New English Translation
Psalms 73:11
11They say, “How does God know what we do? Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?”
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 speak as if they rule in heaven, and lay claim to the earth. 10Therefore they have more than enough food to eat, and even suck up the water of the sea. They say, “How does God know what we do? Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?” 12Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like, those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer. 13I concluded, “Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure and maintained a pure lifestyle.
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 speak as if they rule in heaven, and lay claim to the earth.
- Psalms 10:11He says to himself, “God overlooks it; he does not pay attention; he never notices.”
- Psalms 94:7Then they say, “The Lord does not see this; the God of Jacob does not take notice of it.”
- Job 22:13But you have said, ‘What does God know? Does he judge through such deep darkness?
- Ezekiel 8:12He said to me, “Do you see, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in the chamber of his idolatrous images? For they think, ‘The Lord does not see us! The Lord has abandoned the land!’”
- Zephaniah 1:12At that time I will search through Jerusalem with lamps. I will punish the people who are entrenched in their sin, those who think to themselves, ‘The Lord neither rewards nor punishes.’
- Psalms 44:21would not God discover it, for he knows one’s thoughts?
- Psalms 139:1O Lord, you examine me and know.
- Hosea 7:2They do not realize that I remember all of their wicked deeds. Their evil deeds have now surrounded them; their sinful deeds are always before me.
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
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