Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.Psalm 73:17 Explainer ## Introduction - In Plain Language: I only understood what was really happening with the wicked when I went into God’s sanctuary and met with Him. - Big idea: Encountering God — in worship or His presence — gives the perspective needed to see the true outcome of the proud and wicked. - Key points: - This verse is the turning point in Psalm 73: moving from confusion and envy to clarity. - “Sanctuary” is where the psalmist meets God and gains heavenly perspective on earthly injustice. - “Their end” points to the ultimate fate or downfall of those who seem to prosper without consequences. ## Context - Where this verse fits in: Psalm 73 is a wisdom-style psalm by Asaph wrestling with the prosperity of the wicked. Verse 17 is the emotional and theological pivot — the moment the speaker’s confusion turns to insight. - Story timeline: Traditionally attributed to Asaph, a leader of temple worship. The setting is a worshiping community centered on the temple; the psalm addresses people struggling with doubts about God’s justice when evil appears to go unpunished in the present. - Surrounding passage: - Verses immediately before (vv. 12–16): The psalmist notes how the wicked prosper, are free of struggle, and mock God, which disturbs his faith. - Verse 17 (this verse): The psalmist enters the sanctuary and gains understanding. - Verses immediately after (vv. 18–20): He observes the ruin and folly that awaits the wicked — their final destiny is decline and judgment, not the secure prosperity he saw from afar. ## Explanation - Quick take: When the psalmist comes into God’s presence — through worship or the temple — he sees the big picture: the apparent success of the wicked is temporary, and God’s justice will have the final word. - In Depth: The psalm reads like a personal journey. For a long time the speaker is bothered by how smoothly the wicked live. He tries to reason it out intellectually and fails. Then he goes into the sanctuary — the place of God’s presence, ritual, and truth — and everything changes. In that setting the psalmist is reminded that there’s more than what we see on earth: God sees history’s arc and judges rightly. “Their end” is not merely a punishment; it’s the full outcome of a life lived apart from God — emptiness, ruin, or divine judgment. The verse emphasizes two linked truths of biblical faith: (1) proximity to God changes how we interpret life and (2) worship and reflection often reveal realities we miss in everyday comparison and envy. ## Key Words - מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash) — “sanctuary” or “holy place,” the temple or dwelling place of God where worship and encounter happen. - בּוֹא / בָּאתִי (bo / bati) — “to come” / “I came” — indicates the action of entering the sacred space. - הִבַּנְתִּי (hivanti) — “I understood” / “I perceived” — a dawning insight or clear perception. - אַחֲרִיתָם (acharitam) — “their end” — can mean fate, outcome, end result, or final destiny. ## Background - Cultural/literary background: In ancient Israel the temple sanctuary was more than a building; it was the locus of divine presence, justice, and revelation. Temple worship, reading of sacred texts, and liturgy shaped how people understood life and history. Psalm 73 uses this familiar cultural image to show that access to God (through worship, priests, and the sanctuary) grants perspective unavailable elsewhere. - Literary role: Psalm 73 is structured as complaint → crisis → transformation → praise. Verse 17 marks the crisis-to-transformation shift. ## Theology - Theological insights: - Encounter with God reorders priorities and corrects faulty comparisons — worship shapes wisdom. - Earthly success is not proof of divine favor; ultimate justice belongs to God and will be revealed. - Spiritual insight often arrives through humble attendance at God’s place and practices, not merely through human reasoning. ## Application To Your Life - For workers: If you feel resentful when colleagues succeed unfairly, remember that the workplace is not the final courtroom — bring your frustration into worship and gain perspective. - For parents: When children compare themselves to others, model and teach that being close to God matters more than outward success. - For seekers/doubters: Visiting a place of worship or intentionally seeking God’s presence can change how you understand hard questions about injustice. - For the anxious/overwhelmed: Worship and reflection can shift focus from immediate comparison to long-term hope grounded in God’s justice. - Reflection question(s): - When have you been tempted to envy someone’s apparent success, and how might worship or spiritual reflection change your view? - What practices help you enter “the sanctuary” in daily life — worship, prayer, Scripture, silence? - Short prayer: God, help me enter your presence and see life from your perspective; teach me to trust your justice and not be ruled by envy. ## Translation Comparison - KJV: “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” - ESV: “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end.” - NIV: “Till I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.” (NIV often paraphrases slightly) - NRSV: “Until I went into the sanctuary of God, and understood the end of these people.” - NASB: “Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end.” - Why differences matter: The main variations are around “understood/perceived” and “end/final destiny.” Some translations emphasize perception (a sudden insight), others use “end” versus “destiny” (end may sound more judicial or ruinous; destiny can feel more neutral). “Sanctuary” is consistent and points readers to a place or experience of meeting God — translation choices mostly affect tone, not core meaning. ## FAQs - Q: Does “sanctuary” here mean only the physical temple built in Jerusalem? A: The primary meaning in the original context almost certainly points to the temple sanctuary — the recognized place where God’s presence is met and worship happens. For the psalmist, going into the sanctuary meant entering a setting where liturgy, priestly teaching, and the awareness of God’s holiness reframed his perspective. That said, the verse’s point isn’t limited to a particular building. The “sanctuary” functions as a symbol for any genuine encounter with God — private worship, prayerful reading of Scripture, or authentic communal worship. The core idea is proximity to God: when we move from intellectual puzzling to humble encounter with the divine, we often see life differently. So both readings — literal temple and broader spiritual presence — are helpful and complementary. - Q: What does “their end” mean — is it final judgment? A: “Their end” (Hebrew acharitam) refers to the ultimate outcome or destiny of those who live wickedly. In the immediate context of Psalm 73 it highlights the contrast between the present appearance of success and the future reality: ruin, humiliation, or divine judgment. It’s not just a poetic wish for their downfall; it’s the theological claim that God is guiding history and will bring about just consequences. The psalmist’s clarity is that outward prosperity is not the final word — God’s perspective includes the eschatological or long-term consequences that human short-sightedness misses. So yes, it carries the sense of final judgment or the inevitable decline that follows a life estranged from God. ## Cross References - Psalm 73:18–19 — Direct follow-up describing the ruin of the wicked. - Psalm 37:35–36 — The wicked may seem secure, but they vanish; their path leads to destruction. - Psalm 1:6 — The Lord watches the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked leads to ruin. - Proverbs 24:19–20 — Don’t envy the wicked; their future will be cut off. - Hebrews 10:19–22 — New access to God’s presence changes perception and life (New Testament echo of “entering the sanctuary”). ## Deeper Study - Commentary synthesis (high-level): Most commentators treat verse 17 as the turning point of Psalm 73. Ancient and modern interpreters agree it marks the shift from frustrated observation to enlightened perspective upon entering God’s presence. Some emphasize the literal temple and the role of liturgy/priests in instructing the psalmist; others broaden the meaning to any encounter with God that brings eschatological clarity. Across the tradition, the point stands: worship and proximity to God correct faulty worldviews formed by envy and surface appearances. - Group study bullets: - Read Psalm 73 aloud and identify language of envy, complaint, and resolution. - Share personal moments when worship changed your view of a problem. - Discuss what “entering the sanctuary” looks like today — communal worship, solitude, Scripture study. - Apply: list practical ways your church or group can help people gain perspective on injustice. ## Related verses (compare and contrast) - Psalm 73:16 — “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply” — contrast: human reasoning vs. divine perspective. - Psalm 1:6 — “For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” — similarity: ultimate outcomes differ; contrast in how the insight is reached. - Hebrews 10:19–22 — “We have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near” — contrast: New Testament language of access to God’s presence through Christ, expanding the sanctuary motif into Christian theology. ## Talk to the Bible Try the “Talk To The Bible” feature to explore this verse interactively. Suggested prompts: - “Help me think through what ‘entering the sanctuary’ would look like for someone who doesn’t attend church regularly.” - “How does Psalm 73:17 connect to Jesus’ teaching about judgment and the kingdom?” - “Give me a short personal prayer and a 5-minute practice to help me ‘enter the sanctuary’ this week.”
