| Psalm 73 | |
|---|---|
| "Truly God is good to Israel" | |
 Initial for the Gallican version of Psalm 73 from the Golden Psalter of St. Gall (c. 890). | |
| Other name |
|
| Language | Hebrew (original) |
| Psalm 73 | |
|---|---|
← Psalm 72 Psalm 74 → | |
| Book | Book of Psalms |
| Hebrew Bible part | Ketuvim |
| Order in the Hebrew part | 1 |
| Category | Sifrei Emet |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 19 |
Psalm 73 is the 73rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Truly God is good to Israel". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 72. In Latin, it is known as "Quam bonus Israhel Deus his qui recto sunt corde".[1] Psalm 73 is the opening psalm of Book 3 of the Book of Psalms and the second of the "Psalms of Asaph". It has been categorized as one of the Wisdom Psalms",[2] but some writers are hesitant about using this description because of its "strongly personal tone" and the references in the psalm to the temple (verses 10, his people return here, and 17, the sanctuary of God).[3] The psalm reflects on "the Tragedy of the Wicked, and the Blessedness of Trust in God".[4]
The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has been set to music.
Psalm 73 serves as the introductory verse to the third book of Psalms (Psalms 73-89), commencing with the declaration, "Surely God is good to Israel." This initial sentiment stands in stark contrast to the overarching tone of the book, often referred to as 'the dark book of the Psalms.' O. Palmer Robertson characterizes the thematic focus as the devastation accompanying the overrun of Jerusalem. Despite the grim circumstances, the opening verse resolutely affirms the goodness of God towards Israel. Noteworthy is the observation that only a select few Psalms within this collection adopt an individualistic form, with a predominant emphasis on communal expressions [5]
- ^ Parallel Latin/English Psalter, Psalmus 72 (73). Archived 2017-05-07 at the Wayback Machine Medievalist.
- ^ Asaph (2007), Alter, Robert (ed.), The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary, et al., New York & London: W.W. Norton & Co, pp. 252–56.
- ^ Rodd, C. S., 18. Psalms, in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), The Oxford Bible Commentary Archived 2017-11-22 at the Wayback Machine, p. 387
- ^ Sub-title to Psalm 73 in the New King James Version
- ^ The Flow of the Psalms, O Palmer Robertson, P&R Publishing, 2015, pp. 122-126 ISBN 978-1-62995-133-1