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Christian prayer

Psalm 73

Psalm 73 in its original text and with its meaning, reflecting on envy, injustice and trust in God.

  • 28 verses
  • About 1 minute to recite
  • From the Bible

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  1. 1

    מִזְמ֗וֹר לְאָ֫סָ֥ף אַ֤ךְ ט֭וֹב לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אֱלֹהִ֗ים לְבָרֵ֥י לֵבָֽב׃

    A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

  2. 2

    וַאֲנִ֗י כִּ֭מְעַט נטוי רַגְלָ֑י כְּ֝אַ֗יִן שפכה אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃

    But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

  3. 3

    כִּֽי־קִ֭נֵּאתִי בַּֽהוֹלְלִ֑ים שְׁל֖וֹם רְשָׁעִ֣ים אֶרְאֶֽה׃

    For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

  4. 4

    כִּ֤י אֵ֖ין חַרְצֻבּ֥וֹת לְמוֹתָ֗ם וּבָרִ֥יא אוּלָֽם׃

    For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

  5. 5

    בַּעֲמַ֣ל אֱנ֣וֹשׁ אֵינֵ֑מוֹ וְעִם־אָ֝דָ֗ם לֹ֣א יְנֻגָּֽעוּ׃

    They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

  6. 6

    לָ֭כֵן עֲנָקַ֣תְמוֹ גַאֲוָ֑ה יַעֲטָף־שִׁ֝֗ית חָמָ֥ס לָֽמוֹ׃

    Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

  7. 7

    יָ֭צָא מֵחֵ֣לֶב עֵינֵ֑מוֹ עָ֝בְר֗וּ מַשְׂכִּיּ֥וֹת לֵבָֽב׃

    Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.

  8. 8

    יָמִ֤יקוּ ׀ וִידַבְּר֣וּ בְרָ֣ע עֹ֑שֶׁק מִמָּר֥וֹם יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃

    They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.

  9. 9

    שַׁתּ֣וּ בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם פִּיהֶ֑ם וּ֝לְשׁוֹנָ֗ם תִּֽהֲלַ֥ךְ בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

    They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

  10. 10

    לָכֵ֤ן ׀ ישיב עַמּ֣וֹ הֲלֹ֑ם וּמֵ֥י מָ֝לֵ֗א יִמָּ֥צוּ לָֽמוֹ׃

    Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

  11. 11

    וְֽאָמְר֗וּ אֵיכָ֥ה יָדַֽע־אֵ֑ל וְיֵ֖שׁ דֵּעָ֣ה בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃

    And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

  12. 12

    הִנֵּה־אֵ֥לֶּה רְשָׁעִ֑ים וְשַׁלְוֵ֥י ע֝וֹלָ֗ם הִשְׂגּוּ־חָֽיִל׃

    Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

  13. 13

    אַךְ־רִ֭יק זִכִּ֣יתִי לְבָבִ֑י וָאֶרְחַ֖ץ בְּנִקָּי֣וֹן כַּפָּֽי׃

    Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

  14. 14

    וָאֱהִ֣י נָ֭גוּעַ כָּל־הַיּ֑וֹם וְ֝תוֹכַחְתִּ֗י לַבְּקָרִֽים׃

    For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

  15. 15

    אִם־אָ֭מַרְתִּי אֲסַפְּרָ֥ה כְמ֑וֹ הִנֵּ֤ה ד֭וֹר בָּנֶ֣יךָ בָגָֽדְתִּי׃

    If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

  16. 16

    וָֽ֭אֲחַשְּׁבָה לָדַ֣עַת זֹ֑את עָמָ֖ל היא בְעֵינָֽי׃

    When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

  17. 17

    עַד־אָ֭בוֹא אֶל־מִקְדְּשֵׁי־אֵ֑ל אָ֝בִ֗ינָה לְאַחֲרִיתָֽם׃

    Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

  18. 18

    אַ֣ךְ בַּ֭חֲלָקוֹת תָּשִׁ֣ית לָ֑מוֹ הִ֝פַּלְתָּ֗ם לְמַשּׁוּאֽוֹת׃

    Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.

  19. 19

    אֵ֤יךְ הָי֣וּ לְשַׁמָּ֣ה כְרָ֑גַע סָ֥פוּ תַ֝֗מּוּ מִן־בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃

    How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

  20. 20

    כַּחֲל֥וֹם מֵהָקִ֑יץ אֲ֝דֹנָי בָּעִ֤יר ׀ צַלְמָ֬ם תִּבְזֶֽה׃

    As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

  21. 21

    כִּ֭י יִתְחַמֵּ֣ץ לְבָבִ֑י וְ֝כִלְיוֹתַ֗י אֶשְׁתּוֹנָֽן׃

    Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

  22. 22

    וַאֲנִי־בַ֭עַר וְלֹ֣א אֵדָ֑ע בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת הָיִ֥יתִי עִמָּֽךְ׃

    So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

  23. 23

    וַאֲנִ֣י תָמִ֣יד עִמָּ֑ךְ אָ֝חַ֗זְתָּ בְּיַד־יְמִינִֽי׃

    Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

  24. 24

    בַּעֲצָתְךָ֥ תַנְחֵ֑נִי וְ֝אַחַ֗ר כָּב֥וֹד תִּקָּחֵֽנִי׃

    Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

  25. 25

    מִי־לִ֥י בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְ֝עִמְּךָ֗ לֹא־חָפַ֥צְתִּי בָאָֽרֶץ׃

    Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

  26. 26

    כָּלָ֥ה שְׁאֵרִ֗י וּלְבָ֫בִ֥י צוּר־לְבָבִ֥י וְחֶלְקִ֗י אֱלֹהִ֥ים לְעוֹלָֽם׃

    My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

  27. 27

    כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֣ה רְחֵקֶ֣יךָ יֹאבֵ֑דוּ הִ֝צְמַ֗תָּה כָּל־זוֹנֶ֥ה מִמֶּֽךָּ׃

    For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

  28. 28

    וַאֲנִ֤י ׀ קִֽרֲבַ֥ת אֱלֹהִ֗ים לִ֫י־ט֥וֹב שַׁתִּ֤י ׀ בַּאדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֣ה מַחְסִ֑י לְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר כָּל־מַלְאֲכוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

    But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here

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When it is prayed

Many Christians pray or read Psalm 73 when troubled by injustice or when others seem to prosper through wrongdoing. It can also be used in personal prayer or communal worship to reflect on envy, doubt and trust in God.

  • Facing injustice
  • Times of doubt
  • Personal prayer
  • Communal worship

Where it comes from

Psalm 73 comes from the Bible's Book of Psalms and is attributed in its heading to Asaph. Originally composed in Hebrew, it moves from distress over the prosperity of the wicked toward renewed confidence in God's presence.

In the libraryThe King James Version of the BibleSee the book

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Questions about Psalm 73

What is Psalm 73 about?

The psalmist struggles with envy because the wicked seem to prosper while faithful people suffer. Reflection in God's sanctuary changes his perspective, leading him to value closeness to God above worldly success.

How many verses does Psalm 73 have?

Psalm 73 has 28 verses.

Who wrote Psalm 73?

Its biblical heading attributes it to Asaph, a figure associated with worship and music in ancient Israel.

When can Christians pray Psalm 73?

Many Christians turn to it when facing injustice, envy or questions about why wrongdoing appears to go unpunished. It also offers words for prayer when seeking renewed trust in God.

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