Psalm 73:27 kjv
For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
Psalm 73:27 nkjv
For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
Psalm 73:27 niv
Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
Psalm 73:27 esv
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
Psalm 73:27 nlt
Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
Psalm 73 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 1:6 | For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. | Contrast righteous's way vs wicked's perishing. |
| Ps 5:6 | You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. | God's active destruction of the wicked. |
| Ps 9:5-6 | You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever... their memorial has perished with them. | God's historical judgment on wicked nations. |
| Ps 11:5-6 | The LORD tests the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. On the wicked He will rain snares, fire, and brimstone… | Divine judgment on the wicked. |
| Ps 37:20 | But the wicked will perish; And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures... they vanish; like smoke they vanish away. | Wicked vanish and perish like smoke. |
| Prov 1:32 | For the apostasy of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. | Internal consequences of rejecting wisdom. |
| Isa 1:28 | But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together, and those who forsake the LORD will be consumed. | Forsaking God leads to consumption. |
| Isa 59:2 | But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you... | Sin creating spiritual distance. |
| Jer 2:13 | For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. | Forsaking God is spiritual infidelity. |
| Ezek 6:9 | Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because I have been crushed by their adulterous hearts which have turned away from Me... | Spiritual harlotry/adultery against God. |
| Hos 1:2 | ...for the land commits great harlotry by departing from the LORD. | Israel's spiritual departure as harlotry. |
| Nah 1:2-3 | The LORD is a jealous God and avenging; the LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies... | God's nature as avenging judge. |
| Mal 4:1 | “For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." | Eschatological destruction of evildoers. |
| Matt 7:23 | And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ | Separation from Christ due to spiritual unfaithfulness. |
| Matt 13:40-42 | So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels... and they will throw them into the furnace of fire... | Ultimate judgment and destruction of the wicked. |
| Rom 2:8-9 | ...but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil... | Wrath and distress for disobedience. |
| 2 Thes 1:7-9 | ...when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction... | Eternal destruction for those who reject God. |
| Eph 2:12-13 | Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near... | Spiritual state of being "far off" from God. |
| Col 1:21-22 | And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His body of flesh through death, in order to present you before Him holy... | Formerly alienated, now reconciled to God. |
| Heb 10:26-27 | For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. | Consequences of willful unfaithfulness after knowledge. |
| Jas 4:4 | You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. | Friendship with world equals spiritual adultery against God. |
| Rev 20:14-15 | Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. | Final judgment and eternal separation (second death). |
Psalm 73 verses
Psalm 73 27 Meaning
Psalm 73:27 is a powerful declaration from Asaph, concluding his journey from doubt to firm faith in God's justice. It unequivocally states the ultimate fate of those who deliberately separate themselves from God through spiritual unfaithfulness: they will perish and be destroyed by God's hand. It highlights that distance from God is not merely geographical but relational, manifested as covenant infidelity, which incurs divine judgment and leads to complete ruin.
Psalm 73 27 Context
Psalm 73 opens with the psalmist, Asaph, in a state of crisis, struggling with the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous. He confesses that his "feet had almost stumbled" (Ps 73:2-3) as he envied the arrogant. His deep spiritual turmoil is rooted in his struggle with God's justice. The turning point occurs when he enters "the sanctuary of God" (Ps 73:17), where his perspective shifts. He then understands "their end" (Ps 73:17) – the sudden and utter destruction awaiting the wicked. Having overcome his initial confusion and doubt, Asaph reaffirms his profound dependence on God, acknowledging God's guidance, glory, and ultimate embrace (Ps 73:23-26). Verse 27, therefore, serves as the firm conclusion to his contemplation, a decisive statement of divine justice contrasted with his personal blessed state of being "near God" (Ps 73:28). It firmly asserts that God is indeed righteous and actively involved in meting out justice, providing a strong polemic against the worldview that perceives God as indifferent or incapable of judging wickedness.
Psalm 73 27 Word analysis
- For behold (כִּֽי־הִנֵּה, kî-hinnēh): This phrase functions as an emphatic interjection, equivalent to "indeed, behold" or "surely, look!" It signals a crucial and certain truth about to be stated. Asaph is making an unequivocal, almost revelatory, declaration after having gained clarity. It underscores the certainty and weight of the impending judgment.
- those who are far from You (רְחֹקֶיךָ, rəḥoqeyḵā): Derived from rachaḥ (רָחַק), meaning "to be far, be distant." This is not geographical distance but spiritual, moral, and relational estrangement from God. It describes individuals who have chosen to alienate themselves from God's covenant, presence, and commandments. It signifies a life lived in independence from or opposition to God's will. Such a state implies a lack of intimate knowledge of God and a refusal to walk in His ways.
- will perish (יֹאבֵדוּ, yo’veḏû): From the verb 'abad (אָבַד), meaning "to be lost, vanish, go astray, perish, be destroyed." This signifies ultimate and irreversible ruin, not just physical death but the complete failure of one's life's purpose and endeavors, ending in spiritual emptiness and separation from God's blessing and life. It denotes a profound state of being utterly undone, ceasing to exist in a meaningful, flourishing, or eternally blessed way.
- You destroy (תַּצְמִית, tatzmît): From tsamad (צָמַת), meaning "to cut off, destroy, exterminate, put an end to." This emphasizes God's direct, active, and sovereign involvement in the judgment. It's not a passive perishing but an active destruction orchestrated by the divine hand, demonstrating His justice and authority. This word carries a sense of finality and utter obliteration.
- all those who are unfaithful to You (כָּל־זוֹנֶה מִמֶּֽךָּ, kol-zoneh mimmeḵā): This phrase is significant. Zoneh (זוֹנֶה) comes from the verb zanah (זָנָה), which means "to commit fornication or harlotry." In the Old Testament, especially regarding Israel's relationship with God, zanah is frequently used metaphorically to describe spiritual unfaithfulness, idolatry, or apostasy. It refers to a covenant-breaking act, like a spouse betraying marital vows. This emphasizes that being "far from God" is not an innocent or accidental state, but a deliberate act of betrayal against the covenant Lord. It implies turning to other "lovers" or idols, whether material wealth, power, or self, instead of God. This term highlights the moral depravity and deliberate turning away that characterizes those whom God destroys.
Words-Group Analysis
- "For behold, those who are far from You will perish; You destroy all those who are unfaithful to You.": This entire verse forms a powerful statement of divine justice. The two clauses act as a synonymous parallelism, reinforcing each other. "Those who are far from You" are identified as "all those who are unfaithful to You," emphasizing that spiritual distance is equivalent to covenant infidelity. The consequences—"will perish" and "You destroy"—likewise underscore God's active role in bringing ruin upon the wicked. It firmly contrasts the path of the wicked, ending in destruction, with Asaph's experience of drawing near to God for his good (Ps 73:28). This statement functions as a resolution to Asaph's initial doubt, proving God's righteousness and activity in the world.
Psalm 73 27 Bonus section
The firm declaration of Psalm 73:27 not only marks Asaph's personal theological resolution but also serves as an important didactic message for all believers. It refutes the common human tendency to evaluate worth and well-being based solely on temporal success or material gain. By revealing the ultimate spiritual consequence of deliberate estrangement and unfaithfulness, it reinforces the foundational biblical principle that true blessing and enduring life are found only in proximity and fidelity to God, not in the fleeting advantages of the wicked. It implicitly contrasts the temporary earthly gain of the unfaithful with the eternal security and intimate relationship enjoyed by those who cling to God, leading directly into the glorious affirmation of Psalm 73:28: "But as for me, the nearness of God is my good..."
Psalm 73 27 Commentary
Psalm 73:27 stands as a stark and uncompromising declaration of divine justice, the resolved conclusion of Asaph's intense spiritual journey. After nearly stumbling in his faith due to the prosperity of the wicked, Asaph gained clarity in God's sanctuary. This verse encapsulates his renewed understanding: the perceived success of the wicked is ephemeral, their true end being utter destruction. The emphasis on being "far from You" underscores a profound spiritual and relational estrangement, not a geographical one. This alienation is a deliberate turning away, highlighted by the term "unfaithful" (zanah), which carries the weight of spiritual harlotry or covenant betrayal against a loving God. Thus, their demise is a just consequence of their chosen path of rebellion and disloyalty. God, far from being a distant or indifferent observer, actively participates in their judgment, indicated by "You destroy." This verse serves as both a warning and a validation of God's character, asserting His active justice over all creation, assuring that righteousness ultimately triumphs and wickedness finds its just reward.