until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist didn't just visit a building; he entered into the sanctuaries (plural) of God. This suggests he didn't just observe rituals, but deeply engaged with God's sacred space and mysteries, finding clarity in God's divine counsel that private contemplation alone couldn't provide. This encounter transformed his understanding, revealing the true, devastating end awaiting the wicked, which was hidden from his worldly perspective.
until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist, Asaph, has been deeply troubled by the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, nearly losing his faith. He describes wrestling with these doubts and feeling confused, but this verse marks the turning point. It's here that he reveals he gained clarity not through his own reasoning, but by entering into God's sanctuary, which led him to understand the ultimate fate of the wicked.
The Psalmist's struggle with the prosperity of the wicked felt unsolvable. Where did he find clarity? Not in his own thinking, but in a specific place.
The verse states, 'until I went into the sanctuary of God.' This wasn't just a physical building; it represented a place of divine encounter and access to God's truth.
Seeking Divine Counsel
The wicked seemed to be thriving, leaving the Psalmist questioning God's justice. But a deeper look revealed a different reality.
The core of the Psalmist's breakthrough was understanding the 'end' of the wicked. This wasn't just about their immediate circumstances but their ultimate destiny.
A Future Judgment
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Understand the original words
miqdash · Hebrew Noun
A sacred place or space dedicated to the presence and worship of God, representing the locus of divine revelation and the dwelling place of the Most High.
achariyth · Hebrew Noun
In a moral or theological sense, this refers to the ultimate outcome or destiny of a person’s life, particularly in contrast to the righteous and the wicked before God.
The Psalmist Asaph grapples with the prosperity of the wicked during a time when Jerusalem was destroyed and God's people were in exile. His struggle to understand God's justice and his eventual clarity found in the 'sanctuary'—whether the physical rebuilt Temple or the sacred space of prayer and divine instruction—highlights the enduring relevance of seeking God's perspective amidst national and personal turmoil.
c. 587 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and deporting many of its inhabitants. This event marks a period of deep crisis and exile for the people of Judah.
c. 587-538 BC
Babylonian Exile
The Jewish people live in exile in Babylon, separated from their homeland and their central place of worship. This period is characterized by lament, questioning, and a struggle to maintain faith.
c. 538 BC
Cyrus Cylinder Decree
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon and issues a decree allowing exiled peoples to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples.
c. 516 BC
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
Following the return from exile, the Second Temple is completed in Jerusalem, though it is less grand than Solomon's original Temple. This signifies a restoration of worship but also a memory of past glory and loss.
This passage echoes the psalmist's observation that immediate divine judgment isn't always apparent, fueling the struggle with why the wicked prosper, until a fuller understanding of God's purposes is revealed.
Jeremiah 12:1-4Like in Psalms 73, Jeremiah questions God directly about the prosperity of the wicked, showing that this dilemma of faith, resolved in 'the sanctuary,' was a recurring theme throughout Israel's history.
Matthew 13:24-30Jesus' parable of the wheat and the weeds illustrates that God allows both the righteous and the wicked to grow together for a time, a truth that the psalmist discerned in God's presence, revealing their ultimate separation at the 'end.'
Romans 2:5-8This passage contrasts the fate of the unrepentant with the reward of those who do good, aligning with the psalmist's eventual understanding of the 'end' of the wicked versus the enduring hope of the faithful, a truth often clarified in communion with God.
Hebrews 12:22-24The imagery of approaching the heavenly 'sanctuary' and the spirits of the righteous made perfect speaks to a profound understanding of ultimate realities that transcends earthly appearances, paralleling the psalmist's revelation about the 'end' of the wicked.
clarkePsalms 73:17: "Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end."
Until I went into the sanctuary - Until, in the use of thy ordinances, I entered into a deep consideration of thy secret counsels, and considered the future state of the righteous and the wicked; that the unequal distribution of temporal good and evil argued a future judgment; that the present is a state of trial; and that God exercises his followers according to his godly wisdom and tender mercy. Then light sp…
jfbPsalms 73:17: "Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end."
- went into the sanctuary—to enquire (compare Ex 25:22; Ps 5:7; 27:4).
The psalmist didn't just visit a building; he entered into the sanctuaries (plural) of God. This suggests he didn't just observe rituals, but deeply engaged with God's sacred space and mysteries, finding clarity in God's divine counsel that private contemplation alone couldn't provide. This encounter transformed his understanding, revealing the true, devastating end awaiting the wicked, which was hidden from his worldly perspective.
The psalmist, Asaph, has been deeply troubled by the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, nearly losing his faith. He describes wrestling with these doubts and feeling confused, but this verse marks the turning point. It's here that he reveals he gained clarity not through his own reasoning, but by entering into God's sanctuary, which led him to understand the ultimate fate of the wicked.
The psalmist, Asaph, has been deeply troubled by the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, nearly losing his faith. He describes wrestling with these doubts and feeling confused, but this verse marks the turning point. It's here that he reveals he gained clarity not through his own reasoning, but by entering into God's sanctuary, which led him to understand the ultimate fate of the wicked.
"until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end." — The psalmist didn't just visit a building; he entered into the sanctuaries (plural) of God. This suggests he didn't just observe rituals, but deeply engaged with God's sacred space and mysteries, f…
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Last reviewed October 2026