describes the elaborate self-deceptions of the wicked.
- בְּהֵמוֹת (behemot) – “beast” (v.22): While literally meaning “animal,” its usage here conveys spiritual dullness and lack of understanding. The psalmist uses this self-deprecating term to describe his former state of spiritual ignorance.
- תָמִיד (tamid) – “continually” (v.23): A term often used in Temple worship for perpetual offerings, here expressing the constancy of God’s presence and care.
- כָבוֹד (kavod) – “glory” (v.24): Beyond mere honor, this term carries the weight of essential worth and substance, contrasting with the emptiness of worldly success.
- צוּר (tzur) – “rock” (v.26): A metaphor for God emphasizing His unchanging nature and reliability, particularly poignant given the psalm’s theme of life’s instabilities.
- קִרְבַת (kirvat) – “nearness” (v.28): Implies intimate proximity, often used in contexts of Temple worship. Here it represents the ultimate good of spiritual communion with God.
Compare & Contrast
- Verse 1: “Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart” – The choice of אַךְ (ak, “truly”) as the opening word is significant. Rather than using כִּי (ki, “for”) or הִנֵּה (hineh, “behold”), this term suggests a hard-won conclusion after struggle, not a mere traditional affirmation.
- Verse 4: “For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek” – The Hebrew חַרְצֻבּוֹת (chartzubot, “pangs”) usually describes rope-like bindings. Its use here creates a vivid image of freedom from constraints that normally bind humans, emphasizing the apparent exemption of the wicked from normal human suffering.
- Verse 7: “Their eyes swell out through fatness” – The Hebrew יָצָא (yatza, “bulge”) could have been replaced with the more common רָאָה (ra’ah, “see”), but this specific term was chosen to create a grotesque image of prosperity corrupting perception.
- Verse 17: “Until I went into the sanctuary of God” – The use of מִקְדְּשֵׁי (miqdeshei, “sanctuaries”) in plural form rather than singular suggests multiple encounters with God’s presence, emphasizing the process of understanding rather than a single moment of insight.
- Verse 20: “Like a dream when one awakes” – The comparison to a חֲלוֹם (chalom, “dream”) rather than מַרְאֶה (mar’eh, “vision”) emphasizes the illusory nature of the wicked’s prosperity rather than its prophetic significance.
- Verse 23: “Nevertheless, I am continually with you” – The term תָמִיד (tamid, “continually”) echoes Temple worship language, suggesting that true prosperity lies in perpetual communion with God rather than material success.
- Verse 25: “Whom have I in heaven but you?” – The rhetorical question uses מִי (mi, “who”) rather than מָה (mah, “what”), personalizing the relationship with God rather than abstracting it.
- Verse 28: “But for me it is good to be near God” – The phrase קִרְבַת אֱלֹהִים (kirvat Elohim, “nearness of God”) employs temple terminology, contrasting spiritual intimacy with the external prosperity of the wicked.
Psalm 73 Unique Insights
The structure of Psalm 73 follows a sophisticated chiastic pattern that mirrors the psalmist’s spiritual journey. The psalm moves from confession (v.1) through crisis (vv.2-16), reaches its turning point in the sanctuary (v.17), and concludes with renewed confession (v.28). This literary structure itself teaches that spiritual understanding often requires a complete reversal of worldly perspective.
Ancient Jewish commentators noted that the numerical value of the phrase “surely God is good” (אַךְ טוֹב אֱלֹהִים) equals 153, the same as the phrase “in the sanctuary” (בְּמִקְדְּשֵׁי). This gematria suggests that true understanding of God’s goodness comes through sanctuary experience—a concept that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Messiah Yeshua as our sanctuary.
The Midrash Tehillim draws attention to the phrase “my flesh and my heart may fail” (v.26) as a prophetic allusion to the resurrection, noting that while both flesh and heart fail, God remains our portion “forever” (לְעוֹלָם). This interpretation aligns with the New Testament revelation of bodily resurrection through Messiah.
Rabbi David Kimchi (Radak) observed that the psalm’s turning point in verse 17 uses sanctuary imagery that would later be fulfilled in Messiah’s role as both sanctuary and high priest, as elaborated in the book of Hebrews. This connection between Temple worship and Messianic revelation provides a profound link between Old and New Testament theology.
Psalm 73 Connections to Yeshua
The psalmist’s journey from spiritual crisis to revelation in the sanctuary foreshadows the transformative encounter believers have with Yeshua, who became both our sanctuary and high priest (Hebrews 8:1-2). His statement “Until I went into the sanctuary” parallels how true understanding comes through encounter with Messiah, who is the ultimate revelation of God’s justice and mercy.
The psalm’s conclusion that being near God is our ultimate good finds its fulfillment in Yeshua, who made possible intimate relationship with God through His sacrificial death and resurrection. The psalmist’s discovery that God is his “portion forever” (v.26) anticipates the eternal life offered through faith in Messiah (John 17:3).
Psalm 73 Scriptural Echoes
This psalm resonates deeply with Job’s struggle (Job 21:7-15) and Jeremiah’s wrestling with divine justice (Jeremiah 12:1-4). Its themes are echoed in the wisdom literature, particularly Ecclesiastes’ exploration of life’s apparent futility (Ecclesiastes 8:14).
The New Testament develops these themes further, with Yeshua’s parables about the temporary nature of worldly success (Luke 12:16-21) and Paul’s teachings about seeing beyond present circumstances (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
Psalm 73 Devotional
This psalm invites us to honest spiritual reflection about our own struggles with injustice and apparent divine absence. Like Asaph, we may sometimes feel that our faithfulness has been in vain when we see the prosperity of those who reject God. The psalm gives us permission to acknowledge these feelings while pointing us toward the sanctuary—intimate communion with God—as the place where perspective is restored.
Consider journaling about times when you’ve questioned God’s justice or felt discouraged by others’ apparent success despite their ungodliness. Then reflect on moments of sanctuary experience—times when God’s presence has transformed your perspective. How might regular sanctuary encounters (both in corporate worship and private devotion) help maintain eternal perspective in daily life?
Did You Know
- The author, Asaph, was one of David’s chief musicians and also known as a seer (prophet), giving this psalm both musical and prophetic significance.
- The phrase “my feet had almost stumbled” in verse 2 uses the same Hebrew root as the name “Israel,” creating a wordplay that suggests the psalmist’s crisis threatened his very identity as part of God’s people.
- The sanctuary mentioned in verse 17 likely refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, where Asaph would have served as chief musician.
- The term “brutish” (verse 22) shares its root with the word used for Behemoth in Job 40, suggesting complete spiritual obtuseness.
- The phrase “good to draw near to God” in verse 28 uses Temple terminology, implying both physical approach in worship and spiritual intimacy.
- The psalm contains several words that appear only once in the entire Hebrew Bible, suggesting careful crafting for maximum impact.
- The structure of the psalm mirrors the architecture of the Temple itself: movement from outer court struggle to inner sanctuary revelation.
- This is the first psalm in Book III of the Psalter, setting a theological foundation for the collection that follows.
- The conclusion about God being our “portion forever” uses inheritance language, connecting to both the Levitical inheritance and our eternal inheritance in Messiah.
- The psalm’s emotional progression from doubt to faith became a model for Jewish and Christian spiritual formation literature throughout history.
