Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin.
The psalmist battles carnal reason itself, contending against what the eye sees: the wicked gorged in wealth and pleasure while mocking God, and the righteous crushed under troubles. He nearly cast off all care for religion at this sight. But he reproves his own rashness in judging from the present state alone, and learns that when God's providence runs its course as He has determined in secret counsel, the righteous will not be cheated of their reward, nor the wicked escape the judge.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 73:1-28
The Psalmist's sorrow had culminated, not in the fact that the ungodly prospered, but that God had arranged it so: had it happened by mere chance, he would have wondered, but could not have complained; but how the arranger of all things could so dispense his temporal favours, was the vexatious question.
He kept his mouth by remembering God's children; though his heart reasoned that he had cleansed it in vain, he would not speak the thought aloud. To utter evil is worse than to think it, it gives the poison an imprimatur and infects others. Better to lay your hand upon your mouth and let the error die with yourself than to publish your doubts and destroy the faith of those whom God owns as His own.
AI summary
Commenting on Psalm 73:15-20