Psalms 73:15
in Psalms 73If I had said, “I will speak this way,” then I would have betrayed Your children.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If I had said, I will speak thus; Behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children.
KJV
If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
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This verse in Psalms 73
Commentary
9 notes on this verseIf I say, I will speak thus. It is not always wise to speak one's thoughts; if they remain within, they will only injure ourselves; but once uttered, their mischief may be great. From such a man as the psalmist, the utterance which his discontent suggested would have been a heavy blow and deep discouragement to the whole brotherhood. He dared not, therefore, come to such a resolution, but paused, and would not decide to declare his feelings. It was well, for in his case second thoughts were by far the best.
This site's exposition
I would have betrayed Your children
on Psalms 73:15-16
He keeps the complaint to himself, since saying it would have betrayed God's children. Trying to work it out by thinking left him troubled in his own sight. The problem outlasted his reasoning.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"If I said, I shall declare thus; behold, the generation of Your sons I have reprobated" [Psalm 73:15]: that is, I will teach thus. How will you teach? That there is no knowledge in the Most High, that God does not know? Will you propound this opinion, that without cause men live justly who do live justly; that a just man has lost his service, because God does more show favour to evil men, or else He does care for no one? Will you tell this, declare this? He does restrain himself by an authority repressing him. What authority? A man wishes some time to break out in this sentiment: but he is recalled by the Scriptures directing us always to live well, saying, that God does care for things human, that He makes a distinction between a godly man and an ungodly man. Therefore this man also wishing to put forth this sentiment, does recollect himself. And what says he? "I have reprobated the generation of Your sons." If I shall declare thus, the generation of just men I shall reprobate. As also some copies have it, "Behold, the generation of your sons with which I have been in concert:" that is, with which consisting of Your sons I have been in concert; that is, with which I have agreed, to which I have been conformed: I have been out of time with all, if so I teach. For he does sing in concert who gives the tune together; but he that gives not the tune together does not sing in concert. Am I to say something different from that which Abraham said, from that which Isaac said, from that which Jacob said, from that which the Prophets said? For all they said that God does care for things human, am I to say that He cares not? Is there greater wisdom in me than in them? Greater understanding in me than in them? A most wholesome authority has called back his thought from ungodliness.
A commentator
Ambrose of MilanInterrogation of Job and David, Book 3, Chapter VI · Written before 397.
proposed
And therefore I conferred with my heart and I said to myself, "if I will speak thus, that I have justified my heart in vain," and the voice of God replied to me and said, "Behold the generation of your children, to which I have made distribution." This means: Behold, you find in the Scriptures, O you son of Adam, that I have made distribution to the generation of your children, that wealth may be granted to the wicked simply by chance and not from some merit.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Though he thought amiss, he took care not to utter that evil thought which he had conceived. Note, It is bad to think ill, but it is worse to speak it, for that is giving the evil thought an imprimatur--a sanction; it is allowing it, giving consent to it, and publishing it for the infection of others.
If I say, I will speak thus,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
If I say, I will speak thus. It is not always wise to speak one's thoughts; if they remain within, they will only injure ourselves; but once uttered, their mischief may be great. From such a man as the psalmist, the utterance which his discontent suggested would have been a heavy blow and deep discouragement to the whole brotherhood. He dared not, therefore, come to such a resolution, but paused, and would not decide to declare his feelings. It was well, for in his case second thoughts were by far the best. I should offend against the generation of thy children. I should scandalise them, grieve them, and perhaps cause them to offend also. We ought to look at the consequences of our speech to all others, and especially to the church of God. Woe unto the man by whom offence cometh! Rash, undigested, ill considered speech, is responsible for much of the heart burning and trouble in the churches. Would to God that, like Asaph, men would bridle their tongues. Where we have any suspicion of being wrong, it is better to be silent; it can do no harm to be quiet, and it may do serious damage to spread abroad our hastily formed opinions. To grieve the children of God by appearing to act perfidiously and betray the truth, is a sin so heinous, that if the consciences of heresy mongers were not seared as with a hot iron, they would not be so glib as they are to publish abroad their novelties. Expressions which convey the impression that the Lord acts unjustly or unkindly, especially if they fall from the lips of men of known character and experience, are as dangerous as firebrands among stubble; they are used for blasphemous purposes by the ill disposed; and the timid and trembling are sure to be cast down thereby, and to find reason for yet deeper distress of soul.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
If I say, I will speak thus - I have at last discovered that I have reasoned incorrectly; and that I have the uniform testimony of all thy children against me. From generation to generation they have testified that the Judge of all the earth does right; they have trusted in thee, and were never confounded. They also met with afflictions and sore trials, but thou didst bring them safely through all, didst sustain them in the worst, and sanctifiedst the whole to their eternal good.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
If I say, I will speak thus - If I should resolve to give expression to my feelings. If I should utter all that is passing in my mind and my heart. It is implied here that he had “not” given utterance to these thoughts, but had confined them to his own bosom. He knew how they might be regarded by others; how others might be led to feel as if no confidence was to be placed in God; how this might suggest thoughts to them which would not otherwise occur to them, and which would only tend to fill their minds with distress; how such thoughts might unsettle the foundations of their faith, their peace, their hope, and their joy. I should offend against the generation of thy children - The word rendered “I should offend,” means to treat perfidiously, or in a faithless or treacherous manner. Then it means, “to deal falsely with.” And this is the meaning here; “I should not be “true” to them; I should not be “faithful” to their real interests; I should do that which would be equivalent to dealing with them in a false and perfidious manner.” The idea is, that he “ought” not to say or do anything which would tend to lessen their confidence in God, or which would suggest to their minds grounds of distrust in God, or which would disturb their peace and hope. This was alike an act of justice and benevolence on his part. Whatever might be his own troubles and doubts, he had no “right” to fill their minds with doubts and distrust of God; and he felt that, as it was desirable that the minds of others should not be harassed as his own had been, it could not be kind to suggest such thoughts. This, however, should not forbid anyone from mentioning such difficulties to another for the purpose of having them removed. […]
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
and my chastisement appears all day; constantly, from morning to morning, new troubles are renewed.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| אָ֭מַרְתִּי | ʾamarti | I had said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲסַפְּרָ֥ה | ʾasaperah | I will speak | H5608 → | 159 times |
| כְמ֑וֹ | khemo | like | H3644 → | 143 times |
| הִנֵּ֤ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| ד֭וֹר | dor | [the] generation of | H1755 → | 167 times |
| בָּנֶ֣יךָ | baneikha | children your | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| בָגָֽדְתִּי׃ | vagadeti | I dealt treacherously with | H898 → | 49 times |
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
אָ֭מַרְתִּיI had said
ʾamartiH559 →5305 times
אֲסַפְּרָ֥הI will speak
ʾasaperahH5608 →159 times
כְמ֑וֹlike
khemoH3644 →143 times
הִנֵּ֤הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
ד֭וֹר[the] generation of
dorH1755 →167 times
בָּנֶ֣יךָchildren your
baneikhaH1121 →4930 times
בָגָֽדְתִּי׃I dealt treacherously with
vagadetiH898 →49 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 24:6Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face, O God of Jacob. Selah
it leads to
- Psalms 27:8
My heart said, “Seek His face.” Your face, O LORD, I will seek.
- Psalms 105:4
Seek out the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.
- Psalms 27:8
Through
Romans 14:15If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 8:11–12
So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
- Galatians 5:13
For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
- Philippians 2:2–4
then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
- 1 Corinthians 8:1
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
- 1 Corinthians 8:11–12
Through
Psalms 14:5There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous.
it leads to
- Psalms 112:2
His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
- Psalms 112:2
Through
Malachi 2:8But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.
it leads to
- Nehemiah 13:29
Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
- Nehemiah 13:29
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Interrogation of Job and David, Book 3, Chapter VI; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 73; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.