Psalm 73:6 kjv
Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
Psalm 73:6 nkjv
Therefore pride serves as their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment.
Psalm 73:6 niv
Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
Psalm 73:6 esv
Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
Psalm 73:6 nlt
They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
and clothe themselves with cruelty.
Psalm 73 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 73:3 | For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. | Immediate context of wicked's pride |
| Ps 73:8 | They scoff and speak with malice; from on high they utter oppression. | Describes their haughty speech and oppression |
| Ps 10:4 | In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” | Pride leading to defiance of God |
| Ps 36:3-4 | The words of his mouth are mischief and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely... He devises mischief on his bed... | Wicked's inherent mischief and schemes |
| Prov 6:17 | Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood... | Abominations involving pride and violence |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Warning about pride's inevitable end |
| Prov 21:4 | Haughty eyes and a proud heart... are sin. | Direct definition of pride as sin |
| Isa 3:9 | The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom. | Sin displayed openly for all to see |
| Isa 59:6 | Their deeds are deeds of iniquity; deeds of violence are in their hands. | Violence inherent in their actions |
| Ezek 7:23 | Make a chain, for the land is full of bloody crimes and the city full of violence. | Pervasive violence described in a land |
| Hos 4:1-2 | ...no faithfulness... but swearing, lying, murder, stealing... bloodshed follows bloodshed. | Breakdown of moral order with widespread violence |
| Micah 2:1-2 | Woe to those who devise mischief on their beds!... they covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house... | Wicked plotting and executing oppression |
| Matt 15:19 | For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. | Actions flow from the heart's condition |
| Rom 1:29-30 | ...full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice. They are gossips, slanderers... insolent, haughty, boastful... | Catalogue of unrighteous human behaviors |
| Gal 3:27 | For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. | Being clothed metaphorically with righteousness (contrast) |
| Eph 4:22-24 | Put off your old self... be renewed... and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God... | Putting off old corrupt ways, putting on new |
| Jas 2:6 | But you have dishonored the poor. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you and drag you into court? | Direct example of rich oppressing others |
| Jas 4:6 | But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” | God's direct opposition to pride |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud...” | Call for humility as a spiritual "garment" |
| Jude 1:16 | These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires. Their mouths utter swelling words... | Description of the arrogant and boastful |
| Rev 18:7 | As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her the same measure of torment and grief. | Babylon's pride and self-glorification punished |
Psalm 73 verses
Psalm 73 6 Meaning
Psalm 73:6 graphically depicts the conspicuous characteristics of the wicked, specifically their unbridled arrogance and oppressive conduct. Their pride is presented as a visible adornment, like a necklace worn openly. Simultaneously, violence and cruelty are portrayed as a pervasive garment, completely covering them. This imagery emphasizes that these negative qualities are not hidden vices or accidental actions but are deeply ingrained in their identity, publicly displayed, and define their very being.
Psalm 73 6 Context
Psalm 73 belongs to the wisdom psalms, expressing a profound struggle experienced by the psalmist Asaph. At the outset, Asaph declares God's goodness to the upright (v. 1), but immediately recounts his personal crisis of faith. He was "envious of the arrogant" (v. 3) because he observed the remarkable prosperity and seemingly untroubled lives of the wicked (vv. 3-5), contrasting sharply with the continuous suffering he experienced as a righteous person (vv. 13-14). Verse 6 describes in vivid terms how this godlessness manifests: openly, through acts of pride and violence. This outward display intensifies Asaph's perplexity, as it appears the wicked flaunt their sin without immediate consequence. In the ancient world, visible prosperity was often associated with divine favor, making the wicked's success a direct challenge to the understanding of divine justice, prompting Asaph's deep theological struggle until he entered the sanctuary of God (v. 17) and understood their ultimate end.
Psalm 73 6 Word analysis
- Therefore (לָכֵן,
lākēn): This adverb serves as a strong connective, meaning "so," "on that account," or "for this reason." It draws a direct logical inference from the preceding verses (Ps 73:3-5), which describe the wicked's undisturbed well-being, freedom from common human troubles, and physical robustness. Their unrestrained pride and violence are presented as a natural consequence or integral part of their prosperous, godless existence. - pride (גַּאֲוָה,
ga'ǎwāh): This noun signifies "haughtiness, arrogance, exaltation." It denotes an inflated self-perception, a boastful and often disdainful attitude towards others, and ultimately a rebellious stance against God. It suggests self-reliance and self-glorification, as opposed to reliance on divine grace. - is their necklace (עֲנָקָם,
ʿǎnāqām): Derived from the word for "neck ornament" or "collar." A necklace is worn conspicuously around the neck, often as an adornment signifying beauty, wealth, or status. Metaphorically, pride is not just an inner feeling but their chosen public decoration. It suggests that pride is deeply ingrained in their being, a characteristic they proudly display and consider part of their identity. - violence (חָמָס,
ḥāmās): This is a powerful noun encompassing "violence, wrong, cruelty, oppression, injustice, ill-gotten gain." It signifies not just physical aggression but any severe wrong, abuse of power, or systematic oppression. It represents a flagrant disregard for others' rights and well-being. - covers them (יַעֲטֵףוּמוּ,
yəʿātēpūm): From the verbʿāṭap, meaning "to wrap, to cover oneself, to be enveloped, to cloak." This verb suggests complete saturation or envelopment. It implies that violence is so pervasive in their lives and actions that it forms an all-encompassing cloak, defining their public persona and concealing nothing of their cruel nature. - as a garment (כַּסַּלְמָה,
kaśśalmāh): Fromśalmāh, denoting a "cloak, robe, or garment." Clothing is a fundamental aspect of daily life, worn continually, and often symbolizes one's identity, status, or deeds. Here, violence is presented as their inherent and constant attire, suggesting it is a defining element of their behavior, evident in all their interactions and deeply integrated into their being.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- Therefore pride is their necklace: The phrase emphasizes the direct link between the wicked's lack of trouble (as perceived by Asaph) and their public display of arrogance. The "necklace" metaphor highlights that pride is not a hidden vice but an esteemed and visible aspect of their persona. They embrace and wear their pride openly, as if it is a mark of honor, stemming from their apparent successes.
- violence covers them as a garment: This powerful parallelism portrays violence as deeply integrated into their very existence. Like a garment that covers the entire body, violence encompasses their actions, relationships, and societal influence. It is their defining mode of operation, a constant and inescapable part of their character that they display for the world to see, whether consciously or not.
Psalm 73 6 Bonus section
- The biblical concept of "garments" frequently carries symbolic meaning for one's character, state, or actions (e.g., garments of salvation, robes of righteousness). The wicked's "garments" of violence in Ps 73:6 provide a stark contrast, highlighting their moral bankruptcy and illustrating that their outward actions betray an internal corruption.
- This verse is crucial in setting up the dramatic shift in Asaph's understanding that occurs later in the psalm (vv. 17-20), where he perceives the true end and eventual fate of those who wear such "garments" of pride and violence.
- The vivid and tangible imagery (necklace, garment) intensifies the depiction, making the abstract concepts of pride and violence concretely repulsive and profoundly unsettling for an observer seeking divine justice.
Psalm 73 6 Commentary
Psalm 73:6 provides a piercing observation of the wicked's character, explaining why their perceived prosperity so troubled the psalmist. Their pride, stemming from apparent success and freedom from struggle, is not just internal but flaunted conspicuously, a "necklace" they wear with insolent confidence. This imagery emphasizes their boastful and contemptuous attitude toward others and toward God. Paired with this, violence and oppression envelop them entirely, like a "garment," meaning their entire lives and dealings are characterized by injustice and cruelty. These traits are not peripheral but are core to their identity, displayed openly without shame or fear of consequence. For Asaph, observing such blatant godlessness seemingly go unpunished presented a crisis of faith in God's justice, underscoring the spiritual challenge faced when the righteous struggle while the wicked flourish in their depravity.