Psalm 73:4-12
New Catholic Bible
4 [a]They endure no painful suffering;
their bodies are healthy and well fed.
5 They are not plagued with burdens common to all;
the troubles of life do not afflict them.
6 So they wear arrogance like a necklace
and don violence like a robe.
7 Their callous hearts overflow with malice,
and their minds are completely taken up with evil plans.
8 They mock and pour forth their malevolence;
in their haughtiness they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths rage against the heavens
while their tongues are never stilled on the earth.
10 [b]So the people blindly follow them
and find nothing offensive in their words.[c]
11 They say: “How does God know?
Does the Most High notice anything?”
12 Such are the wicked,
as they pile up wealth, without any concerns.
Footnotes
- Psalm 73:4 The psalmist describes the reasons that led the godly to envy the wicked. Evildoers seem to be carefree and unconcerned for the future. They have wealth and power and enjoy freedom of movement and speech. They appear untouched by life’s frustrations: frailty, adversities, diseases, and hard labor. They disregard God and his laws with apparent impunity. They decree what can be done on earth and even what God can do in heaven. In short, it seems that God lets the wicked get away with their wickedness. Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8.
- Psalm 73:10 From the mistaken viewpoint of an afflicted person, the wicked enjoy power, glory, and prosperity without end.
- Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is unclear. Another translation is: “So the people turn to them / and find no fault in them.”
