Psalms 73:6 Meaning: Pride as a Chain, Violence as a Garment
Therefore pride is like a chain around their neck. Violence covers them like a garment.
Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck; Violence covereth them as a garment.
Therefore hath pride encircled them, Violence covereth them as a dress.
Therefore pride encompasseth them as a neck-chain, violence covereth them [as] a garment;
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 73:6 explains why the wicked prosper: they wear pride as a necklace and violence as clothing. But these ornaments become chains that bind them.
Context
Psalm 73 opens with a confession. The psalmist nearly lost his footing because he envied the arrogant. They seemed to have no struggles. Their strength was firm, and they were free from the burdens that plagued everyone else. So what did prosperity produce in them? Verse 6 gives the answer. Their pride became like a chain around their neck, something they wore openly, perhaps even proudly. And violence covered them like a garment, as natural as the clothes on their back. The psalmist saw their outward success, but he had not yet seen their end. This verse captures the moment before his turning point, when he still saw only the surface.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for chain is עֲנָק (anaq), which means a necklace or ornament. It is the same word used for the gold chain Pharaoh put around Joseph’s neck. So the wicked wear their pride like jewelry, something they chose, something that makes them look important. But the image also carries a darker note. A necklace can become a noose. The word for pride, גַּאֲוָה (ga'avah), suggests a swelling, like the sea rising up. It is majesty twisted into haughtiness. And violence is חָמָס (chamas), the same word used for the cruelty that filled the earth before the flood. It covers them like a garment, יַעֲטָף (ya'atof), wrapping them completely. They are clothed in injustice. The tragedy is that they do not see that their ornament is a chain and their clothing is a shroud.
How Christians Read This Verse
Matthew Henry describes this as “unsanctified prosperity”, prosperity that does not lead to thankfulness but to pride. Adam Clarke points out that the chain may allude to the gold chains worn by magistrates as signs of office. But these same chains, he notes, were used to oppress the poor. Barnes emphasizes that the metaphor shows pride as something conspicuous, worn on a haughty neck. And Gill takes it further: those bound by pride are slaves to it, chained by their own conceit. Across traditions, Christians have seen in this verse a warning: the very things the wicked display as ornaments become the instruments of their bondage.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
This verse invites you to check your own accessories. What do you wear that others notice? Is it pride in your achievements, your reputation, your spiritual status? That necklace may feel like an ornament, but it can tighten without warning. And what about the way you treat people when you feel powerful, even in small ways? That is your garment. Maybe this week, ask God to show you one “chain” you have been wearing. Not so you can feel guilty, but so you can take it off. The psalmist later sees the end of the wicked; you already know yours is secure in Christ.
Main takeaway: Pride looks like an ornament until you realize it is a chain, and violence worn long enough becomes a second skin.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Have you ever worn a necklace that looked pretty but was too tight? That is what pride is like. It can look good, but it hurts you inside. God wants us to be gentle, not puffed up.
For ages 9, 12
This verse says the wicked wear pride around their neck like a chain. People might think it makes them look important, but really it is a trap. And violence covers them like a jacket, something they put on every day. But God sees what is underneath. He wants you to wear kindness and humility instead of pride. You can ask Him to help you take off the chains you didn't even know you had on.
Questions People Ask
What does the chain around the neck mean in Psalm 73:6?
The Hebrew word for chain actually means a necklace or ornament. The wicked wear their pride like jewelry, something they display. But the image also suggests bondage: what looks like an ornament is really a chain that binds them.
Is the chain a sign of prosperity or a symbol of slavery?
It is both. Commentators note that chains were worn as badges of office or honor (like Joseph’s gold chain). But in this verse, the chain represents the pride that comes from prosperity, and that pride enslaves the person. The same item can be both jewelry and a fetter.
What does it mean that violence covers them like a garment?
The word for garment (shit) is a covering. Just as clothes are always on a person, violence is always on them. It means their cruelty is not occasional but constant, it is their identity. They are wrapped in injustice the way you are wrapped in your coat.
How does verse 6 fit into the overall message of Psalm 73?
The psalmist is describing why he envied the wicked. They seemed to have no struggles (vv. 4-5), and the result was unrestrained pride and violence (v. 6). Later in the psalm (v. 17), he goes into the sanctuary and understands their end, sudden destruction. So verse 6 captures the deceptive surface before the deeper truth is revealed.
Does this verse say that all rich people are proud and violent?
No. The psalmist is describing a specific group, the arrogant who prosper and use their power to oppress. Not all prosperity leads to pride. The verse warns us to examine our own hearts, not to judge others’ bank accounts.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study