Psalm 73 24

Psalm 73:24 kjv

Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

Psalm 73:24 nkjv

You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.

Psalm 73:24 niv

You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Psalm 73:24 esv

You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.

Psalm 73:24 nlt

You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.

Psalm 73 verses

Psalm 73 24 Meaning

Psalm 73:24 articulates a profound trust in God's ongoing, purposeful guidance in the psalmist's earthly life, culminating in a certain hope of ultimate reception into divine glory beyond this world. It transitions from the psalmist's initial spiritual struggle and envy of the wicked to a renewed and resolute declaration of faith in God's wisdom and eternal care. The verse affirms that God's counsel is not merely advice but an active, guiding power leading to an assured glorious destiny.

Psalm 73 24 Context

Psalm 73 is a psalm of wisdom and lament, penned by Asaph. It opens with Asaph's deep struggle (Ps 73:1-12), acknowledging God's goodness yet wrestling with the prosperity of the wicked. His feet "had almost stumbled" (Ps 73:2) due to envy and bitterness, seeing the godless live carefree lives, seemingly exempt from suffering, while he felt his righteousness was in vain (Ps 73:13-14). The turning point occurs when he enters the "sanctuary of God" (Ps 73:17). It is there, in divine presence, that he gains true perspective, understanding the sudden and fearful end of the wicked (Ps 73:18-20). With this spiritual awakening, his focus shifts entirely to God's unwavering faithfulness. Verse 73:24 expresses this renewed faith: despite past confusion and future uncertainty, God's present guidance will lead to an ultimate glorious reception, contrasting sharply with the wicked's doom.

Psalm 73 24 Word analysis

• You guide (נחה - nāḥāh): This Hebrew verb means to lead, direct, conduct, or cause to go. It signifies more than just advice; it implies active superintendence and assistance in one's path. It is often used of God guiding His people (e.g., Ps 23:3, 77:20). Here, it denotes God's continuous and active direction of the psalmist's life through complex circumstances, ensuring safety and direction.
• me (ני - nî): A simple personal suffix, emphasizing the direct and personal relationship between the psalmist and God. God's guidance is not general but specifically for "me."
• with Your counsel (בַּעֲצָתֶךָ - ba'atsātekā):
  • counsel (עֵצָה - ‘ēṣāh): Refers to advice, wisdom, or a divine plan/purpose. In the biblical context, especially concerning God, it signifies divine wisdom, a settled purpose, an eternal plan, or an infallible directive. It contrasts human, fallible advice. God's ‘ēṣāh is always perfect and unchangeable (Ps 33:11).
  • This phrase means that God's guidance is inherently tied to His wise and sovereign plan. The psalmist is guided not by arbitrary impulse but by God's infinite wisdom.
• and afterward (וְאַחַר - ve’aḥar): This conjunction signifies a temporal sequence or a definitive culmination. It implies a progression: first the present guidance, then the ultimate outcome. It highlights the psalmist's understanding that God's immediate counsel is preparation for a future destiny. It bridges temporal life with eternal hope.
• You will receive me (תִּקָּחֵנִי - tiqqāḥēnî):
  • receive/take (לקח - lāqaḥ): This verb means to take, seize, obtain, or accept. It conveys the idea of God drawing the psalmist to Himself. In other contexts, lāqaḥ can imply a protective taking up (like Enoch, Gen 5:24) or a welcoming acceptance. It assures the psalmist of God's personal invitation and secure welcome.
  • The emphasis is on a personal act of God taking the psalmist into His presence, similar to a parent receiving a child or a bridegroom receiving his bride.
• to glory (לְכָבֽוֹד - lĕkābôd):
  • glory (כָּבֹוד - kābôd): This word fundamentally means "weight," but evolved to signify honor, splendor, majesty, reputation, or manifestation of divine presence. In this context, it speaks of an ultimate, sublime state of honor, blessedness, and dwelling in God's magnificent presence. It points to a blessed existence in the afterlife, a state of spiritual exaltation. It contrasts the transient earthly "glory" of the wicked with eternal divine splendor.
  • This refers to eternal glory, salvation, or being in God's presence in a glorious resurrected state, which stands in stark contrast to the destruction the wicked face. It encapsulates the hope of an eternity with God.
• Word Grouping:
  • "You guide me with Your counsel": This phrase describes God's ongoing, active, and wise involvement in the psalmist's present life. It highlights divine providence and direction based on an eternal, perfect plan. This is a source of immediate comfort and security.
  • "and afterward You will receive me to glory": This phrase points to the ultimate, future culmination of God's guidance. It guarantees not just a safe passage through life but a blessed, glorious, and eternal destination in God's presence, implying acceptance, full restoration, and joy beyond this life's struggles.

Psalm 73 24 Bonus section

The concept of "receive me to glory" has often been linked by biblical scholars to the "taking" of Enoch (Gen 5:24) and Elijah (2 Kgs 2:11), implying a blessed transfer into God's immediate presence without necessarily experiencing death, or certainly, an elevated form of eternal communion beyond the common grave. This hope deeply contrasts with surrounding ancient Near Eastern beliefs where death was often seen as an undesirable descent into a shadowy existence without much hope of personal, glorious interaction with deities. Asaph's declaration asserts a personal, triumphant end facilitated by God's continuous and active wisdom. It also anticipates the New Testament revelation of resurrection to glory and being eternally "with the Lord," highlighting a continuity of divine purpose from the Old Covenant saints to the New. The unwavering certainty conveyed ("You will receive me") is central to its comfort.

Psalm 73 24 Commentary

Psalm 73:24 stands as a beacon of eschatological hope within a psalm of profound personal struggle and theological insight. It resolves the psalmist's former disorientation by declaring absolute confidence in God's sovereign care. The first clause, "You guide me with Your counsel," reveals the daily, active, and personal involvement of God. His "counsel" is His unchanging, perfect wisdom that directs His people through life's perplexities and perils, particularly contrasting the unpredictable path of the wicked. The subsequent clause, "and afterward You will receive me to glory," speaks to a glorious consummation. It guarantees a definitive end in eternal blessedness with God, a secure home, not destruction like the wicked. This "glory" is the antithesis of the fleeting prosperity envied earlier and signifies the believer's final redemption, honor, and everlasting communion with the Divine. The verse thus intertwines God's present guidance with the assurance of a glorious future, showing His continuous purpose from life through eternity.