John Calvin Commentary Psalms 73:20

"As a dream when one awaketh, So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou wilt despise their image." — Psalms 73:20 (ASV)

As it were a dream after a man is awakened. This analogy is often found in the Sacred Writings. Thus, Isaiah (Isaiah 29:7), speaking of the enemies of the Church, says, “They shall be as a dream of a night vision.” To quote other texts of a similar kind would be tedious and unnecessary labor.

In this passage, the metaphor is very appropriate. How can it be explained that the prosperity of the wicked is regarded with so much wonder, unless it is because our minds have been lulled into a deep sleep? In short, the pictures we draw in our imaginations of the happiness of the wicked, and of the desirability of their condition, are just like the imaginary kingdoms we construct in our dreams when we are asleep.

Those who, being illuminated by the Word of God, are awake, may indeed be somewhat impressed with the splendor with which the wicked are invested; but they are not so dazzled by it as to have their wonder greatly excited. For they are prevented from feeling this way by a light of an opposite kind, far surpassing it in brilliance and attraction.

The prophet, therefore, commands us to awake, so that we may perceive that all that we gaze at in this world is nothing but pure vanity; even as he himself, now returning to his right mind, acknowledges that he had previously been only dreaming and raving. The reason is added: God will make their image to be despised, or render it contemptible. By the word image, some understand the soul of man, because it was formed after the image of God.

But in my opinion, this interpretation is unsuitable, for the prophet simply derides the outward pomp or show that dazzles men's eyes, even while it vanishes in an instant. We have encountered a similar form of expression in Psalm 39:6: “Surely every man passeth away in an image,” the meaning of which is, surely every man flows away like water that has no solidity, or rather like the image reflected in a mirror, which has no substance.

The word image, then, in this passage means what we commonly term appearance, or outward show. Thus, the prophet indirectly rebukes the error into which we fall when we regard as real and substantial those things that are merely phantoms created out of nothing by our imaginations.

The word בעיר (bair,) properly signifies in the city. But as this would be a rigid form of expression, many have judiciously thought that the word is shortened by a letter and is the same as בהעיר (bahair; ). This opinion is also supported by the vowel point kamets being placed under ב (beth.) According to this view, it is to be translated in awakening,—that is, after these dreams that deceive us have passed away.

And that takes place not only when God restores to some measure of order matters that were previously involved in confusion, but also when He dispels the darkness and gladdens our minds with a friendly light. It is true, we never see things as well-adjusted in the world as we would desire, for God, intending to keep us always exercising hope, delays the perfection of our state until the final day of judgment.

But whenever He stretches out His hand against the wicked, He causes us to see, as it were, some rays of the dawn, so that the darkness, by becoming too thick, may not lull us to sleep and cause dullness of understanding.

Some apply this expression, in awaking, to the last judgment, as if David intended to say that in this world the wicked abound in riches and power, and this confusion, which is like a dark night, will continue until God raises the dead. I certainly admit that this is a profitable doctrine, but it is not taught to us in this passage, as its scope does not at all agree with such an interpretation.

If any prefer reading in the city—meaning, in the city thou wilt make their image to be despised,—the sense will be that when God is pleased to bring the transitory beauty and vain show of the wicked into contempt, it will not be a secret or hidden vengeance, but will be quite obvious and known to all, as if it were done in the public marketplace of a city. But the word awaking suits better, as it is put in opposition to dreaming.