Bible Strands

Psalms 73:2

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Asaph addresses the community of Israel at the moment he recognizes his own spiritual instability while contrasting himself with the arrogant who prosper. He speaks during a period of personal crisis that directly precedes his confession of envying the wicked.

The words — The Hebrew phrase נָטָ֣יוּ רַגְלָ֑/י (na.Ta.yu rag.La/i) literally renders "they had turned aside my feet." The subsequent clause כְּ֝/אַ֗יִן שֻׁפְּכ֥וּ (ke./'A.yin shu.pe.Khu) translates to "like nothing they had been poured out," describing the speaker's steps.

The thread — The slipping feet motif recurs in Psalms 94:18 and Psalms 116:8, where divine support prevents the fall. The theme of God guarding faithful steps also appears in 1 Samuel 2:9.

Why it lands — The text demands a reader confront the reality of personal spiritual vulnerability before examining external circumstances. It requires honest admission of near-failure as a prerequisite for discerning divine justice.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַאֲנִ֗יva./'a.Niand/ Iכִּ֭מְעַטKi/m.'atlike/ a littleנָטָ֣יוּna.Ta.yuthey had turned asideרַגְלָ֑יrag.La/ifeet/ myכְּ֝אַ֗יִןke./'A.yinlike/ nothingשֻׁפְּכ֥וּshu.pe.Khuthey had been poured outאֲשֻׁרָֽי׃'a.shu.Ra/isteps/ my

King James Version

But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

Cross-references