The Meaning of Psalms 73:6 Explained

Psalms 73:6

KJV: Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.

YLT: Therefore hath pride encircled them, Violence covereth them as a dress.

Darby: Therefore pride encompasseth them as a neck-chain, violence covereth them as a garment;

ASV: Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck; Violence covereth them as a garment.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore pride  compasseth them about as a chain;  violence  covereth  them [as] a garment. 

What does Psalms 73:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 73:1-15 - Deceptive Prosperity
The opening psalms of this third Book of Psalms are by Asaph; see 2 Chronicles 29:30. The r.v. margin substitutes only for surely in Psalms 73:1. There is none good but God and God is only good. "His every act pure goodness is; His path unsullied light." Israel, as here intended, is not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. See John 1:47 and Romans 2:28-29.
We have in these verses a good man's temptation. In every age God's people have asked whether God can possibly know all that is taking place on the earth, and if He does know, why He allows evil to prosper. The dark spirit who is ever at our elbow whispers that we should have done as well, and better, if we had not been quite so scrupulous in our business dealings; and we are held back from giving expression to our thoughts only by the fear that we might cause God's weaker children to stumble. This reticence is, of course, wholly commendable. A Christian man confessed the other day that the irreligion of his children was due to his critical and captious speech. By all means keep these dark and faithless thoughts locked in your own breast; you have no right to scatter thistle-down. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 73

1  The prophet, prevailing in a temptation
2  Shows the occasion thereof, the prosperity of the wicked
13  The wound given thereby, diffidence
15  The victory over it, knowledge of God's purpose

What do the individual words in Psalms 73:6 mean?

Therefore serves as their necklace pride covers [like] a garment Violence them
לָ֭כֵן עֲנָקַ֣תְמוֹ גַאֲוָ֑ה יַעֲטָף־ שִׁ֝֗ית חָמָ֥ס לָֽמוֹ

עֲנָקַ֣תְמוֹ  serves  as  their  necklace 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: עָנַק  
Sense: to serve as a necklace, adorn with a neck ornament.
גַאֲוָ֑ה  pride 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: גַּאֲוָה  
Sense: pride, majesty, a rising up.
יַעֲטָף־  covers 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָטוּף 
Sense: to turn aside.
שִׁ֝֗ית  [like]  a  garment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: garment.
חָמָ֥ס  Violence 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָמָס  
Sense: violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice.