Psalms 73:7

Old Testament Poetry/Hymns ASV (1901)

What does Psalms 73:7 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish.
Psalms 73:7 — American Standard Version

Context — Psalms 73

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
7Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish.

What do historical commentaries say?

Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Their eyes stand out with fatness - As the fruit of their high living. They are not weakened and emaciated by toil and want, as other men often are. Compare the notes at Psalms 17:10. They have more than heart could wish - Margin, “they pass the thoughts of the heart.” Literally, “the imaginations or thoughts of the heart pass;” pass along; pass forth. The meaning seems to be, not that they have more than heart could desire, as in our translation - for that would not probably be true; nor, that the thoughts of the heart are “disclosed,” as Prof. Alexander supposes - for that idea does not seem to be in the language; but that their thoughts, their plans, their purposes, pass freely along…”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“eyes: Psa 17:10, Psa 119:70; Job 15:27; Isa 3:9; Jer 5:28; Eze 16:49 have: etc. Heb. pass the thoughts of the heart, Psa 73:12, Psa 17:14; Sa1 25:2, Sa1 25:36; Luk 12:16-19 Psalms 73:8”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“The reading עונמו, ἡ ἀδικία αὐτῶν (lxx (cf. in Zac 5:6 the עינם, which is rendered by the lxx in exactly the same way), in favour of which Hitzig, Bצttcher, and Olshausen decide, "their iniquity presses forth out of a fat heart, out of a fat inward part," is favoured by Psa 17:10, where חלב obtains just this signification by combination with סגר, which it would obtain here as being the place whence sin issues; cf. ἐξέρχεσθαι ἐκ τῆς καρδίας, Mat 15:18.; and the parallelism decides its superiority. Nevertheless the traditional reading also gives a suitable sense; not (since the fat tends to make the eyes appear to be deeper in) "their eyes come forward prae adipe," but, "they stare…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification