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Psalm 73:3
For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
1A Psalm by Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2But as for me, my feet were almost gone. My steps had nearly slipped.
3For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4For there are no struggles in their death, but their strength is firm.
5They are free from burdens of men, neither are they plagued like other men.
Notice
The prosperity of the wicked catches Asaph's eye, exposing how someone else's success can become desirable even when their conduct deserves no admiration.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What kind of prosperity could make arrogance seem worth overlooking to you?
Write on thisHow does Asaph's admission of envy differ from a complaint about unfairness?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Psalm 37:1By David. Don’t fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness.Psalm 37 warns against envy of those who do wrong; Asaph admits that their prosperity drew him into that envy.
Job 21:7“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?Job asks why the wicked grow old and powerful, while Asaph describes envying the prosperity he sees among them.
Jeremiah 12:1You are righteous, LORD, when I contend with you; yet I would like to plead a case with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all at ease …Jeremiah questions why the wicked prosper and live at ease, the same prosperity that Asaph names as the occasion for his envy.
Psalm 37:7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Don’t fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.Both passages face the prosperity of people who do wrong; Psalm 37 counsels rest in the LORD where Asaph describes envy.
Proverbs 23:17Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear the LORD all day long.Proverbs warns against letting the heart envy sinners, and Asaph acknowledges that he envied the arrogant when he saw their prosperity.
Proverbs 24:1Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;Proverbs forbids envy of evil men, while Asaph names their prosperity as what caught his eye and drew his envy.
Proverbs 24:19Don’t fret yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious of the wicked;The warning against envying the wicked addresses the response Asaph confesses when he sees them prosper.
Psalm 73:21For my soul was grieved. I was embittered in my heart.Both verses record Asaph's account of his inner life: envy at the wicked's prosperity here, grief and bitterness later in the psalm.
Ecclesiastes 9:2All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to …Both texts describe circumstances shared across moral lines: the wicked have prosperity in the psalm, and righteous and wicked share one event in Ecclesiastes.
Proverbs 3:31Don’t envy the man of violence. Choose none of his ways.Proverbs warns against envying a violent man; Asaph's confession concerns the related temptation to envy the prosperity of the wicked.
James 4:5Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously”?The link is limited to envy and jealousy language; James speaks of the Spirit, while Asaph describes his envy of prosperous people.
Ecclesiastes 8:14There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men …Both passages describe wicked people receiving desirable outcomes, with Ecclesiastes also observing righteous people receiving what the wicked deserve.
Where this verse fits
Envy and comparison. injustice and anger. doubt.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
Asaph admits his envy and the prosperity that provoked it. The psalm leaves that struggle in plain sight, even after affirming that God is good.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).