Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 73:9
They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
9. The A.V. gives a good sense: they blaspheme God and dictate to men. Cp. Dan 7:25. But probably the R.V. is right in rendering,
They have set their mouth In the heavens.
The clause expands the words of the preceding verse “from on high.” They make an impious claim of divine authority, and dictate to men as though the earth belonged to them.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They set their mouth against the heavens – Compare Rev 13:6. Literally, They set their mouth in heaven, or in the heavens. The idea is, they speak as if they were in the heavens; as if they were clothed with all authority; as if they were superior beings, and had a right to command the universe.
And their tongue walketh through the earth – It has no limit; it is as if it roamed over all the earth. They speak without any restraint of law, or propriety; without any regard to the command of God, or to what is due to people, In other words, they seem to set themselves above all law, and to act as if there were no one in heaven or in earth to control them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. Set their mouth against the heavens] They blaspheme God, ridicule religion, mock at Providence, and laugh at a future state.
Their tongue walketh through the earth.] They find fault with every thing; they traduce the memory of the just in heaven, and ridicule the saints that are upon earth. They criticize every dispensation of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Against the heavens, i.e. against God, blaspheming his name, denying or deriding his providence, reviling his saints and servants.
Walketh through the earth; using all manner of liberty, introducing and reproaching all sorts of persons, not caring whom they displease or hurt by it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3-9. The prosperous wicked areinsolently proud (compare Ps 5:5).They die, as well as live, free from perplexities: pride adorns them,and violence is their clothing; indeed they are inflated withunexpected success. With all this
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
They set their mouth against the heavens,…. Against God in heaven, see Da 4:26, against his being, saying, there is no God; against his perfections, thinking him to be such an one as themselves; against his purposes and decrees, replying against him, and charging him with insincerity, cruelty, and unrighteousness; and against his providence, either denying it, or affirming it to be unequal; and against his doctrines, ordinances, and ministers. Aben Ezra interprets it also of the angels of heaven, who are spoken against, when it is denied that there are any such beings, as were by the Sadducees; and blasphemed, when the worshipping of them is introduced. The Targum understands it of the saints of heaven, with which compare Re 13:6 it may be applied to civil magistrates, the higher powers, who represent on earth God in heaven; and there are some that despise dominion, and speak evil of such dignities:
and their tongue walketh through the earth: sparing none, high nor low, but injures all sorts of persons with their lies and calumnies. This denotes the unbridled liberty which wicked men take with their tongues; there is no restraint upon them, no stopping of them; see Ps 12:5 the universal mischief they are continually doing, and the diabolical influence of their detraction and falsehood; like Satan, their tongues walk to and fro in the earth, doing all the injury to the credit and characters of men they possibly can.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9. They have set their mouth against the heavens. Here it is declared that they utter their contumelious speeches as well against God as against men; for they imagine that nothing is too arduous for them to attempt, and flatter themselves that heaven and earth are subject to them. If any should endeavor to alarm them by setting before them the power of God, they audaciously break through this barrier; and, with respect to men, they have no idea of any difficulty arising from such a quarter. Thus, there is no obstacle to repress their proud and vaunting speeches, but their tongue walketh through the whole earth. This form of expression seems to be hyperbolical; but when we consider how great and unbounded their presumption is, we will admit that the Psalmist teaches nothing but what experience shows to be matter of fact.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) They set.The last clause is repeated here under a figure more defined:
They have set their mouth in [not against] the heavens,
While their tongue walketh through the earth.
an image very expressive of a towering pride, vaunting itself to the skies, and trumpeting its own praises through the world.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Against the heavens More properly, in the heavens. They have ascended to the abode of God. Their haughtiness (Psa 73:8) has now assumed and usurped divine prerogative, (as Isa 14:13-14,) and they speak as from the throne of God.
Walketh through the earth That is, walketh proudly, stalketh. As they have blasphemed God by placing their mouth in the heavens, so they stalk through the earth, speaking contemptuously against the innocent and holy.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 73:9. They set their mouth against the heavens i.e. They blaspheme the God of heaven; and their tongue walketh, &c. i.e. is let loose to abuse and calumniate whomsoever they please.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 73:9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
Ver. 9. They set their mouth against the heavens ] They howl upward, as wolves; bark at the moon, as dogs; piss against the sun; belch out blasphemies against God, as did Pharaoh, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, Dionysius the tyrant, Antiochus, antichrist, Rev 13:6 (Pope Julius III for instance, who would have his pork meat, forbidden him by his physicians, al despito di Dio); the Great Turk at the siege of Scodra, and again at the Rhodes; besides Hacker, in Queen Elizabeth’s time, and the ranters in ours Dionysius commisso sacrilegio Deum dicebat sacrilegis bonam navigationem concedere.
And their tongue walketh through the earth
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the heavens. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), for God, Who dwells there.
tongue walketh. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia.
earth. Supply the Ellipsis, by adding “[they say]”. “Let His People return hither” as in Psa 73:10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
set: Exo 5:2, 2Ch 32:15, Job 21:14, Dan 3:15, Dan 7:25, Rev 13:6
tongue: Psa 52:4, Luk 18:4, Jam 3:6
Reciprocal: 2Ki 18:29 – saith 2Ki 19:22 – Whom 2Ch 32:16 – yet Job 15:25 – he stretcheth Psa 10:3 – boasteth Psa 12:3 – tongue Psa 39:1 – that I Psa 73:11 – How Psa 94:4 – shall Psa 139:20 – for they speak Pro 6:12 – walketh Isa 3:8 – because Isa 36:13 – cried Isa 36:20 – that the Lord Isa 37:23 – Whom hast Jer 44:16 – we Jer 44:18 – we have Eze 35:13 – have multiplied Hos 7:16 – the rage Jam 3:5 – so 2Pe 2:18 – they speak
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
73:9 They {d} set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
(d) They blaspheme God, and do not fear his power and rail upon men, because they esteem themselves above all others.