Psalms 73:18
Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
Original Language Analysis
אַ֣ךְ
H389
בַּ֭חֲלָקוֹת
them in slippery places
H2513
בַּ֭חֲלָקוֹת
them in slippery places
Strong's:
H2513
Word #:
2 of 6
properly, smoothness; figuratively, flattery
תָּשִׁ֣ית
Surely thou didst set
H7896
תָּשִׁ֣ית
Surely thou didst set
Strong's:
H7896
Word #:
3 of 6
to place (in a very wide application)
Cross References
Psalms 35:6Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.Jeremiah 23:12Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.Deuteronomy 32:35To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.Psalms 94:23And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.Psalms 92:7When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:Psalms 37:20But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.Psalms 55:23But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.2 Thessalonians 1:9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Historical Context
Throughout biblical history, proud nations and individuals experienced sudden collapse—Babylon, Assyria, Pharaoh, Herod. Their apparent invincibility proved illusory when God's judgment came. History validates this psalm's insight.
Questions for Reflection
- How does recognizing the 'slipperiness' of worldly success change your evaluation of prosperity?
- What does it mean that God actively positions the wicked for judgment ('thou didst set them')?
- How can you distinguish between stable blessing and precarious prosperity heading toward destruction?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
After gaining God's perspective, the psalmist recognizes: 'Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction.' The wicked's prosperity is precarious—slippery footing before inevitable fall. God sovereignly positions them for judgment; their destruction isn't accidental but divinely ordained. This echoes Proverbs 16:18—pride precedes destruction. What looked like stable prosperity was actually dangerous positioning before catastrophic fall. Eternal perspective reveals temporal success's true fragility.