Psalm 73 5

Psalm 73:5 kjv

They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

Psalm 73:5 nkjv

They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like other men.

Psalm 73:5 niv

They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.

Psalm 73:5 esv

They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

Psalm 73:5 nlt

They don't have troubles like other people;
they're not plagued with problems like everyone else.

Psalm 73 verses

Psalm 73 5 Meaning

Psalm 73:5 describes the Psalmist Asaph's perception that wicked individuals appear to be exempt from the common human struggles and afflictions. They seem to experience a life free from the toils, miseries, and hardships that generally burden humankind, leading to their outward ease and confidence.

Psalm 73 5 Context

Psalm 73 is a wisdom Psalm by Asaph, a chief musician and prophet. The entire Psalm narrates Asaph's profound spiritual crisis caused by observing the stark disparity between the suffering of the righteous and the apparent flourishing of the wicked (vv. 2-12). Verse 5, specifically, presents Asaph's immediate observation: the wicked do not suffer like ordinary people. This perceived immunity fuels his envy (v. 3) and leads him to question the value of his own righteousness (v. 13). The climax of the Psalm arrives when Asaph enters God's sanctuary (v. 17), where he gains a divine perspective, realizing the ultimate end and destruction of the wicked, and the enduring good of being near God (vv. 18-28). The historical context often involves a societal environment where ungodly rulers or prosperous individuals seemingly faced no immediate consequences for their injustice or arrogance, a challenge to traditional retribution theology prevalent in some understandings of the Abrahamic covenant.

Psalm 73 5 Word analysis

• They are not (אֵין, ein): A negative particle, conveying absence or negation. It emphatically states that something does not exist or happen to them.
• in trouble (בַּעֲמַל, ba'amal): From the Hebrew word עָמָל (amal), meaning "toil," "labor," "trouble," "misery," "hardship," or "distress." It refers to the difficulties and painful experiences common to human existence, often stemming from effort, affliction, or sin's consequences.
• as other men (כַּאֲנוּשׁ, ka'anush): Anush (אֱנוֹשׁ) refers to "mankind" or "mortal man," often with a connotation of frailty, weakness, or sorrowfulness (derived from a root meaning "to be weak," "incurable"). The prefix ka- (כַּ) means "as" or "like." This phrase signifies that the wicked are exempt from the general human condition of affliction.
• neither are they plagued (וְעִם אָדָם לֹא יְנֻגָּעוּ, v'im adam lo y'nuga'u):
  • Neither: The initial "waw" (וְ, v') is connective, and "לא" (lo) indicates negation.
  • are they plagued: From the verb נָגַע (naga), which means "to touch," "strike," "reach," or "afflict." In the Niphil stem (here as y'nuga'u), it often denotes being "smitten," "afflicted," or "plagued," often implying a divinely appointed or significant affliction (e.g., in terms of leprosy or other severe visitations). The sense here is of being free from such severe or burdensome "strikes."
• like other men (כַּאֲדָם, ka'adam): Adam (אָדָם) is the generic term for "man" or "humanity." The prefix ka- (כַּ) means "as" or "like." This phrase reinforces the earlier "as other men," solidifying the observation that the wicked do not face the same common or expected sufferings that fall upon the rest of humanity.

Words-group analysis:

• They are not in trouble...neither are they plagued...: This double negative assertion underscores the perceived absence of two major forms of human suffering for the wicked: daily struggles/toil (amal) and more specific afflictions/plagues (naga). It highlights an almost supernatural exemption from the common human lot.
• as other men...like other men: The repetition using two distinct terms for "men" (anush focusing on human frailty/mortality, and adam as the general term for humanity) emphasizes the Psalmist's deep conviction that the wicked are truly exceptions to the universally experienced human condition of trouble and affliction. This distinction creates a sharp contrast between the ordinary, suffering individual and the seemingly carefree wicked.

Psalm 73 5 Bonus section

The tension articulated in Psalm 73:5 resonated deeply with ancient audiences who often correlated righteous living with temporal prosperity and suffering with sin (a viewpoint challenged explicitly in the book of Job). The Psalmist’s description of the wicked's exemption from amal (trouble, toil) and naga (plague, affliction) reflects not just their lack of hardship, but also potentially a perception that they evade divine judgment or consequence. The contrast uses both anush (often mortal, frail man) and adam (man in general, humankind), intensifying the statement that the wicked are an exception to the normal human experience of hardship and the potential for God's disciplinary "touch." This stark observation of their seeming prosperity is fundamental to the Psalmist's personal doubt concerning God's justice until his understanding is divinely illuminated.

Psalm 73 5 Commentary

Psalm 73:5 serves as a core statement of the Psalmist Asaph's initial profound dilemma. It articulates his perplexing observation that the wicked appear immune to the struggles that typically characterize human life. "They are not in trouble as other men" means they seem free from the wearying daily toil, the disappointments, and the various sorrows that wear down ordinary individuals. They bypass the common amal, the drudgery and painful effort of existence. Furthermore, "neither are they plagued like other men" implies an exemption from more severe afflictions—diseases, accidents, sudden calamities, or divine judgment (represented by naga, a word often used for a "stroke" or "plague," sometimes with a divine origin). This apparent immunity of the wicked challenges the simplistic understanding of God's justice that good always brings immediate temporal blessings and wickedness brings immediate temporal suffering. It is not an objective theological declaration, but a candid expression of the Psalmist's anguished perception before he gained divine insight. This verse effectively sets the stage for the rest of Psalm 73, revealing the spiritual wrestling required to reconcile observable injustice with God's ultimate righteousness.