Psalm 73 17

Psalm 73:17 kjv

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

Psalm 73:17 nkjv

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.

Psalm 73:17 niv

till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

Psalm 73:17 esv

until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.

Psalm 73:17 nlt

Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.

Psalm 73 verses

Psalm 73 17 Meaning

Psalm 73:17 marks a pivotal moment in Asaph's spiritual struggle. After observing the apparent prosperity of the wicked and questioning the value of his own righteousness, his perspective completely shifts when he enters the presence of God. This divine encounter, occurring in the "sanctuary," grants him profound spiritual understanding and clarifies the ultimate destiny of those who live without God, revealing their swift and certain downfall despite their present outward success. It is a transition from human perplexity to divine clarity regarding God's justice.

Psalm 73 17 Context

Psalm 73 is a lament and wisdom psalm, one of the "Psalms of Asaph" (Psa 73-83). It begins with Asaph, the psalmist, asserting the goodness of God to "Israel, to those who are pure in heart" (v. 1). However, he immediately contrasts this belief with his profound personal crisis (vv. 2-16). He confesses that his "feet had almost stumbled," and his steps had nearly slipped because he became "envious of the arrogant" and saw "the prosperity of the wicked."

Asaph details the outward success, pride, violence, and apparent immunity to trouble experienced by the wicked. This stark contrast led him to question the value of his own efforts to maintain a pure heart and wash his hands in innocence. He felt his pursuit of righteousness was "in vain" (v. 13) and saw only daily affliction. This deep theological perplexity and spiritual despair climax in verse 16, where he acknowledges that trying to understand this enigma on his own was "too painful for me." It is at this moment of utter intellectual and spiritual impasse that verse 17 marks the dramatic turning point: he ceases his own agonizing reasoning and seeks God's presence. Historically, entering the "sanctuary" often referred to the tabernacle or, later, the Jerusalem Temple, a place of sacrifice, divine counsel from priests, and prophetic word, where God's truth was revealed. This entry into a sacred space, whether physical or spiritual, signified a shift from earthly perspective to a divine one, transforming his understanding.

Psalm 73 17 Word analysis

• until (עַד, ʿad): This word denotes a point in time or a boundary, signifying that Asaph's previous state of confusion and spiritual anguish persisted right up to this specific moment. It implies a necessary pre-condition or a culmination before the change occurred. The transformation was not immediate but followed this critical action.
• I went (בָּאִי, bāʾî): Derived from the verb בּוֹא (bôʾ), meaning "to come, go, enter." This is an intentional, deliberate act by Asaph. It wasn't an accidental stumble but a purposeful journey to a specific place or state. It signifies a decisive turn, an active seeking of God.
• into the sanctuary (אֶל־מִקְדְּשֵׁי, ʾel-miqdāšê):
  • sanctuary (מִקְדָּשׁ, miqdāš): This Hebrew term refers to a holy place, specifically the Tabernacle or later the Temple in Jerusalem. It's where God's presence dwelt, where His divine law was taught, where sacrifices were offered, and where divine counsel was often sought. It represents a place of separation from the profane, a realm where God's perspective can be uniquely accessed. Spiritually, it signifies entering into profound worship or direct communion with God, away from worldly distractions.
  • of God (אֵל, ʾēl): A generic, yet powerful, Hebrew term for God. Its presence here reinforces that this "sanctuary" is distinctively divine, set apart for the worship and revelation of the Almighty. The experience gained therein is thus divine wisdom, not human philosophy.
• then (אָז, ʾāz): A temporal adverb indicating that what follows is a direct consequence of the preceding action. It underscores the immediate causal link: the act of entering the sanctuary directly led to the new understanding. It's the moment of revelation.
• understood I (אֶבִינָה, ʾevînâ): Derived from the verb בִּין (bîn), meaning "to understand, discern, perceive, consider, give attention to." This is more than mere intellectual apprehension; it's a deep, spiritual insight or discernment. It implies a comprehensive grasp of truth, moving beyond superficial appearances to an internal clarity regarding ultimate realities. It’s an enlightened perspective granted by God, rather than gained by human logic alone.
• their end (אַחֲרִיתָם, ʾaḥărîtām):
  • end (אַחֲרִית, ʾaḥărît): This significant Hebrew word refers to the latter end, the outcome, the future, the destiny, or even the posterity. It's not merely the end of their lives, but their ultimate and eternal fate. For the wicked, this implies their judgment, ruin, and utter destruction or perishing, which is contrasted with the secure and blessed future of the righteous.
  • their (-ם, m, possessive suffix): Refers directly to the "wicked" who were the subject of Asaph's previous perplexity in verses 3-16. This understanding specifically applies to those whose apparent prosperity had so deeply troubled him.

Words-group Analysis:

• "until I went into the sanctuary of God": This phrase encapsulates Asaph's deliberate, critical decision to cease his own attempts at understanding and to seek divine truth in the sacred space. It highlights the indispensable role of approaching God in worship, prayer, or quiet contemplation as a prerequisite for gaining spiritual wisdom, particularly when grappling with life's profound enigmas. It suggests that a turning point in spiritual doubt often involves a physical or spiritual shift towards God's dwelling place.
• "then understood I their end": This phrase reveals the immediate and profound result of that act of seeking God. The insight gained was specifically about the ultimate destiny of the wicked. This shows that the resolution to human perplexity often comes from a divine perspective, shifting focus from temporal appearances to eternal realities, revealing that earthly prosperity is fleeting and God's justice will prevail in the "end."

Psalm 73 17 Bonus section

The "sanctuary" in Psalm 73:17 holds dual significance for believers:

1. The Physical Place of Worship: Historically, this refers to the Tabernacle or Temple, where God's presence was specifically manifest and where spiritual instruction was given. This highlights the importance of corporate worship and dwelling in the assembly of believers for gaining clarity and receiving divine revelation.
2. The Spiritual Presence of God: Beyond a physical location, "entering the sanctuary" can also metaphorically represent a deep engagement with God's presence through prayer, meditation on Scripture, or simply an intimate moment of communion with Him. It implies shifting one's focus from worldly distractions and internal doubts to the spiritual realm where God's truth resides.

The turning point Asaph experienced serves as a model for how believers should confront moments of profound spiritual confusion or doubt. Instead of dwelling on the apparent injustices or prosperities of the wicked with human eyes alone, the path to understanding lies in drawing near to God. His presence is the true source of wisdom, re-orienting perspective from what appears to be to what eternally is. It affirms that God’s ways, though often mysterious to human logic, are always ultimately just and good.

Psalm 73 17 Commentary

Psalm 73:17 stands as the thematic core of Asaph's personal theological breakthrough. His deep-seated struggle, born from observing the wicked's flourishing while he suffered, brought him to a crisis of faith. Human reason, though exhaustive, proved incapable of reconciling God's justice with observable injustice (vv. 13-16). The pivotal action was "going into the sanctuary of God." This physical act of entering the sacred space (likely the Temple in Jerusalem) represents much more: it was an act of surrendering his human reasoning, entering into God's immediate presence through prayer, worship, or contemplation of His Word. In that holy sphere, distinct from the world's misleading appearances, God Himself illuminated Asaph's understanding.

The profound revelation he received was concerning "their end"—the ultimate destiny of the wicked. This was not merely their physical death, but their complete and utter ruin, their eternal perishing (as illuminated by later verses like Psa 73:18-20, where they are placed in "slippery places" and "destroyed in a moment"). This divine clarity exposed the deceptive nature of earthly prosperity and shifted Asaph's perspective from short-sighted temporal realities to an eternal one. What seemed like injustice in the short term was now understood within the framework of God's perfect, long-term justice and sovereign plan. This verse underscores that true wisdom regarding spiritual and moral paradoxes comes not from human intellect or worldly observation, but through revelation and communion with God.