Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley, [1754-65], at sacred-texts.com
Psalms 73:1
psa 73:1
A clean heart - To all true Israelites, who love God, and serve him in spirit and truth.
Psalms 73:2
psa 73:2
My feet - My faith in God's providence, was almost overthrown.
Psalms 73:4
psa 73:4
No bands - They are not dragged to death, by the sentence of the magistrate, which they deserve.
Psalms 73:5
psa 73:5
As other men - As good men frequently are.
Psalms 73:8
psa 73:8
And speak - Boasting of their oppressions.
Psalms 73:9
psa 73:9
Against - Against God, blaspheming his name, and deriding his providence. Walketh - Using all manner of liberty, reproaching all sorts of persons.
Psalms 73:10
psa 73:10
Turn - To this wicked company. Waters - And partake of the same prosperity with their leaders. God seems to give them a full cup of consolation, as if he would wring out all his blessings upon them.
Psalms 73:12
psa 73:12
Behold - These seem to be the words of the psalmist, summing up the matter.
Psalms 73:13
psa 73:13
In vain - Hence I was sometimes tempted, to think that religion was a vain, unprofitable thing. True religion is here described by its two principal parts, the cleansing of the heart, and the hands.
Psalms 73:15
psa 73:15
Offend - By grieving, discouraging and tempting them to revolt from God.
Psalms 73:16
psa 73:16
To know - To find out the reason of this providence.
Psalms 73:17
psa 73:17
Until - 'Till I consulted the word of God. He alludes to the practice of those times, which was, in difficult cases to resort to God's sanctuary, and the oracle therein. Their end - There I learned that their prosperity was short.
Psalms 73:19
psa 73:19
Terrors - With God's dreadful judgements unexpectedly seizing upon them.
Psalms 73:20
psa 73:20
They awake - Out of the pleasant dream of this vain life. Despise - Thou shalt make them despicable both to themselves and to all others; raise them to shame, and everlasting contempt. Image - All their felicity and glory, which shall be evidently discerned to be, no real or substantial thing, but a mere image or shadow.
Psalms 73:21
psa 73:21
Pricked - I was deeply wounded with disquieting thoughts.
Psalms 73:22
psa 73:22
Nevertheless - Although I gave thee just cause to cast me off, yet thou didst continue thy care and kindness to me. Hast held - That my faith might not fail.
Psalms 73:27
psa 73:27
Go a whoring - Those who revolt from thee, to work wickedness; which is called whoredom in scripture.