God’s Word Translation
Psalms 73:11
11Then wicked people ask, “What does God know?” “Does the Most High know anything?”
Psalms 73:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
- New International Version (NIV)They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they say, "How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
Context of Psalms 73:11
9They verbally attack heaven, and they order people around on earth. 10That is why God’s people turn to wickedness and swallow their words. Then wicked people ask, “What does God know?” “Does the Most High know anything?” 12Look how wicked they are! They never have a worry. They grow more and more wealthy. 13I’ve received no reward for keeping my life pure and washing my hands of any blame.
Read all of Psalms 73Psalms 73:11 word by word
וְֽאָמְר֗וּ אֵיכָ֥ה יָדַֽע־אֵ֑ל וְיֵ֖שׁ דֵּעָ֣ה בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 73:11
- Psalms 73:9They verbally attack heaven, and they order people around on earth.
- Psalms 10:11He says to himself, “God has forgotten. He has hidden his face. He will never see it!”
- Psalms 94:7They say, “The Lord doesn’t see it. The God of Jacob doesn’t even pay attention to it.”
- Job 22:13You ask, ‘What does God know? Can he judge ⌞anything⌟ from behind a dark cloud?
- Ezekiel 8:12God asked me, “Son of man, do you see what the leaders of the nation of Israel are doing in secret? Each of them is in the room where his god is, and each one of them is thinking, ‘The Lord doesn’t see me. The Lord has abandoned this land.’ ”
- Zephaniah 1:12“At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are satisfied with their hardened lifestyle, who think that the Lord won’t do anything—good or bad.
- Psalms 44:21wouldn’t God find out, since he knows the secrets in our hearts?
- Psalms 139:1O Lord, you have examined me, and you know me.
- Hosea 7:2They don’t realize that I remember all the evil things they’ve done. Now their sins surround them. Their sins are in my presence.
Commentaries on Psalms 73:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11They say, How doth God know? - My people are so stumbled with the prosperity of the wicked, that they are ready in their temptation to say, "Surely, God cannot know these things, or he would never dispense his favors thus." Others consider these words as the saying of the wicked: "We may oppress these people as we please, and live as we list; God knows nothing about it."Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11And they say - His people say. The connection demands this interpretation. The meaning is, that his people, as they return again and again to this subject Psalm 73:10, are constrained to put this question. They are compelled by these facts to start such painful inquiries about God; and distressing as the inquiries are, and as are the doubts which they involve, these thoughts will pass through their mind, even though to avoid giving needless pain to those…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-12The psalmist gives an exaggerated picture of the happiness of the wicked (compare Psalm 1).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1210-12. Hence God's people are confounded, turned hither (or back) and thither, perplexed with doubts of God's knowledge and care, and filled with sorrow.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 73:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 73
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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