Psalms 73:18 — Word Study
WLCאַ֣ךְ בַּ֭חֲלָקוֹת תָּשִׁ֣ית לָ֑מוֹ הִ֝פַּלְתָּ֗ם לְמַשּׁוּאֽוֹת׃
BSASurelyʼak [certainly, without a doubt] You setshîyth▸ on slick groundchelqâh [in, slippery, smooth, places] You cast them downnâphal■ [throw them, cause them to fall] into ruinmashshûwʼâh [destruction, desolation]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַ֣ךְ | surely | Adverb |
| בַּ֭חֲלָקוֹת | on slippery [places] | Preposition |
| תָּשִׁ֣ית | you set | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine singular |
| לָ֑מוֹ | them | Preposition, suffix |
| הִ֝פַּלְתָּ֗ם | you make fall them | Verb hiphil perfect second person masculine singular, suffix |
| לְמַשּׁוּאֽוֹת׃ | to deceptions | Preposition, noun common feminine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin. |
| KJV | Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. |
| ASV | Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction. |
| YLT | Only, in slippery places Thou dost set them, Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations. |
| WEB | Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction. |
| BBE | You put their feet where there was danger of slipping, so that they go down into destruction. |
Translations agree on the main ideas presented in this verse.
One main clause with two phrases detailing the actions of God towards the wicked.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשִׁית
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 73:18
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Fate of the Wickedgenerated
Psalm 73:18 reflects the psalmist's realization that the wicked, who seem to prosper, are ultimately set on a path of destruction by God. This insight comes after a period of confusion about their apparent success, leading to a deeper understanding of divine justice. The psalmist acknowledges that God has the power to cast them down into ruin, emphasizing the certainty of their fate.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 35:6 | May their path be dark and slick, as the angel of the LORD pursues. |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 32:35 | Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.” |
| 3 | Jeremiah 23:12 | “Therefore their path will become slick; they will be driven away into the darkness and fall into it. For I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD. |
| 4 | Psalm 37:20–24 | But the wicked and enemies of the LORD will perish like the glory of the fields. They will vanish; like smoke they will fade away. |
| 5 | Psalm 55:23 | But You, O God, will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אַךְ, 'akhgenerated
The Hebrew word אַךְ ('akh) is an adverb that emphasizes certainty, translating to 'surely' or 'indeed.' It can also restrict meaning, akin to 'only' or 'but.' This word sets the tone for the verse, affirming that what follows is an undeniable truth about God's action.
In this context, it underscores the certainty of God's judgment upon the wicked, reinforcing the psalmist's conviction that their downfall is assured.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb תָּשִׁ֣ית (ta.Shit), meaning 'you set,' governs the structure of the verse. It is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the condition of the wicked and another verb phrase describing their fate.
The sentence emphasizes God's active role in placing the wicked on a path that leads to their ruin, with the verbs indicating direct actions taken by God.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תָּשִׁ֣ית as ἔθου, which also means 'to set.' This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the sense of God's deliberate action.
The Greek word πλὴν for אַךְ suggests a contrast, emphasizing the certainty of the statement, similar to the Hebrew's function.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 73:18 tells us that God has placed the wicked on a slippery path, leading to their downfall. This verse emphasizes that while they may seem to prosper now, their ultimate fate is destruction, highlighting God's judgment.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This phrase indicates that their apparent stability is deceptive; they are actually in a precarious position that will lead to their downfall.
The psalmist reflects on this to reconcile the observation of the wicked prospering with the belief in God's justice, ultimately concluding that their ruin is certain.
This verse illustrates the turning point in the psalm, where the psalmist gains clarity about the fate of the wicked after entering God's sanctuary.
We learn that God's judgment is sure and that appearances can be deceiving; the wicked may seem to thrive, but they are ultimately destined for ruin.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How do I understand the apparent success of those who do wrong in my own life?
- In what ways can I trust in God's justice when I see injustice around me?
- What actions can I take to ensure I am not led astray by the smooth talk of the wicked?
- How does recognizing the ultimate fate of the wicked influence my daily choices and interactions?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers often referenced this verse to discuss the nature of God's justice and the fate of the wicked, as seen in Augustine's exposition.
To wit, "because of deceitfulness You have set upon them" [Psalms 73:18]. Because deceitful they are, that is fraudulent; because deceitful they are, they suffer deceits.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 73 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 73:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleSurely thou didst set them in slippery places,.... In which a man cannot stand long, and without danger; and the higher they are the more dangerous, being slippery, and such are places of honour and riches.
Read John Gill on Psalms 73 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryUntil I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. -The victory which he gained over his doubts in the sanctuary when he understood the end of the godless. Verse 17.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 73 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTheir happiness hath no firm foundation; it was very unstable, like a man’ s standing in very slippery ground. The same hand which raised them will cast them down into the pit of utter destruction.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 73 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 73:18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.Ver. 18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places] Where they can have no more certainty than if they went upon the smoothest ice, or walked upon a mine of gunpowder. The Turks, seeing so few of their viziers to die in their beds, have taken up this proverb, He that is even in the greatest office is but a statue of glass. Thou castedst them down into destruction] Improbos ex magna prosperitate tanquam ex Tarpeia rupe in barathrum perditienis praecipitasti. Haman for instance.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 73 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 18. Thou didst set them in slippery places] Affluence is a slippery path; few have ever walked in it without falling. It is possible to be faithful in the unrighteous mammon, but it is very difficult. No man should desire riches; for they bring with them so many cares and temptations as to be almost unmanageable. Rich men, even when pious, are seldom happy; they do not enjoy the consolations of religion. A good man, possessed of very extensive estates, unblamable in his whole deportment, once said to me: "There must be some strange malignity in riches thus to keep me in continual bondage, and deprive me of the consolations of the Gospel." Perhaps to a person to whom his estates are a…
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 73 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15–28. Faith triumphant in the conviction of an ultimate judgement and the consciousness of the supreme blessedness of fellowship with God.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 73 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleSurely thou didst set them in slippery places - Not in a solid and permanent position; not where their foothold would be secure, but as on smooth and slippery rocks, where they would be liable any
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 73 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible18-20. In these verses there is a rising climax in the description of the doom of the wicked. Surely—Answering to verily in New Testament.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 73 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin.
Surely you set them in slippery places. You throw them down to destruction.
Surely You set them on slick ground; You cast them down into ruin.
Surely you put them in slippery places; you bring them down to ruin.
Tyndale line
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction.
Surely thou settest them in slippery places: thou castest them down to destruction.
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou didst cast them down into destruction.
Surely thou hast set them in slipperie places, and castest them downe into desolation.
Strictly literal
Truly thou settest them in slippery places, thou castest them down in ruins.
Only, in slippery places Thou dost set them, Thou hast caused them to fall to desolations.
Surely You set them in slippery places, || You have caused them to fall to desolations.
Surely thou placest them on slippery spots: thou lettest them fall down into destruction.
Surely you put them in slippery places; you bring them down to ruin.
From the Latin
Remember this, the enemy hath reproached the Lord: and a foolish people hath provoked thy name.
Simplified
For you send them on a slippery path; you throw them down to destruction.
You put their feet where there was danger of slipping, so that they go down into destruction.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the wording of this verse. The Septuagint captures the essence of the Hebrew text, although its word order and articles differ, showing a consistent understanding of the psalmist's message.
אַ֣ךְ בַּ֭חֲלָקוֹת תָּשִׁ֣ית לָ֑מוֹ הִ֝פַּלְתָּ֗ם לְמַשּׁוּאֽוֹת׃
4 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 73:18
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אַךְ (ak) is an adverb meaning 'surely' or 'indeed,' often used to emphasize what follows. It can also carry a restrictive sense, translating to 'only' or 'but.' The entries indicate its use in various contexts, but do not provide specific verse references.
אַךְ 159 adv. 1. surely. 2. with a restrictive force, emphasizing what follows
base
H389 אַךְ 1. surely. 2. with a restrictive force, emphasizing what follows
389 'ak ak
akin to 403; a particle of affirmation, surely; hence (by
limitation) only:--also, in any wise, at least, but,
certainly, even, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, only,
save, surely, of a surety, truly, verily, + wherefore, yet
(but).
see HEBREW for 0403
אַךְ (akh) — surely.
1) indeed, surely (emphatic)
2) howbeit, only, but, yet (restrictive)
DirObjM — AdverbHD
חֶלְקָה (chelqah) primarily means a portion or parcel of ground, but it also refers to smoothness and can imply flattery. The word is built from the concept of smoothness, which can extend to slippery places. It encompasses both literal and figurative meanings, highlighting its versatility in describing land and characteristics like flattery.
חֶלְקָה n.f. portion of ground
base
[חֶלְקָה] n.f. smooth part, smoothness, flattery
smoothness, smooth part
pl. slippery places
smoothness = flattery
base
H2513a חֶלְקָה portion of ground H2513b חֶלְקָה smooth part, smoothness, flattery
2513 chelqah khel-kaw'
feminine of 2506; properly, smoothness; figuratively,
flattery; also an allotment:--field, flattering(-ry), ground,
parcel, part, piece of land (ground), plat, portion, slippery
place, smooth (thing).
see HEBREW for 02506
חֶלְקָה (chel.qah) — portion.
1) portion, parcel
1a) of ground
חֶלְקָה (chel.qah) — smoothness.
1) smooth part, smoothness, flattery
1a) smoothness, smooth part
1b) slippery places
1c) smoothness, flattery
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHR/Aafpa
The Hebrew word שִׁית (shiyth) is a primitive root meaning to put or set, with a wide range of applications including appointing, laying, and constituting. It can also imply taking a stand or being imposed upon. The entries consistently emphasize its versatility in contexts of action and intention.
שִׁית vb. put, set
Qal
put, lay
set, station
set one's mind to, give heed, attention
set, fix
constitute, make one something
internally trans., = take one's stand
Hoph. if a ransom be imposed
base
H7896 שִׁית put, set .. put, lay
. . set, station
. set one's mind to, give heed, attention
. set, fix
. constitute, make one something
. internally trans., = take one's stand
. if a ransom be imposed
7896 shiyth sheeth
a primitive root; to place (in a very wide
application):--apply, appoint, array, bring, consider, lay
(up), let alone, X look, make, mark, put (on), + regard, set,
shew, be stayed, X take.
שִׁית (shit) — to set: make.
: make/establish
1) to put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, lay (hand upon)
1a2) to set, station, appoint, fix, set mind to
1a3) to constitute, make (one something), make like, perform
1a4) to take one's stand
1a5) to lay waste
1b) (Hophal) to be imposed, be set upon
שִׁית (shit) — to set: put.
: put/bring
1) to put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, lay (hand upon)
1a2) to set, station, appoint, fix, set mind to
1a3) to constitute, make (one something), make like, perform
1a4) to take one's stand
1a5) to lay waste
1b) (Hophal) to be imposed, be set upon
שִׁית (shit) — to set: appoint.
: appoint
1) to put, set
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to put, lay (hand upon)
1a2) to set, station, appoint, fix, set mind to
1a3) to constitute, make (one something), make like, perform
1a4) to take one's stand
1a5) to lay waste
1b) (Hophal) to be imposed, be set upon
שִׁית (shit) — to set: accuse.
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singularHVqi2ms
Few words in the English language have such a rich variety of meaning and are used in so rich a variety of idiomatic expression as the word "set." A glance at any of the great dictionaries will convince anyone of the truth of this statement. The Standard Dictionary devotes three and a half columns to the word. In its primary meaning it there denotes 22 distinct things, in its secondary meaning 17 more, while 18 distinct phrases are given in which it is used, in some cases again in a variety of meanings. It is indeed a word calculated to drive a foreigner to despair. Some 70 Hebrew and about 30 Greek words in the original tongues of the Holy Scriptures have been rendered by the word "set," in the King James Version and also in the Revised Version (British and American). A careful comparative study of the original and of translations in other tongues will at once indicate that a lack of…
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
HR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3mp
נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.
נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie
Qal 366
fall, by accident
Esp. of violent death
fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
fig. = experience calamity
fall, of a city
Fall prostrate
fall = prostrate oneself before
fall upon one's neck, in embrace
Fall upon = attack
desert or fall away to, go over to
Fig., of deep sleep
Other idiomatic uses
= lie; = lie prostrate
Hiph.
cause to fall
Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
Esp. of casting lot
Fig., let drop, cause to fail
cause deep sleep to fall
Other idioms
Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself
base
H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident
. . Esp. of violent death
. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
. fig. = experience calamity
. fall, of a city
. . Fall prostrate
. fall = prostrate oneself before
. fall upon one's neck, in embrace
. . Fall upon = attack
. desert or fall away to, go over to
. Fig., of deep sleep
. Other idiomatic uses
. = lie; = lie prostrate
. . cause to fall
. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
. Esp. of casting lot
. Fig., let drop, cause to fail
. cause deep sleep to fall
. Other idioms
. throw, or prostrate oneself
5307 naphal naw-fal'
a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications
(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be
accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide
(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall
(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have
(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay
(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,
lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make
to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.
see HEBREW for 06419
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.
: fall/drop/fail
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before
1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of
1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result
1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to
1a7) to lie, lie prostrate
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate
1b2) to overthrow
1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot
1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)
1b5) to cause to fall
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon
1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself
1d) (Pilel) to fall
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.
: deserting
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
V-Hiphil-Perf-2ms | Suff — Verb hiphil perfect second person masculine singular · suffixHVhp2ms/Sp3mp
מַשּׁוּאָה (masshuw'ah) refers to concepts of desolation and destruction, indicating a state of ruin. The entries suggest it is associated with the idea of deceptions in the plural form, though the primary focus remains on its meaning of desolation.
מַשּׁוּאוֹת n.f.pl. deceptions
base
H4876 מַשּׁוּאוֹת, מַשּׁוּאָה, מַשֻּׁאָה
4876 masshuw'ah mash-shoo-aw'
or mashshu ah {mash-shoo-aw'}; for 4875; ruin:--desolation,
destruction.
see HEBREW for 04875
מַשּׁוּאָה (mash.shu.ah) — desolation.
desolation, ruin
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural absoluteHR/Ncfpa