Psalms 10:3 · Bible study
Psalms 10:3 Commentary: The Greedy Heart's Pride and Contempt
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Discover the debated meaning of Psalm 10:3: Does the wicked bless the greedy or renounce God? Explore the Hebrew and scholarly views.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The wicked pridefully celebrates his desires and shows contempt for God.
- Key words: הִלֵּל (praise/glory), תַּאֲוַת (desire), נֶפֶשׁ (soul/appetite), בָּצַע (unjust gain), בָּרַךְ (bless/renounce), נָאַץ (spurn).
- Main debate: Does the second clause describe the wicked blessing another greedy person or himself renouncing God?
- Theological theme: Sin manifests as shameless self-exaltation and denial of God's claim.
- Best use: Teaching on the audacity of sin and the patience of God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD.
WEB World English Bible 2000
For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings. He blesses the greedy and condemns Yahweh.
KJV King James Version 1769
For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, And the covetous renounceth, yea, contemneth Jehovah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Because the wicked hath boasted Of the desire of his soul, And a dishonest gainer he hath blessed, He hath despised Jehovah.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
For the wicked boasteth of his soul's desire, and he blesseth the covetous; he contemneth Jehovah.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For, lo, the wicked have bent their bow: they have prepared their arrows in the quiver, to shoot in the dark the upright of heart.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Por cuanto se alaba el malo del deseo de su alma, y bendice al codicioso, á quien Jehová aborrece.
Pois o perverso se orgulha do desejo de sua alma; ele bendiz ao ganancioso, e blasfema do SENHOR.
Car le méchant se glorifie de sa convoitise,
Denn der Gottlose rühmt sich seines Mutwillens, und der Geizige sagt dem Herrn ab und lästert ihn.
Want de goddeloze roemt over den wens zijner ziel; hij zegent den gierigaard, hij lastert den HEERE.
poiché l’empio si gloria delle brame dell’anima sua, benedice il rapace e disprezza l’Eterno.
Bo się chlubi niezbożnik w pożądliwościach duszy swojej, a łakomy błogosławi sobie a draźni Pana.
Когда разрушены основания, что сделает праведник?
因為 惡人 以 心 願 自誇；貪財的背棄耶和華，並且輕慢他（或譯：他祝福 貪財的，卻輕慢 耶和華）。
For the evil-doer is lifted up because of the purpose of his heart, and he whose mind is fixed on wealth is turned away from the Lord, saying evil against him.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 10:3
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators from multiple traditions agree that this verse exposes the wicked's shameless self-confidence. He glories in the cravings of his heart, displaying no restraint or shame. The second line, however, faces interpretive dispute. Some, following the traditional English rendering, read it as the wicked blessing another greedy person while despising Yahweh. Others, noting that the Hebrew word for 'bless' (ברך) can also mean 'bid farewell' or 'renounce' (as in Job 1:5, 2:9), see the greedy man himself renouncing God. The ASV reflects this: 'the covetous renounceth, yea, contemneth Jehovah.' Yet all interpretations converge on the same core: the wicked's prosperity fuels his arrogance, leading him to reject God. The verse thus sketches the inner logic of sin, pride feeding contempt for the divine.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- The wicked blesses the greedy: Traditional English versions; reads 'greedy' as object of 'bless'.
- The greedy renounces Yahweh: ASV, Keil & Delitzsch; reads 'greedy' as subject of 'bless' meaning 'renounce', with Yahweh as implied object.
- The wicked blesses himself (the greedy): Some Jewish commentators (e.g., Rashi) and Geneva Bible notes; 'greedy' as predicate of the wicked.
What is clear: Regardless of syntactical reading, the verse clearly shows the wicked's brazen attitude—he glories in his desires and ultimately despises God.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The wicked's gloating | All agree the wicked openly takes pride in his desires. | Some see this as boastful celebration of obtaining what he wanted; others read it as bragging about the desire itself, even the craving is a point of pride. |
| The meaning of 'bless' (ברך) | Scholars agree the verb has a range including praise, congratulate, and euphemistic renunciation. | Traditional translations read 'bless' as giving approval to greed; others, citing Job 1:5 and 2:9, understand it as 'bid farewell to' or 'curse', i.e., renounce God. |
| Identity of 'the greedy' (בצע) | All connect the term with unjust gain by violence or fraud. | Is it a separate person the wicked approves, the wicked himself whom he blesses (self-approval), or the subject of the verb ('the greedy renounces')? |
| Overall message | The verse portrays the wicked's complete rejection of God's authority. | Whether the rejection is expressed indirectly (by blessing greed and despising God) or directly (by renouncing God). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 10 is an individual lament, crying out against the apparent absence of God when the wicked oppress the poor. Verses 1, 2 set the scene: the psalmist feels God stands far off while the wicked hunt down the weak in their pride. Verse 3 continues this description.
In the ancient Near East, public gloating about one's desires was a mark of dishonor; a wise man kept such cravings hidden. The wicked in this psalm flaunts his inner fantasies, showing he fears no human or divine censure. The word for 'greedy' (בצע) carries violent overtones, cutting off or plundering by force. The verb 'bless' (ברך) has a broad range: to bless, congratulate, or euphemistically to curse (cf. 1 Samuel 23:21).
The literary context may link Psalm 10 to Psalm 9 in an original acrostic, despite the broken alphabetical sequence. If so, the contrast between God's justice and the wicked's success becomes even sharper. The Geneva Bible (1599) glosses: 'the covetous blesseth himself: he contemneth the Lord,' pointing to the wicked's self-congratulation. The psalmist's complaint is not merely personal but theological: if God is just, how can such brazen evil go unchecked? The succeeding verses (4, 11) elaborate the wicked's self-deception, he thinks God does not see. The historical setting could be any period of oppression; the psalm serves as a template for the faithful to voice their anguish when evil seems to triumph.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants for Psalm 10:3. The variations in English versions arise from different interpretations of the syntax and the semantic range of ברך, not from manuscript divergence.
Reception History
This verse has been read in both Jewish and Christian traditions as a vivid depiction of the arrogant sinner. Early church fathers like Augustine used it to illustrate the carnal mind set against God. Rabbinic commentators such as Rashi identified the boast with Esau, representing Edom's pride. During the Reformation, Calvin referred to the verse as a mirror in which the faithful could recognize the corrupt state of society and turn to God for justice. In modern preaching, the verse often appears in sermons on the problem of evil and the nature of unbelief.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Open pride. The wicked glories in his deepest cravings (v.3a). He makes no attempt to hide what should shame him.
- Twisted values. He blesses greed and despises the Lord (v.3b). His approval falls on what God condemns.
- Impending reversal. Though not explicit in this verse, the psalm as a whole calls on God to act (vv.12, 18). The proud will not stand forever.
Five-point outline
- Shameless self-praise, the wicked puts his evil desires on display.
- Destructive ambition, he covets and takes by violence (בצע implies unjust gain).
- Deceptive blessing, either he approves of greed or he bids farewell to God.
- Open contempt, he spurns Yahweh, treating him as irrelevant.
- Impending judgment, the psalmist trusts God will not forget the humble.
Illustration hooks
- A public figure who brags about cheating the system and mocks those who play by the rules.
- An office culture where the most cutthroat employee is celebrated and ethical coworkers are ridiculed.
- A nation where the wealthy flaunt their riches while oppressing the poor, claiming divine blessing on their greed.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why do some people seem to get away with wrongdoing and even prosper?
- Does God see the injustice around us, or has he turned away?
- How should I respond when I'm tempted to envy the success of the arrogant?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 10 gives voice to the painful question behind many of our own: why does God allow the wicked to thrive? Verse 3 draws a sharp portrait of the ungodly person, pure narcissism. Read the verse aloud, then use these questions to guide group discussion.
Discussion questions
- According to verse 3, what does the wicked take pride in? Why is that so disturbing?
- How would you explain the second line in your own words? What are the possible meanings?
- How does this description match or challenge what you see in society today?
- How does the psalmist's openness in verses 1, 2 shape the way you read verse 3?
- What effect does the wicked's attitude have on the poor and vulnerable (see vv.2,8, 10)?
- Where do you see hope in the psalm? How does the final section (vv.12, 18) answer the opening complaint?
- How can this verse help us pray honestly when we feel injustice is winning?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 15:9 | The enemy said, ‘I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the plunder. My desire will be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword. My hand will destroy them.’ |
| Leviticus 26:30 | I will destroy your high places, and cut down your incense altars, and cast your dead bodies upon the bodies of your idols; and my soul will abhor you. |
| Deuteronomy 29:19 | and it happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, “I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart,” to destroy the moist with the dry. |
| Deuteronomy 32:19 | Yahweh saw and abhorred, because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters. |
| I Samuel 23:21 | Saul said, “You are blessed by Yahweh, for you have had compassion on me. |
| Job 31:24 | “If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’ |
| Psalms 5:6 | You will destroy those who speak lies. Yahweh abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. |
| Psalms 35:21 | Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights that boasting about sin reveals a deeply depraved spirit, and such a person is on the broad road to destruction. He also notes that those who bless the covetous are actually showing hatred toward the Lord, as their carnal mind is at enmity with everything holy.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights that the wicked person shamelessly boasts about his own corrupt passions and desires, treating them as something praiseworthy. When he succeeds, he either congratulates himself or curses God, never acknowledging any higher power. His entire attitude is one of proud self-reliance and contempt for the Lord.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator notes a crucial ambiguity in the word "bless": the wicked man's greedy plunder is not just selfish but amounts to renouncing God, even showing open contempt. An alternative reading has him singing praise over his own desires while still blessing God, but the primary point is that his violence and injustice are a practical denial of Jehovah.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws a sharp moral line: when the wicked boast openly about fulfilling their own cravings, and the greedy person blesses himself rather than God, both are displaying contempt for the Lord. The root sin is self-exaltation that pushes God aside.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads the verse as showing how the wicked celebrate their own selfish cravings, especially the antichrist figure who brags about power, wealth, and false miracles. He also notes that the verse can mean the wicked praise others for gratifying their lusts, and that the covetous person either blesses himself or curses God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the wicked man's deepest desire is his own success in doing evil. By blessing the covetous, the wicked person openly approves of greed and in doing so despises the Lord himself.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that the Hebrew verb translated "blesses" here never means "curse" in biblical Hebrew, as it later does in Talmudic usage. It means to take leave with a blessing and thereby dismiss or abandon someone. The wicked man's entire pattern of thought denies either divine punishment or God's existence.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that while many connect this psalm with Psalm 9 due to its incomplete acrostic pattern, he argues it stands alone. Its distinct theme is the extended suffering of the pious and their shift from lament to petition, ending with confidence that God will hear.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry observes that David's complaint about God standing far off actually reveals how deeply he values God's presence. Yet Henry adds a searching insight: when we accuse God of distance, we may be projecting our own unbelief, since we are the ones who stand far from Him.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley’s point is that the person takes pride in what ought to bring shame—their very sins. He singles out the gratification of their own desires as the specific focus of this boastful attitude, making it a twisted form of self-glory.