Psalms 73:18 Meaning: Slippery Places
Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction.
Only, in slippery places Thou dost set them, Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations.
Truly thou settest them in slippery places, thou castest them down in ruins.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God set the wicked on slippery ground? Psalm 73:18 reveals the answer that resolved the psalmist's greatest doubt.
Context
The psalmist of Psalm 73 almost lost his faith. He watched the wicked flourish while the righteous suffered. It made no sense to him. Then he went into God's sanctuary. There his eyes opened. He saw not their present success but their end. Verse 18 is the turning point, the conclusion he had been missing. God does place them in instability. Their prosperity has a hidden weakness. The whole psalm traces a journey from confusion to clarity, and this verse holds the key.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for "surely" here is 'akh (אַךְ). It usually means "indeed" or "only." The psalmist uses it like a man who has finally figured something out. After all his turmoil, this is the truth he lands on.
The word for "slippery places" is chalakot (חֲלָקוֹת). It pictures ground so smooth you cannot stand, like ice on a steep hill. The wicked may look secure, but their footing is an illusion. One misstep and everything gives way.
And the word for "destruction" is mashshu'ah (מַשּׁוּאָה). It means desolation, ruins. The same word appears only once more in the Old Testament, in Psalm 74:3, where it describes the sanctuary lying in rubble. Their end is not a small stumble. It is total collapse.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions read this verse as a resolution to the ancient problem of evil. Reformed commentators like Calvin emphasize that God's hidden purpose will finally vindicate his justice, even if we cannot see it now. Matthew Henry, the Puritan pastor, saw it as the psalmist's personal victory over temptation: he stopped judging by sight and started trusting God's word.
Wesleyan writers like Adam Clarke take the image of slippery places as a warning to the rich. Affluence itself is perilous, he argued; it takes grace to hold onto faith in the middle of wealth. Catholic and Orthodox readers have often paired this verse with Jesus' warnings about the deceitfulness of riches (Mark 4:19). All agree on one thing: the psalmist was right to wait for the sanctuary's perspective.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this verse and think God is gleefully pushing people to destruction. That misses the point. The psalmist is describing what he learned in the sanctuary, not God's cruelty but his justice. The wicked set themselves on slippery ground by their choices. God simply lets their path run its course. The verse reveals not a vengeful God but a patient one, and a sobering truth about sin's natural end.
Living This Out
This week someone may cross your path who seems to get away with everything. A coworker who lies their way to a promotion. A neighbor who cuts corners and prospers. Your heart will feel what the psalmist felt, that old, hot envy.
Before you speak or act on that feeling, remember the sanctuary. You do not see the end. You only see the slippery places they stand on, not the ground beneath your own feet. Trust what you cannot see. The God who holds your hand (verse 23) will not let you slip away. Wait on him.
Main takeaway: What looks like solid ground for the wicked is only a slippery place; their end is destruction, and God's justice holds firm.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Have you ever stepped on ice and almost fell? That is what it feels like when someone does wrong things and thinks they will never get caught. God keeps you safe if you stay with Him.
For ages 9, 12
The psalmist was confused because bad people seemed to have easy lives. But God showed him that their success was like standing on ice, it looks strong but can crack any second. God does not punish instantly, but He never forgets. Your job is not to envy them but to keep trusting Him. He holds your hand, and His grip never slips.
Questions People Ask
What does 'slippery places' mean in Psalm 73:18?
It means a position that looks secure but is actually unstable. The wicked may prosper now, but their footing is treacherous, like standing on ice or a smooth rock. Any moment they could fall into ruin.
Why does God set them in slippery places? Does He cause them to sin?
God does not cause people to sin. The image shows that God, in His justice, allows the wicked to follow their own path to its natural end. Their choices lead them to unstable ground, and God's judgment eventually catches up.
How does this verse solve the problem of why the wicked prosper?
The psalmist was troubled because he only looked at the present. In the sanctuary, he saw the end. The prosperity of the wicked is temporary and hollow. God's justice may be delayed, but it is certain. That changed the psalmist's whole perspective.
Is this verse only about rich people?
Not only about the rich, but often linked to wealth because riches can create a false sense of security. The key is anyone who trusts in their own success instead of God. Their apparent stability is deceptive.
Does this verse promise that every wicked person will be destroyed suddenly?
It describes a pattern, not a promise for every single case. Some experience sudden downfall, others a gradual one. The point is that judgment is real and final, not that it always happens the same way.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study