Psalms
Chapter 73
How Good God Is To the Righteous!
Surely God is good to Israel, I mean, to the clean of heart.
But, as for me, I almost stumbled; I nearly lost my foothold,
for I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the wicked prosper.
For they suffer no pain; they are strong and sound of body,
free from troubles common to mortals; they are not stricken by human ills.
That is why pride becomes their necklace, and violence, the robe that covers them.
Evil comes from their callous hearts, boundless evil, from their corrupt minds.
They scoff and speak with malice, and they threaten arrogantly.
Their mouths defy the heavens and their tongues dictate on earth.
People, therefore, look up to them, because they are well-watered.
“Does God see?” they say. “Has the Most High some knowledge of this?
Such are the wicked—always carefree, while they rake in riches.
In vain, have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence,
if all day long I am stricken, and punished every morning.”
Had I spoken like this, I would not be acting as one of your children.
Although I tried to understand this, it was difficult for me,
until I entered the secrets of God. Then I perceived their approaching doom.
You place them on slippery ground and make them fall into the pit.
How suddenly they are destroyed, completely swept away in terror!
As one awakes from a nightmare, so, when you arise, O Lord, you shake them off, like a dream.
When my heart was embittered, and my spirit distraught
it was folly, not wisdom; I did not know you better than beasts.
Yet, I am always with you; you hold my right hand;
you guide me on the way you chose; and your glory brings me along.
I have no one in heaven but you; on earth, I desire nothing but you.
My flesh and my heart waste away for you, O God; O my rock, you are mine forever.
Those who abandon you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, my joy is to be near God; I have made the Lord my refuge; and I will proclaim all his works.
Commentaries
73
We don’t usually encounter bitter words in the Psalms, but they’re present here. Even more notable is the reaction at the end, where the Psalter displays no higher mystical attitude. In fact, we can trust in a future life with God beyond the grave. If that’s the case, revelation has made a significant leap, and the problem of suffering is nearly resolved. One thing is certain: the psalmist has supreme confidence in God, yet he seems willing to accept that the wicked may prosper and that he himself might suffer as long as this life endures. Even if this isn’t explicitly stated, it’s implied. This psalm remains relevant because the human situation it describes is familiar to everyone; so are the temptations and the faith that’s needed.
Why are the wicked successful? It’s more scandalous than tempting when believers see the wicked succeed in everything: the violent, the unscrupulous, those who have money and can corrupt, masters of deceit. “Wait for the end,” says the psalmist. “Why have I been honest?” asks a father who struggles to get by and feels insulted by the luxury of the dishonest rich.
“Yet I am always with you” (v. 23). At this point, the psalm reaches what is essential. It is not enough to say that the dishonest rich will have to pay, which is not always true. The experience of God’s presence here below compensates for any trials, and the psalmist, even if he dares not confirm an afterlife, is convinced that God, for his part, will not abandon him to death.
In a consumer society like ours, a psalm of this kind is very fitting. Those who pray with it can ask themselves, ‘Where is my happiness?’