Psalm 73:15
New International Version
If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children.

New Living Translation
If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people.

English Standard Version
If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

Berean Standard Bible
If I had said, “I will speak this way,” then I would have betrayed Your children.

King James Bible
If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

New King James Version
If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.

New American Standard Bible
If I had said, “I will speak this way,” Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.

NASB 1995
If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.

NASB 1977
If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I should have betrayed the generation of Thy children.

Legacy Standard Bible
If I had said, “I will recount thus,” Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.

Amplified Bible
If I had said, “I will say this,” [and expressed my feelings], I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.

Christian Standard Bible
If I had decided to say these things aloud, I would have betrayed your people.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
If I had decided to say these things aloud, I would have betrayed Your people.

American Standard Version
If I had said, I will speak thus; Behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children.

Contemporary English Version
If I had said evil things, I would not have been loyal to your people.

English Revised Version
If I had said, I will speak thus; behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If I had said, "I will continue to talk like that," I would have betrayed God's people.

Good News Translation
If I had said such things, I would not be acting as one of your people.

International Standard Version
If I say, "I will talk like this," I would betray a generation of your children.

Majority Standard Bible
If I had said, ?I will speak this way,? then I would have betrayed Your children.

NET Bible
If I had publicized these thoughts, I would have betrayed your loyal followers.

New Heart English Bible
If I had said, "I will speak thus;" look, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

Webster's Bible Translation
If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

World English Bible
If I had said, “I will speak thus”, behold, I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
If I have said, “I recount thus,” "" Behold, I have deceived a generation of Your sons.

Young's Literal Translation
If I have said, 'I recount thus,' Lo, a generation of Thy sons I have deceived.

Smith's Literal Translation
If I said, I will recount thus; behold, I transgressed against the generation of thy sons.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
If I said: I will speak thus; behold I should condemn the generation of thy children.

Catholic Public Domain Version
If I were to say that I would explain this: Behold, I would condemn this nation of your sons.

New American Bible
Had I thought, “I will speak as they do,” I would have betrayed this generation of your children.

New Revised Standard Version
If I had said, “I will talk on in this way,” I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
If I say, I shall do as they do, this is sinful for me.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
If I said, "I shall do as they”,
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
If I had said: 'I will speak thus', Behold, I had been faithless to the generation of Thy children.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
If I said, I will speak thus; behold, I should have broken covenant with the generation of thy children.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Endow the King with Your Justice
14For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning. 15If I had said, “I will speak this way,” then I would have betrayed Your children. 16When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight…

Cross References
Proverbs 30:9
Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.

Job 21:27-34
Behold, I know your thoughts full well, the schemes by which you would wrong me. / For you say, ‘Where now is the nobleman’s house, and where are the tents in which the wicked dwell?’ / Have you never asked those who travel the roads? Do you not accept their reports? ...

Jeremiah 20:9
If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.

Malachi 3:14-15
You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Hosts? / So now we call the arrogant blessed. Not only do evildoers prosper, they even test God and escape.’”

Isaiah 65:13-14
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. / My servants will shout for joy with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart and wail with a broken spirit.

Ezekiel 18:25
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

Habakkuk 1:13
Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

Matthew 11:6
Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”

Romans 14:13
Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.

1 Corinthians 8:9-13
Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. / For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols? / So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. ...

2 Corinthians 6:3
We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.

Philippians 1:10
so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

1 Thessalonians 5:22
Abstain from every form of evil.

James 3:1-2
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. / We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.

1 Peter 2:12
Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.


Treasury of Scripture

If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of your children.

offend

1 Samuel 2:24
Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD'S people to transgress.

Malachi 2:8
But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

Matthew 18:6,7
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea…

generation

Psalm 22:30
A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

Psalm 24:6
This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

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Psalm 73
1. The prophet, prevailing in a temptation
2. Shows the occasion thereof, the prosperity of the wicked
13. The wound given thereby, diffidence
15. The victory over it, knowledge of God's purpose.














If I had said
This phrase introduces a hypothetical scenario, suggesting a moment of introspection and self-restraint. The Hebrew root for "said" is "אָמַר" (amar), which often implies not just speaking but also considering or intending. The psalmist reflects on the potential consequences of voicing his doubts or grievances. In a conservative Christian perspective, this highlights the importance of guarding one's speech and thoughts, aligning them with faith and trust in God rather than succumbing to momentary doubts or frustrations.

I will speak thus
The phrase "I will speak thus" indicates a specific manner of speaking that the psalmist is contemplating. The Hebrew word for "speak" is "דָּבַר" (dabar), which can mean to declare or to converse. The psalmist is considering expressing his inner turmoil and confusion about the prosperity of the wicked. This reflects a common human struggle with understanding divine justice. From a conservative viewpoint, it underscores the need for believers to process their doubts internally and seek God's wisdom before speaking, to avoid leading others astray.

I would have betrayed
The word "betrayed" is significant, as it conveys a sense of treachery or unfaithfulness. The Hebrew root "בָּגַד" (bagad) means to act deceitfully or to be unfaithful. The psalmist recognizes that voicing his doubts publicly could have led to a betrayal of trust among the community of believers. This highlights the responsibility of believers to uphold the faith and not cause others to stumble through careless words or actions.

Your children
The term "Your children" refers to the people of God, the community of believers. In the Hebrew context, "children" often signifies those who are part of God's covenant family. This phrase emphasizes the collective identity and responsibility of the faith community. From a conservative Christian perspective, it serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of believers and the impact one's words and actions can have on the spiritual well-being of others. It calls for a commitment to edification and encouragement within the body of Christ.

(15) If I say . . .--Or, If, thought I, I should reason thus, I should be faithless to the generation of thy sons. Or, perhaps, if it ever occurred to my mind to speak thus, the Hebrew often using two finite verbs to express one thought. (See, e.g., Psalm 73:8; Psalm 73:19.)

Verse 15. - If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children; or, if I had said (Revised Version). If, when these feelings assailed me, and the lot of the ungodly man seemed to me much better than my own, I had resolved to speak out all my thoughts, and let them be generally known, then should I have dealt treacherously with (Revised Version) the generation of thy children. I should have deserted their cause; I should have hurt their feelings; I should have put a stumbling block in their way. Therefore, the psalmist implies, he said nothing - a reticence well worthy of imitation.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

I had said,
אָ֭מַרְתִּי (’ā·mar·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“I will speak
אֲסַפְּרָ֥ה (’ă·sap·pə·rāh)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 5608: To count, recount, relate

this way,”
כְמ֑וֹ (ḵə·mōw)
Preposition
Strong's 3644: Like, as, when

then
הִנֵּ֤ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

I would have betrayed
בָגָֽדְתִּי׃ (ḇā·ḡā·ḏə·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 898: To cover, to act covertly, to pillage

Your children.
בָּנֶ֣יךָ (bā·ne·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son


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OT Poetry: Psalm 73:15 If I had said I will speak (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 73:14
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