Psalm 73 20

Psalm 73:20 kjv

As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.

Psalm 73:20 nkjv

As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image.

Psalm 73:20 niv

They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.

Psalm 73:20 esv

Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.

Psalm 73:20 nlt

When you arise, O Lord,
you will laugh at their silly ideas
as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

Psalm 73 verses

Psalm 73 20 Meaning

Psalm 73:20 profoundly expresses the transient and illusory nature of the wicked's prosperity, contrasting it sharply with God's ultimate justice. Their perceived success, power, and wealth are depicted as no more substantial than a dream that instantly vanishes upon awakening. When the Lord actively "arouses Himself" to intervene, He will treat their impressive-looking existence, their "phantom image," with utter contempt, revealing it as mere nothingness and worthlessness.

Psalm 73 20 Context

Psalm 73 is a wisdom psalm written by Asaph, expressing his deep personal struggle with the problem of evil and divine justice. The psalmist begins by affirming God's goodness (v. 1), but quickly confesses his own stumble and near fall as he observed the seemingly undisturbed prosperity and arrogance of the wicked (vv. 2-12). They were proud, violent, mockers of God, yet thrived. This led Asaph to question the value of his own piety (vv. 13-14). The pivotal turning point comes when he enters the sanctuary of God (v. 17), gaining divine perspective. It is there he understands "their end." Verses 18-19 reveal their perilous standing, set on "slippery places" destined for "sudden terror." Verse 20, building on this revelation, graphically illustrates the manner of their demise: it will be as fleeting and insubstantial as a forgotten dream. This realization profoundly reorients Asaph, transforming his despair into renewed trust and joy in God's presence (vv. 21-28).

Psalm 73 20 Word analysis

• Like a dream (חֲלוֹם, ḥalôm): This Hebrew word denotes a dream, emphasizing its vivid but ephemeral quality. It is a powerful metaphor for the wicked's transient prosperity and superficial existence. While it may appear real and impactful during sleep, it entirely vanishes, leaving no substance, upon awakening.
• when one awakens (מֵהָקִיץ, mēhāqîṣ): This phrase indicates the abrupt and total disappearance of the dream. The act of waking causes the complete dissolution of the dream's reality. It highlights the sudden and inevitable nature of the wicked's downfall, brought about not by gradual decay, but by a sudden, decisive change.
• O Lord (אֲדֹנָי, Adonai): This divine name, used by Asaph here, emphasizes God's sovereign mastery and authority. It acknowledges that the ultimate power to effect this change, to judge and expose the illusion of the wicked, rests solely with the true Master of all creation. It grounds the future action in God's immutable character and justice.
• so when You arouse Yourself (כָּהֵקִיץ׀ כַּתָּקִיץ, kāhēqîṣ/kattāqîṣ): The root (קוּץ, qūṣ) is the same as "awakens" (for a person), but applied to God, it means "to rouse oneself," "to stir up," or "to awaken to action." This is an anthropomorphism portraying God's active, conscious, and decisive intervention in the affairs of humanity. It is not a passive or unconscious process but a deliberate act of divine judgment. This emphasizes that their destruction is not arbitrary but a result of God's deliberate will.
• You will despise (תִּבְזֶה, tibzeh): From the root בָּזָה (bāzāh), meaning to scorn, to treat with contempt, to regard as worthless or insignificant. This verb conveys a strong sense of divine rejection and disdain. It's more than just ignoring; it's actively holding something in utter contempt because it has no intrinsic value. It suggests God sees through their superficial display to the emptiness beneath.
• their phantom image (צַלְמָם, ṣalmām): The word צֶלֶם (tselem) literally means "image," "likeness," or "form." Here, in the context of the wicked's prosperity, it signifies their external appearance of grandeur, success, or substance, which is utterly hollow. It refers to the delusion they perpetuate and perhaps even believe about themselves. It can carry a subtle polemical undertone, given the use of tselem for idols. Just as pagan idols (images) are devoid of life and power, so too the "image" or perceived reality of the wicked is ultimately powerless and valueless before God. It refers to their outward show, which God regards as illusory.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Like a dream when one awakens, O Lord...": This establishes the powerful simile, highlighting the sudden and complete vanishing of the dream. The address "O Lord" pivots the metaphor to divine action, indicating that God is the agent causing this "awakening" to happen on a grand scale, unveiling reality.
• "...so when You arouse Yourself...": This connects God's action directly to the preceding metaphor. God's "arousing Himself" is the divine equivalent of "one awakening," initiating the disappearance of the illusion. It portrays God as deliberately intervening, not just passively observing.
• "...You will despise their phantom image.": This concludes the thought, stating the definitive outcome of God's intervention. The "phantom image" is revealed as the core of the wicked's worthlessness in God's eyes. It underscores that God’s judgment is not merely an end to their lives but a devaluation and active rejection of everything they stood for or achieved apart from Him. Their "image"—their perceived worth, status, and power—is what God utterly disdains.

Psalm 73 20 Bonus section

The Hebrew word ṣelem ("image," "phantom image") found in this verse also appears notably in Gen 1:26-27, where humanity is created in God's "image." This subtle connection provides a stark contrast: humanity is created in a true and substantial divine image, meant for eternal fellowship, whereas the wicked pursue and glory in a "phantom image" (of self, power, or wealth) that is utterly insubstantial and will be despised by God. Their life, built on illusion, contrasts with the true existence of those living in genuine fellowship with God. Furthermore, the use of the same verb root (קוּץ) for "one awakens" (man) and "You arouse Yourself" (God) implies a perfect mirroring in action. God's act of justice is as natural, complete, and inevitable as a person waking from sleep. It's an active dissolution, not a passive decay.

Psalm 73 20 Commentary

Psalm 73:20 functions as a declarative verdict, revealing the true nature and ultimate fate of the wicked from God's eternal perspective, which the psalmist grasped in the sanctuary. The brilliance of this verse lies in its potent simile: the formidable, envy-inducing prosperity of the unrighteous is revealed as nothing more than a fleeting dream. While a dream can feel incredibly real and vivid in the moment, it disintegrates utterly, leaving no trace or substance, upon waking. This illustrates that the wicked's successes are built on illusion, lacking any genuine, enduring foundation.

The shift in agent from "one awakens" to "when You arouse Yourself, O Lord" is crucial. It asserts divine agency. It's not that the wicked's fortunes merely fade away naturally; rather, God deliberately intervenes and reveals their utter worthlessness. God, who seems to have been asleep or silent during their brazen acts, now "arouses" Himself. This is an active, decisive move on His part, bringing His sovereign justice to bear. When God acts, He "despises" their "phantom image"—not just their wealth, but their entire false reality, their inflated sense of self-importance, and any perceived substance they possess outside of God. This contempt signifies their worthlessness in the divine economy. The superficial splendor vanishes, leaving behind the true emptiness and insubstantiality that God saw all along. This revelation validates the suffering of the righteous and restores the psalmist's trust in God's perfect judgment.

Practical Example: Imagine a beautifully crafted sandcastle at the beach. To children playing, it's a mighty fortress, an empire. But when the tide—God's action—comes in, the elaborate "image" instantly melts back into worthless sand. All the perceived strength, effort, and glory vanish, revealed as nothing but a temporary illusion that can't withstand reality.