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Interpretation of Psalm 72

III. Book III (Psalms 72-88)

Eleven of the 17 psalms that make up this book are attributed to Asaph (Ps. 72-82), one to David (Ps. 85), three to the sons of Korah (Ps. 83, 84, 86), one to Haman (Ps. 87) and one to Etham (Ps. 88). Asaph, Haman, and Ephram were Levite musicians who lived in the days of King David (1 Chr. 15:17,19).

The motives of this psalm echo those of Psalm 49; the reflections of their author, Asaph, are similar. Both of them can be referred to the so-called "wisdom psalms".

In Ps. 72 Asaph admits that doubts nearly overwhelmed him, because for a long time he compared the life of the godless with his own, and this comparison was not in his favor. Doubts did not recede until the fallacy of his reasoning and conclusions was revealed to him in the sanctuary of God, for there he suddenly “understood” that the lot of the wicked was truly unenviable (verses 17-18).

A. Thoughts on the Prosperity of the Wicked (72:1-14)

Ps. 72:1-3. The idea of ​​God's goodness to the pure in heart unites the first and last verses of this psalm. God … is good to them and to Israel, Asaph exclaims in verse 1, but then confesses that he nearly staggered in his faith in the Lord (the “slippery feet” figure in verse 2), comparing the prosperity of the wicked with the hardships of “the rest of the people,” including , obviously, and his own.

Why do those who resist God live better than those who trust in Him? he asked himself. The expressiveness of the questions and doubts that arose in the psalmist is emphasized by him stylistically: he begins verses 2.22-23 and 28 with an expression corresponding to "A ya" (in the Russian text it is preserved only in verse 2).

Ps. 72:4-12. So, Asaph was tormented by the fact that those who do not fear God, as if they do not know suffering until death, and are not subjected to blows along with other people (verses 4-5); in the work of man they are not in verse 5 should be understood in the sense of "there is no burden of men on them, they do not know the difficulties." In verse 6 - an image of pride and insolence, which, as it were, became the "second nature" of people who do not know God ("insane"; verse 3). Thoughts wander in the heart (verse 7) means that those of whom the author speaks are in the power of their impure thoughts and do not care about their incompatibility with the will of God.

The wicked are cynical and arrogant. They spread slander everywhere (over all the earth), rejoicing in its evil consequences (verses 8-9). At the same time, they decide to think boldly and speak about the Lord Himself (they raise their mouths to heaven; perhaps, the “critical” perception of the “insane” commandments of God is meant).

Verse 10 is difficult to translate. But, obviously, its meaning is that the contagious example of "prosperous wicked" is followed by the people of God, who in their mass do not resist evil human inclinations and passions, commit, without knowing the measure, lawlessness of various kinds (drink this water in a full cup). Those who do all this "comfort" themselves with the hope that God will not find out anyway, they come to a bold doubt in His omniscience.

Ps. 72:13-14. Asaph confesses the doubt that gripped him, which many who trusted in God before and after him did not escape: if the Lord allows the wicked to flourish and allows the righteous to suffer, then was it not in vain that he tried to cleanse his heart from evil thoughts and not do evil deeds (wash in innocence your hands) Was it not in vain that he constantly reproved himself and thus hurt himself (exposed himself to wounds)?

B. Until…he understood their end (72:15-28)

Ps. 72:15-20. Tormented by doubts, the psalmist, however, did not make them “public”, for he realized that if he began to reason aloud in this way, he would harm the people of God (“the generation of your sons”). For a long time he struggled with what confused him, it was difficult for him ... to comprehend this (verse 15-16). Hesitation left the psalmist when he once entered ... into the sanctuary (verse 17).

It seems that at that time he offered up a prayer at the altar, to which he received an answer, and his eyes were opened to the true fate of those who do not fear God. He suddenly realized that their paths are unreliable (“slippery”), and the Lord suddenly overthrows them into the abyss, and their prosperity is fleeting, like a dream.

Ps. 72:21-26. With this "comprehension" another thing came to Asaph, no less important: he realized that only being "ignorant" could doubt the correctness of God's decisions and deeds; when his heart boiled with indignation, and his soul was tormented, he was ... before God, like cattle, unable to think. And now he consoles himself with the knowledge that, although he "slipped", but, in essence, he always remained with God, who holds his right hand (verses 21-23) and gives him advice to which he listens.

And then you will take me to glory can also be read as "you will lead me with glory" (meaning "you will lead me through trials with honor"). In light of the fact that in the Old Testament the concept of glory as applied to individuals rarely meant the glory of heaven, the psalmist here refers rather to his being under the blessings of God throughout his earthly life. Unlike the Old Testament, believers of the New Testament time know that the wicked are punished, and the righteous are rewarded by God outside of earthly existence.

Asaph declares that, apart from God, there is nothing truly desirable for him, either in heaven or on earth (verse 25). Let him suffer physically and mentally (verse 26: My flesh and my heart fails), only in God, with whom he is inseparable (God ... my part forever), does he draw support and strength (He is the stronghold of my heart). In Him is the spiritual wealth of the psalmist, which is much more valuable than the material wealth that many wicked people enjoy, for his wealth is eternal.

Ps. 72:27-28. Now he does not doubt this, as well as the fact that "those who depart from God" are doomed to perish. As a true good for himself, Asaph perceives his desire for God and hope in Him.

It has always been like this: closeness to the Lord has helped and continues to help believers to correctly balance the value of the material and the spiritual and to beware of excessive enthusiasm for the "material" so as not to "depart from God."

The psalm belongs to Asaph, a contemporary of David. In the circumstances of the life of this king, especially in the history of Absalom, his rapid rise and fall, the writer could find material both for the main idea of ​​the content of the psalm, and for some of its private provisions (Ps.72_3, 4, 6, 19).

The Lord is good to the pure in heart. I doubted this truth when I saw the prosperity of the wicked, as a result of which they become arrogant, impudent (1-9). They are followed by the people who come to the point of denying God's providence on earth (10-13). I also experienced hesitation - why do I care about my purity? But I was kept from preaching these hesitations by the consciousness of responsibility towards people (14-15). When I began to ponder and entered the sanctuary, I learned how quickly the fall of such wicked people (16-20). My hesitation was an expression of my ignorance, but now I know that only in God and approaching Him is true life and reward, and those who move away from Him will perish (21-28).

. How good God is to Israel, to the pure in heart!

It represents an introduction to the entire content of the psalm, including the conclusion to which the author came through his doubts and hesitations.

. That is why pride, like a necklace, surrounded them, and insolence, How outfit, dresses them;

The pride of the wicked and the haughty attitude towards others are the result of their outward prosperity.

. their eyes rolled out from fat, thoughts roam in the heart;

"Thoughts wander in the heart"- they freely give themselves over to their inclinations, not caring about checking their purity and consistency with the indications of the will of God.

. lift up their mouth to heaven, and their tongue roams the earth.

"Lift up their lips to heaven"- they look arrogantly at the Commandments of God, considering themselves entitled to evaluate and criticize them, that is, they check the will of God with their judgment, thereby elevating themselves to the place of the supreme legislator.

. Therefore, His people turn there, and they drink water in a full cup,

. and say: “How will he know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?”

The impunity of the wicked and their outward predominance causes imitation among the people. The latter also begins to “drink ... a full cup”, surrender irresistibly to his bad inclinations, and reach the point of doubt: “how will he know?” And “Does the Most High have knowledge?” i.e., is a person under Divine influence and is there justice on earth?

. [And I said:] Was it not in vain that I cleansed my heart and washed my hands in innocence,

. and subjected himself to wounds every day, and reproofs every morning?

. But if I said, “I will reason thus,” then I would be guilty before the generation of your sons.

"Cleanse the heart", "wash in innocence hands", "subject wounds ... and denunciations " It means vigilantly monitoring not only your actions, but also the purity of your thoughts. This concern for spiritual cleanliness requires a constant and strong restraint of one's sinful impulses, which hurts. The facts of the well-being of the wicked, who live according to their own desires and did not care about their moral purity, posed the question to the writer - is there any sense in his self-restraints? Doubts tormented him, but he did not consider himself entitled to publicize these doubts and instill them in others; if he himself does not have firmness in his convictions, then it is his direct duty not to inspire hesitation in others. An act of the latter kind makes him "guilty before the generation of your sons", that is, before the Jews, whom the Lord loves and takes care of, as a father takes care of his children. To instill in them your doubts would mean turning children away from the Father, depriving them of His beneficent and loving care, depriving others of the good to which you yourself have no right.

. And I thought how to comprehend this, but it was difficult in my eyes,

. until I entered into the sanctuary of God and knew their end.

. So! You set them on slippery paths and cast them into the abyss.

. How inadvertently they fell into ruin, disappeared, perished from horrors!

. Like a dream upon awakening, so You, Lord, awakening their, destroy their dreams.

The writer in his observations of reality was one-sided; he judged only on the basis of the facts of the prosperity of the wicked, and did not pay attention to how quickly and unexpectedly they perish, how often their dreams of happiness are deceived.

. Who is in heaven for me? and with you I want nothing on earth.

"Who is in heaven for me?" What can heaven give me if I am not there with God? - "And with you I do not want anything on earth"“I want nothing else on earth but You. The meaning of the whole expression is that the writer does not want to have any other attachments except for God, since apart from Him nothing can give him satisfaction.

. My flesh fails, and my heart fails: God is the rock of my heart, and my part forever.

. For behold, those who separate themselves from Thee perish; You destroy everyone who turns away from You.

. And it is good for me to draw near to God! I have placed my trust in the Lord God, that I may proclaim all thy works [in the gates of the daughter of Zion].

Since those who live outside of God perish, the true good is to draw near to Him. Then a person receives a “part ... forever” (26), that is, an eternal, inalienable reward that remains even after his death, or eternal life.

Psalm to Asaph.

In this psalm, the prophet depicts the groundlessness of people's opinions about the judgments of God, because they are deep, unsearchable and full of great incomprehensibility, and those who do not know the foundations of God about every dispensation fall into absurd thoughts. Therefore, having first depicted to us the very thoughts (the reason for them was given by the well-being of ungodly people, for it is said: "These are all sinners and gossipers"()) later teaches what the end of the wicked themselves will be, so that, knowing this clearly, we are not hindered by the apparent incongruities of what happens in this life.

. If the God of Israel is good with a right heart.

Starting to describe the welfare of people who live wickedly, and for this the cruel punishment prepared for them, he suggests the idea that God is good for the upright, and therefore those who choose the lot of those who live godly should know this, that God will be good for only the upright in heart, and not for those who sin by doing evil. But if the wicked seem to prosper, no one should be embarrassed by this, imagining the punishment that awaits them in the near future.

. As if jealous of the lawless, the world of sinners in vain, etc.

He recounts what caused confusion in his soul, firstly, it was embarrassing that the wicked spend their lives in the deep world, then it was also embarrassing that they prospered all their lives, and their prosperity continues until death, even death they meet such, from which no one will not refuse if you ask him if he wants such a death for himself. He was also embarrassed by the fact that if any enlightening punishment befalls the wicked for sin, then it is not heavy, but light and comfortable. Above all this, he was also embarrassed by the fact that the wicked do not share human labors, do not have the need to work daily to earn the necessary food for themselves, because this labor of human hands is imposed on people, as it were, instead of punishment.

. For the sake of holding on, I pride to the end.

Inasmuch as they enjoy all the blessings and do not experience any evil, then by this very measure they indulged in pride, which made them unjust and impious, so that their wickedness becomes fat and well-fed.

. Transcended into the love of the heart.

Lawful prosperity produced in the soul their crafty habit. From what is it visible? Is it not because they think and speak evil?

. Lies in the height of the verb.

It means the increasing degree of their craftiness, so that they are already blaspheming God himself.

. Put your mouth in heaven.

They utter, they say, blasphemous words against God, while they themselves are humiliated and their tongue is on earth.

. For this sake my people will turn.

For this, those who are exalted will be cast down. The meaning of the speech is this: their punishment will bring some benefit and serve my people to their conversion. For when they see what end awaits the wicked, they will not come to anything like that, knowing clearly that God is watching over the works of men.

And the days of fulfillment will turn into them.

When they acquire such an idea for themselves, then, and only then, will they fulfill the time of their life well, according to what has been said: he rested “full of days” (), that is, all their days were filled with good deeds.

. And deciding: what will you take away?

My people will benefit from the deposition of the wicked. The wicked and lawless men mentioned above were so wicked that those who look at their lives are tempted, perplexed, and say: Does God oversee the deeds of men? For it is said: “What will you take away?” instead of saying: why is it said that God knows our deeds and governs everything, and how can he have knowledge of our deeds?

. These are the sinners and gossips forever, holding back wealth.

The reason for the temptation is exposed in those who see the wicked "gossipers", and it is precisely the fact that in real life they spend the whole century in prosperity.

. And rech: Will food justify my heart in vain?”

And I, he says, seeing this, was indignant with thoughts, thinking to myself: will not my labor for virtue be vain? And this work consists in striving in righteousness, being clean from an unjust deed, punishing oneself for previous sins by confessing them, and, as it were, for this purpose, that is, in order to subject oneself to torment for one’s sins, to rise from the very bed.

Asche verbs, we will sing tacos: behold the generation of your sons transgressed.

I thought to myself as follows: if I communicate to others these thoughts that came to my mind (namely: Will food justify my heart in vain?), then I will be the source of every temptation for them. In doing so, I will transgress the covenants of Your sons, that is, righteous men. And these covenants of the Saints consist in not being the source of temptation for each other.

AND understand this, the work is before me.

Assuming that I know such deep judgments of God, I met with a difficulty for myself, because the judgments are deep and unsearchable. At least, I have determined for myself the proper time for the knowledge of this time, and precisely the time of the judgment of God, when you will reward everyone according to his deeds ().

. Both, for their flattery, thou didst put them evil ...

Knowing the future in a prophetic spirit, I say that the cause of cruel punishments will be for them the wickedness of their temper, because their exaltation will turn into a fall for them. And this real wealth of theirs will be imputed to them, as it were, into the empty and every shade of the subtlest ghosts of dreamers.

. And in thy city thou shalt despise their image.

The city of the Lord is the Jerusalem above; the “image” of “theirs” is the image of Jerusalem on earth. The meaning of the speech is this: since they wear the image of earthly Jerusalem, and not heavenly, they will be humiliated for this, for at that time they will hear: “we do not know you” (), as they do not have His heavenly image on them.

. Like kindling my heart, and my womb will change,

. and I am humiliated, and do not understand.

Because "Jealous for the Lord"(), so that both my heart and my insides were filled with fiery jealousy, then for this very thing I was honored with the fact that I became enlightened, and knew what was done with Your city and with the image of the ungodly. But before that, I was like dumb cattle, unable to penetrate the orders of Providence. However, I was not abandoned by You, O God, and I did not lose hope in You, but I stayed “I take it out with You” (), and did this not by my own strength, but by Your grace. For You Yourself, according to Your love for mankind, took my right hand and supported me and kept me, so that my steps would not move and my feet would not waver in standing before You.

. What do we have in heaven? And why did I desire on earth from Thee?

Since there is nothing for me in heaven but You alone, then by necessity I did not want to accept anything from what exists on earth, because all this is perishable and temporary. I wanted only one thing, and with this desire I tormented myself on earth, and this desire consists in that You become mine, and, moreover, the only part.

. For behold, those who remove themselves from Thee will perish.

I, O Lord, held unity with You, and acted well in this, knowing that the end of those who are outside of You will be destruction, and those who are with You will receive a good part, because when they enter the heavenly Jerusalem, they will get the best inheritance. part is to always enjoy Your chants.

Psalm of Asaph

The psalm belongs to Asaph, a contemporary of David. In the circumstances of the life of this king, especially in the history of Absalom, his rapid rise and fall, the writer could find material both for the main idea of ​​the content of the psalm, and for some of its private provisions (3, 4, 6, 19).

The Lord is good to the pure in heart. I doubted this truth when I saw the prosperity of the wicked, as a result of which they become arrogant, impudent (1-9). They are followed by the people who come to the point of denying God's providence on earth (10-13). I also experienced hesitation - why do I care about my cleanliness? But the realization of my responsibility to people kept me from preaching these hesitations (14-15). When I began to ponder and entered the sanctuary, I learned how quickly the fall of such wicked people (16-20). My hesitation was an expression of my ignorance, but now I know that only in God and approaching Him is true life and reward, and those who move away from Him will perish (21-28).

1 How good God is to Israel, to the pure in heart!

1 st. represents an introduction to the entire content of the psalm, containing the conclusion to which the author came through his doubts and hesitations.

2 And I, my feet almost staggered, my feet almost slipped,
3 I envied the foolish, seeing the prosperity of the wicked,
4 For they suffer no pain until they die, and their strength is strong;
5 in the work of man they are not, and with others people are not hit.
6 Therefore pride surrounded them like a necklace, and boldness, How outfit, dresses them;

6. The pride of the wicked and the haughty attitude towards others are the result of their outward prosperity.

7 their eyes rolled out from fat, thoughts wander in the heart;

7. "Thoughts wander in the heart"- they freely give themselves up to their inclinations, not caring about checking their purity and consistency with the indications of the will of God.

8they scoff at everything, viciously spread slander, speak down;
9lift up their mouth to heaven, and their tongue roams the earth.

9. "Lift up their lips to heaven"- they look arrogantly at the Commandments of God, considering themselves entitled to evaluate and criticize them, that is, they check the will of God with their judgment, thereby elevating themselves to the place of the supreme legislator.

10 Wherefore his people turn to the same place, and drink water in a full cup,
11 and they say, "How does God know? And does the Most High have knowledge?"

11. The impunity of the wicked and their outward predominance causes imitation among the people. The latter also begins to "drink with a full cup", to surrender irresistibly to his bad inclinations, and reach the point of doubt: "how does God know?" And "Does the Most High have knowledge?" i.e., is a person under Divine influence and is there justice on earth?

12 And behold, these wicked men prosper in this age, multiplying riches.
13 [And I said:] Was it not in vain that I cleansed my heart and washed my hands in innocence,
14 And exposed himself to wounds every day, and reproofs every morning?
15 But if I said, "I will reason thus," then I would be guilty before the generation of your sons.

13-15. "To purify the heart, to wash the hands in innocence, to expose oneself to wounds and denunciations" means to vigilantly monitor not only one's actions, but also the purity of one's thoughts. This concern for spiritual cleanliness requires a constant and strong restraint of one's sinful impulses, which hurts. The facts of the well-being of the wicked, who live according to their own desires and did not care about their moral purity, posed the question to the writer - is there any sense in his self-restraints? Doubts tormented him, but he did not consider himself entitled to publicize these doubts and instill them in others; if he himself does not have firmness in his convictions, then it is his direct duty not to inspire hesitation in others. An act of the latter kind makes him "guilty before the generation of your sons," that is, before the Jews, whom the Lord loves and takes care of, as a father does for children. To instill in them your doubts would mean turning children away from the Father, depriving them of His beneficent and loving care, depriving others of the good to which you yourself have no right.

16 And I thought how to understand this, but it was difficult in my eyes,
17 until I entered into the sanctuary of God and knew their end.

18 Yes! You set them on slippery paths and cast them into the abyss.
19 How unexpectedly they came to ruin, disappeared, perished from horrors!
20 As a dream upon awakening, so you, O Lord, awakening their, destroy their dreams.

18-20. The writer in his observations of reality was one-sided; he judged only on the basis of the facts of the prosperity of the wicked, and did not pay attention to how quickly and unexpectedly they perish, how often their dreams of happiness are deceived.

21 When my heart was seething, and my inward part was tormented,
22 Then I was ignorant and did not understand; like cattle I was before you.
23 But I am always with you: you hold my right hand;
24 You guide me with Your counsel, and then you will receive me into glory.
25 Who is in heaven for me? and with you I want nothing on earth.

25. "Who is in heaven for me?" What can heaven give me if I am not there with God? - "And with you I do not want anything on earth"- I want nothing else on earth except You. The meaning of the whole expression is that the writer does not want to have any other attachments besides God, since apart from Him nothing can give him satisfaction.

26 My flesh fails, and my heart fails: God is the rock of my heart, and my part forever.
27 For, behold, those who separate themselves from Thee perish; You destroy everyone who turns away from You.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God! I have placed my trust in the Lord God, that I may proclaim all thy works [in the gates of the daughter of Zion].

27-28. Since those who live outside of God perish, the true good is to draw near to Him. Then a person receives a "part for ever" (26), that is, an eternal, inalienable reward that remains even after his death, or eternal life.