New Living Translation
Psalms 73:16
16So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
Psalms 73:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
- New International Version (NIV)When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply
- English Standard Version (ESV)But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
- New King James Version (NKJV)When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me—
Context of Psalms 73:16
14I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. 15If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people. So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! 17Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. 18Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
Read all of Psalms 73Psalms 73:16 word by word
וָֽ֭אֲחַשְּׁבָה לָדַ֣עַת זֹ֑את עָמָ֖ל ה֣וּא בְעֵינָֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 73:16
- Psalms 36:6Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.
- Psalms 77:19Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters— a pathway no one knew was there!
- Psalms 97:2Dark clouds surround him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
- Proverbs 30:2I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense.
- Ecclesiastes 8:17I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim.
- Romans 11:33Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
- Psalms 39:6We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.
- Luke 18:32He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon.
- John 16:18And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”
Commentaries on Psalms 73:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16When I thought to know this - When I reviewed the history of our fathers, I saw that, though thou hadst from time to time hidden thy face because of their sins, yet thou hadst never utterly abandoned them to their adversaries; and it was not reasonable to conclude that thou wouldst do now what thou hadst never done before; and yet the continuance of our captivity, the oppressive hardships which we suffer, and the small prospect there is of release, puzzle…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16When I thought to know this - When I endeavored to comprehend this, or to explain it to myself. The idea is that he “thought” on the subject, or “meditated” on it with a view to be able to understand it. He did not express his opinions and feelings to others, but he dwelt on them in his own mind; not to find additional difficulties, not to confirm himself in opposition to God, and not to find new occasions for distrusting the divine government, but to…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 The psalmist having shown the progress of his temptation, shows how faith and grace prevailed. He kept up respect for God's people, and with that he restrained himself from speaking what he had thought amiss. It is a sign that we repent of the evil thoughts of the heart, if we suppress them. Nothing gives more offence to God's children, than to say it is vain to serve God; for there is nothing more contrary to their universal experience. He…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16If the psalmist had spoken about his doubts regarding the value of living a godly life, he might have discouraged God's people and given God's enemies a chance to speak against God (compare John 13:20). Instead, the psalmist keeps the problem to himself and thinks about it.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1716-17. Still he-- thought--literally, "studied," or, "pondered this riddle"; but in vain; it remained a toil (compare Margin), till he--Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 73:16
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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