Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The imagery here suggests that pride and violence aren't just traits of the wicked, but something they wear and display like fine jewelry and clothing, indicating they openly boast in these corrupt characteristics as if they were badges of honor.
Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist is grappling with the perplexing prosperity of the wicked, observing how they seem to live easy, untroubled lives while the faithful often suffer. This observation leads him to question God's justice, nearly causing him to abandon his faith. He describes the wicked's outward appearance and behavior, showing how their unhindered success fuels arrogance and oppression, which become defining characteristics of their lives.
Have you ever noticed how certain outward displays can instantly signal someone's character or status? This verse paints a vivid picture of how the wicked adorn themselves.
The psalmist describes pride as a 'necklace' and violence as a 'garment' for the ungodly. This isn't just about outward appearance; it's about how these traits define and identify them.
A Visible Identity
These images reveal that for the ungodly, sin isn't hidden but flaunted. Their pride makes them stand out, and their violence is their constant covering.
It's easy to question God's goodness when the wicked seem to thrive. This psalm grapples with that, showing a dangerous connection between their success and their sin.
The psalmist observes that the prosperity of the wicked (as described in verses 4-5, speaking of their strength and exemption from common troubles) directly fuels their pride and violence. This isn't a random observation; it's a causal link.
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The Corrupting Influence of Ease
The 'therefore' in verse 6 is crucial. It connects the observed prosperity of the wicked to their outward display of pride and violence. Their ease in life has made them bold in their sin.
Understand the original words
ga'on · Hebrew Noun
A haughty or arrogant attitude that sets oneself up above God and others, characterized by self-sufficiency and a lack of dependence on the Creator.
atiphah · Hebrew Noun
An outward appearance or display that conceals one's true nature; in a negative sense, it is the manifestation of one's character, here implying that their sinful state is worn openly.
chamas · Hebrew Noun
Physical force, often used unjustly or aggressively to overpower others; it stands in direct opposition to God's justice and mercy.
The psalm reflects a time of great social and political turmoil, likely during or shortly after the Syro-Ephraimitic War. The psalmist grapples with the apparent success of the wicked and violent rulers, whose pride and oppression seem unchecked amidst the kingdom's instability and external threats.
c. 1000 BC
United Monarchy of Israel
Following the reign of King David and Solomon, the unified kingdom of Israel began to experience internal divisions and external pressures.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
The united monarchy split into two kingdoms: the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. This division led to increased political instability and conflict.
c. 8th century BC
Prophetic Ministry in Israel and Judah
Prophets like Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah condemned the social injustice, idolatry, and corruption prevalent in both kingdoms, often highlighting the prosperity of the wicked.
734-732 BC— this verse
Syro-Ephraimitic War
A coalition of Syria and the northern Kingdom of Israel attacked Judah, attempting to force Judah into an alliance against the rising Assyrian Empire. This conflict intensified social and political anxieties.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
Assyria conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its inhabitants. This event served as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of unfaithfulness and injustice.
This verse directly parallels the idea of pride leading to downfall, a common theme when observing the prosperous wicked as described in Psalm 73.
Jeremiah 9:23-24This passage warns against boasting in strength, wealth, or wisdom, highlighting that true boasting should be in understanding and knowing God, which is the opposite of the self-aggrandizing pride and reliance on violence seen in Psalm 73.
Luke 12:16-21The parable of the rich fool illustrates the folly of accumulating wealth and possessions without regard for God, a mindset that often accompanies the pride and violence described in Psalm 73:6.
1 John 2:16This verse categorizes worldly desires into the pride of life, the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, directly reflecting the 'pride' and the violent pursuits that characterize the ungodly in Psalm 73.
clarkePsalms 73:6: "Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment."
Pride compasseth them about as a chain - Perhaps there is an allusion here to the office which some of them bore. Chains of gold, and golden rings, were ensigns of magistracy and civil power. As these chains encompassed their necks, or the rings their wrists and fingers, as the signs of the offices in virtue of which they acted; so חמס chamas, violence, oppressive conduct, encompassed them. Th…
expositorsPsalms 73:1-28: "A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart."
Psalm 73:1-28 THE perennial problem of reconciling God’s moral government with observed facts is grappled with in this psalm, as in Psalm 37:1-40 ; Psalm 49:1-20 . It tells how the prosperity of the godless, in apparent flat contradiction of Divine promises, had all but swept the psalmist from his faith, and how he was led, through doubt and struggle, to closer communion with God, in which he…
The imagery here suggests that pride and violence aren't just traits of the wicked, but something they wear and display like fine jewelry and clothing, indicating they openly boast in these corrupt characteristics as if they were badges of honor.
The psalmist is grappling with the perplexing prosperity of the wicked, observing how they seem to live easy, untroubled lives while the faithful often suffer. This observation leads him to question God's justice, nearly causing him to abandon his faith. He describes the wicked's outward appearance and behavior, showing how their unhindered success fuels arrogance and oppression, which become defining characteristics of their lives.
The psalmist is grappling with the perplexing prosperity of the wicked, observing how they seem to live easy, untroubled lives while the faithful often suffer. This observation leads him to question God's justice, nearly causing him to abandon his faith. He describes the wicked's outward appearance and behavior, showing how their unhindered success fuels arrogance and oppression, which become defining characteristics of their lives.
"Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment." — The imagery here suggests that pride and violence aren't just traits of the wicked, but something they wear and display like fine jewelry and clothing, indicating they openly boast in these corru…
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Last reviewed October 2026