Psalms 73:7 Commentary: The Boastful Prosperity of the Wicked

Psalm 73 opens the third book of the Psalter and is attributed to Asaph, a Levite singer from David’s era (though some scholars date the psalm later). Its theme is classic: the prosperity of the wicked troubles the faithful. Verse 7 belongs to a description of the wicked that runs from verses 4 through 12. The writer catalogues their health, freedom from trouble, and arrogant speech.

In ancient Israel, fatness often signified blessing and abundance (Gen 49:20; Deut 32:14). But here the image becomes grotesque: the wicked are not merely prosperous; their prosperity has bloated them. Job 15:27 uses similar language: “he has covered his face with his fatness.” The “heart” in Hebrew thought is the seat of will, emotion, and intellect, not just feeling. The word for “imaginations” (maskiyyot) can mean carved figures or conceits, implying they have manufactured proud thoughts as artisans shape idols.

The verb “they pass over” (averu) suggests transgression, crossing boundaries. The wicked do not just think great thoughts; their thoughts overflow into action and speech that defy God. Psalm 119:70 reinforces this: “Their heart is as callous as the fat.” The hardening of the heart through prosperity is a recurring biblical theme.

The psalmist observes this scene and confesses his own near-stumble (v. 2). He envies what he sees. The historical setting, whether exilic or post-exilic, matters less than the perennial struggle it voices. Readers across centuries have found their own doubts mirrored here.

The Masoretic Text reads “their eyes come out from fat” (יָצָא מֵחֵלֶב עֵינֵימוֹ). The Septuagint and Syriac, however, reflect a different Vorlage: “their iniquity comes forth from the heart” (ἡ ἀδικία αὐτῶν). The Cambridge Bible favors the LXX reading, noting it fits the parallelism better and removes a grammatical anomaly. Keil and Delitzsch defend the MT, arguing the imagery of bloated faces is consistent with Job 15:27. No other significant variants are noted in the consulted sources.

Early Christian exegetes like Augustine read Psalm 73:7 as a depiction of spiritual blindness: prosperity had fattened the wicked to the point where they could not see God. Medieval commentators often allegorized the “fat” as the abundance of temporal goods that choke faith, echoing Jesus’ parable of the sower. In the Reformation, Calvin used the verse to warn against envying the wicked, stressing that outward ease masks inner corruption. Modern interpreters, from Matthew Henry to Keil & Delitzsch, focus on the psychology of the psalmist: the verse captures the moment of near-stumble, before the sanctuary restores perspective. Across traditions, this verse has been quoted in hymns and sermons about the danger of judging God’s favor by material success.

Three-point outline

1. The outward signs of prosperity, The psalmist describes physical abundance that others can see: eyes bulging, bodies full. But this visibility masks a deeper problem.
2. The inner reality of unbelief, “The imaginations of their heart” run wild. Their thoughts know no limit because they answer to no higher authority.
3. The turning point of faith, The psalmist does not stay in envy. Verse 17 marks his entry into the sanctuary, where he gains perspective on their end.

Five-point outline

1. Physical abundance, “Their eyes stand out with fatness”
2. Unrestrained desire, “They have more than heart could wish” (or “their imaginations overflow”)
3. Arrogant speech, Verse 8: “They scoff and speak with malice”
4. Open defiance, Verse 9: “They set their mouth against the heavens”
5. The bitter fruit, Verse 11: “How does God know?”

Illustration hooks

• A successful businessperson who treats ethical boundaries as suggestions, confident that wealth makes them untouchable.
• A social-media influencer whose curated image of perfection hides a life of anxiety and broken relationships.
• A community that equates financial gain with divine favor, leaving the poor or struggling to wonder if God has abandoned them.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Why do people who ignore God often seem to thrive, while faithful believers struggle?
• Does material prosperity automatically mean God’s blessing?
• How can I keep from envying the success of those who act without conscience?

Psalm 73:7 challenges us to look beneath the surface of prosperity. The wicked appear healthy and successful, but the psalmist sees their wealth as a mask for rebellion. Use these questions to explore how we read the world’s apparent rewards in light of God’s eternal justice.

Discussion questions

1. What physical details does the psalmist use to describe the wicked in verse 7? Why do you think he focuses on their appearance?
2. The Hebrew word translated “imaginations” can also mean “idols” or “carved figures.” How does that change your understanding of what the wicked are doing in their hearts?
3. Look at the cross-reference Job 15:27. How does the Bible use the image of fatness to describe both blessing and spiritual dullness?
4. The second line of verse 7 can mean “they have more than heart could wish” (KJV) or “their imaginations overflow” (WEB). Which reading makes more sense in the context of verses 6-9?
5. How does the psalmist’s own struggle with envy (v. 2-3) help you understand the honesty of the Psalms?
6. What “fatness” in your own life, whether material comfort, health, or social status, might be making your heart insensitive to God?
7. After reading the whole psalm, how does the sanctuary (v. 17) change the psalmist’s perspective? How can your community create spaces that help you see things from God’s view?