Psalm 73:15 kjv
If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
Psalm 73:15 nkjv
If I had said, "I will speak thus," Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
Psalm 73:15 niv
If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children.
Psalm 73:15 esv
If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
Psalm 73:15 nlt
If I had really spoken this way to others,
I would have been a traitor to your people.
Psalm 73 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 18:6 | "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble..." | Warning against causing spiritual stumbling |
| Mark 9:42 | "...whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble..." | Severity of leading others astray |
| Luke 17:1-2 | "...It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! | Accountability for causing offense |
| Rom 14:13 | "Let us not therefore judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block..." | Avoid causing spiritual obstacles |
| 1 Cor 8:9-13 | "...take care lest this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak... sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience..." | Do not harm the conscience of weaker believers |
| Phil 1:10 | "...so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness..." | Avoiding blameworthiness; no cause for offense |
| Mal 2:10 | "Have we not all one Father?...Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant..." | Treachery among covenant people |
| Jer 12:6 | "For even your brothers... even they have dealt treacherously with you." | Treachery within family or community |
| Hos 6:7 | "But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt treacherously with me." | Treachery as covenant violation |
| Deut 6:7 | "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them..." | Responsibility to teach the next generation |
| Prov 22:6 | "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." | Guiding children in righteous paths |
| Joel 1:3 | "Tell your children about it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation." | Passing down faith through generations |
| John 21:15-17 | "Feed My lambs...Tend My sheep...Feed My sheep." | Shepherd's call to nourish the flock |
| Acts 20:28-31 | "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock... From among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things..." | Guarding the flock from wolves/false teachers |
| 1 Tim 4:16 | "Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for in doing so you will save both yourself and those who hear you." | Sound doctrine preserves self and others |
| 2 Tim 2:2 | "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." | Transferring truth to future generations of leaders |
| Prov 18:21 | "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." | Profound impact of spoken words |
| Jas 3:5-6 | "...How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity..." | Destructive potential of speech |
| Ps 77:10-12 | "Then I said, 'It is my anguish; but I will recall the years of the right hand of the Most High.' I will remember the deeds of the Lord..." | Personal resolution after spiritual struggle |
| Job 13:15 | "Though he slay me, yet will I trust Him..." (in context of Job's struggle and questioning) | Maintaining faith amidst hardship and doubt |
| Heb 10:25 | "not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another..." | Mutual encouragement in faith |
| Titus 2:7 | "Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works..." | Importance of a leader's exemplary conduct |
| Jer 1:7 | "But the LORD said to me, 'Do not say, 'I am only a youth'; for to all whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.'" | Divine mandate to speak God's truth |
Psalm 73 verses
Psalm 73 15 Meaning
Psalm 73:15 reveals Asaph's profound spiritual crisis and his averted ethical failure. After struggling with envy and doubt over the prosperity of the wicked and his own suffering, Asaph realizes the severe consequences of expressing these private cynical thoughts publicly. Had he voiced his skepticism about God's justice to others, particularly the impressionable faithful, he would have "betrayed the generation of God's children," causing them to stumble in their faith. This verse marks a pivotal turning point where Asaph's integrity triumphs over his internal anguish, preventing him from undermining the trust and belief of the community, especially the younger or weaker believers, in God's righteousness and faithfulness. It underscores the immense responsibility of those who lead or influence others in the faith.
Psalm 73 15 Context
Psalm 73 is an Asaphic psalm, belonging to the collection known as Book III of the Psalms (Psalms 73-89), many attributed to Asaph or his descendants. This specific psalm plunges into the profound spiritual struggle of the psalmist (Asaph) regarding the prosperity of the wicked. He openly expresses his envy and deep consternation as he observes the apparent ease, health, pride, and impunity of those who defy God (v. 3-12), contrasting it with his own suffering and struggle despite his commitment to purity (v. 13-14). He almost "stumbled" and "his steps had nearly slipped" (v. 2) in his faith. Verse 15 marks the pivotal turning point of the psalm, preceding his visit to the sanctuary where he gains a new, divine perspective (v. 17). It highlights his moral conviction not to infect the faithful community with his own private, unresolved doubts, thus preventing a communal catastrophe of faith. This dilemma resonates across generations, as believers continually face the paradox of evil flourishing while righteousness struggles.
Psalm 73 15 Word analysis
- If I had said: (אִם־אָמַ֥רְתִּי, im-amarti) - 'Im' (if) indicates a hypothetical, counterfactual scenario, meaning this action did not happen. 'Amarti' (I said/had said) is the perfect tense, reflecting a completed but imagined past action. It denotes that Asaph came to the edge of speaking his doubts but chose not to, demonstrating his ethical self-restraint and foresight.
- 'I will speak thus,': (אֲסַפְּרָה־כְמ֖וֹ הֵ֑מָּה, asapperah-k’mo hemah) - 'Asapperah' (I will speak/recount/narrate) from sapar conveys the idea of declaring or proclaiming. 'K'mo hemah' (like them/thus) refers to the sentiments or conclusions that characterized the wicked or his own near-apostate thoughts of v. 11-14 – that God does not know or care, or that seeking purity is futile. This highlights the intention to adopt the language and perspective of cynicism and doubt.
- behold,: (הִנֵּה, hinneh) - An interjection ("Behold!", "Lo!"), drawing immediate attention to the grave consequence that would have followed. It functions as a dramatic pivot, emphasizing the severity and certainty of the ensuing negative outcome.
- I would have betrayed: (בָּגַ֥דְתִּי, bagad'ti) - From the root bagad, a strong Hebrew word meaning to deal treacherously, act faithlessly, betray, or violate a covenant. It's used in contexts of marital unfaithfulness, breaking promises, or abandoning one's loyalties. Here, it implies not just misleading, but a deep act of disloyalty and a breach of trust against God and His people, shaking their foundational beliefs.
- the generation of your children: (בְּד֥וֹר בָּנֶֽיךָ׃, b'dor banekha) - 'Dor' (generation) signifies the current or upcoming segment of the community. 'Banekha' (Your children/sons) refers to God's covenant people, Israel, those who belong to Him. This phrase specifically implies the younger, more impressionable, or spiritually weaker members of the community whose faith could be easily undermined or corrupted by a public declaration of doubt from a respected leader like Asaph. His concern is for the continuity and integrity of faith across generations.
Psalm 73 15 Bonus section
The foresight shown by Asaph in Psalm 73:15 reveals a critical principle of spiritual leadership: the profound impact of words and attitudes on the collective faith of the community. His decision to suppress his personal struggle underscores a deep covenantal loyalty, not just to God but to fellow believers. This pre-emptive self-censorship saved him from the severe judgment warned about by New Testament writers for those who cause the "little ones" to stumble. Asaph's experience implies that public confession of private doubts should often wait until resolution is found (as he found in v. 17 in the sanctuary), lest one's genuine spiritual journey inadvertently lead others into ruin. It emphasizes the pastoral dimension of faith, where personal integrity intertwines with the spiritual safeguarding of the congregation, ensuring the torch of faith is passed undimmed to the next generation.
Psalm 73 15 Commentary
Psalm 73:15 stands as a profound testament to spiritual integrity and the communal responsibility of faith. Asaph, wrestling with profound personal anguish over the seeming injustice in the world, comes to the brink of verbalizing his disillusioned thoughts. The previous verses paint a picture of his near-stumble, where he confesses that his "feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped" (v. 2). His mind was so troubled by the prosperity of the wicked that he concluded his own purity had been in vain (v. 13-14). Yet, at this critical juncture, he consciously holds back. He realizes that articulating his private crisis, his cynicism, and his questioning of God's justice would be an act of betrayal. The target of this betrayal is not just God, but "the generation of your children" – the entire believing community, especially the younger, more vulnerable, and spiritually immature members. Asaph understood that a leader's doubt, if broadcast, could devastate the faith of those who look up to him for guidance. This is not about suppressing honest wrestling with faith, but about discerning the appropriate venue for such struggles. Private wrestling is part of the faith journey, but public dissemination of unresolved doubts, particularly from someone in a position of spiritual influence, can act as a stumbling block, leading others to abandon their trust in God. Asaph's decision here demonstrates spiritual maturity: prioritizing the welfare and steadfastness of the community's faith over venting his own distress. It implies that sometimes, silent struggle is an act of love for others, awaiting divine clarification rather than spreading confusion.