What does Psalms Chapter 72 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The Latin incipit is Quam bonus Israel Deus. The speaker’s requests, recollections and future declarations retain their distinct wording. Edition interpretation remains separate, and the chapter does not establish a universal outcome guarantee.

Chapter breakdown

The Latin incipit is Quam bonus Israel Deus. The separate heading describes temptation at wicked prosperity overcome through divine justice. The psalm is for Asaph. The speaker praises goodness to right-hearted Israel, says feet almost moved and steps nearly slipped through zeal at sinners' prosperity, and describes no regard for their death or strength in stripes, lack of men's labor and future scourging unlike others. Pride holds them, covered with wickedness and iniquity from fatness; the separate note interprets temporal abundance encouraging irregular affections, not clinical immunity.

They speak wickedness on high with mouth against heaven and tongue through earth. His people will return and full days be found; the note explains weak servants repeatedly shocked by long prosperous wicked lives and tempted to question providence. They ask God's knowledge and describe rich sinners. He said heart justification and innocent hand-washing seemed vain under daily scourges. If he speaks thus he should condemn God's children's generation; the separate note explains indulging such thoughts, not a witnessed refusal to speak. Study is labor until he goes into sanctuary and understands last ends.

He says raised people were cast down for deceits. The note offers punishment of deceits or deceiving them through unforeseen evils at their end. They suddenly ceased in iniquity and their image shall vanish like waking dream. His heart inflamed and reins changed; brought to nothing, ignorant and beastlike, he is always with God. God held his right hand, conducted by His will and received with glory; no physical ascent to heaven is independently established. He asks what he desires besides God in heaven or earth, names fainted flesh and heart and God his eternal portion. Those far away shall perish and disloyal were destroyed. He calls adherence and hope good so he may declare praise at Sion's gates. No universal rule that philosophy fails or contemplation guarantees resolution is added.

The story inside

Opening: The Latin incipit is Quam bonus Israel Deus. Development: The speaker’s requests, recollections and future declarations retain their distinct wording. Conclusion: Edition interpretation remains separate, and the chapter does not establish a universal outcome guarantee.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The Latin incipit is Quam bonus Israel Deus.
2
The speaker’s requests, recollections and future declarations retain their distinct wording.
3
Edition interpretation remains separate, and the chapter does not establish a universal outcome guarantee.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 62135–62138
72:2. But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped. 72:3. Because I had a zeal on occasion of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners.
Lines 62188–62192
72:16. I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight: 72:17. Until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends.
Lines 62219–62220
72:26. For thee my flesh and my heart hath fainted away: thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever.