Psalms: Christ Turns the World Upside Down

“As to the author of this psalm, I am not disposed to contend very strongly, although I think it probable that the name of Asaph was prefixed to it because the charge of singing it was committed to him, while the name of David, its author, was omitted, just as it is usual for us, when things are well known of themselves, not to be at the trouble of stating them.” [1]

Let’s Read

Psalm 73:1–28 ESV

1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. 7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. 8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. 9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. 10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. 11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. 13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. 15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. 16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. 18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! 20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms. 21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, 22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. 23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

May God Bless the Reading of His Holy and Inflatable Word

Lets Pray

Transition

The palmist dives right into the issues of theodicy, that is, how can we say God is good when we see evil in the world. The first 12 verses of this Psalm lay out the problem clearly. Lets read verse 1-12.

Body

God is Good Even When The Wicked Seem to Prosper

Psalm 73:1–12 ESV

The confession God is good, prefaces what is about to be be said.

I almost stumbled

RC Sproul said “An obedient life is often compared to a walk along a straight path (Prov. 1–9). The psalmist describes doubt and skepticism with the image of falling off a path. [2]

We will see what kept from stumbling later.

What are the implication of stumbling

Calling God evil, or a support if evil.

This is what seems out of place,

“4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. 7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. 8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. 9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. 10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. 11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.”

This produced in the heart of the viewer, envy they seemed to stumble off the path.

Calvin Comments “The Psalmist describes the comforts and advantages of the ungodly, which are as it were so many temptations to shake the faith of the people of God. He begins with the good health which they enjoy, telling us, that they are robust and vigorous, and have not to draw their breath with difficulty through continual sicknesses, as will often be the case with regard to true believers.” [3]

Transition

Why follow God when they have all, as pastor God was talking about the suffering of a Christian on Sunday, the rejection, the ridicule, even phiscal prosecution and death? Why, is the verse question the Palmist asks in verse 13, let look a verse 13-22.

End of the wicked

Psalm 73:13–22 ESV

13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. 15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. 16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. 18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! 20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms. 21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, 22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.

Why is it that the righteous seem to suffer more than the ungodly?

Think of Job, why did Job suffer while his wrong speaking, puffed up friends didn’t?

Verse 16, how do I understand this, in the human mind it is not possible apart from the revelation of God, “until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.”

This is contrary to the human mind. Remember what they said of Paul, this man turns the world upside down (Acts 17:6).

“18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! 20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.”

They are nothing,

Before he said, “or they have no pangs until death” now he says “ swept away utterly by terrors!”

The terror is those that wait those after death, in a word Hell.

Verse 21- 22 “When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, 22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.”

When he had almost slipped before he was “I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked”

How stupid I was he is saying, How could I have not understood the beauty I have and the darkness they have.

I was ignorant like the beast

You even seen cows want what is on the other side of the fence?

Have you have seen a child want the other kids toy even thought their’s is 1000% better?

Transition

What did he learn in the sanctuary of God that made him pronounce this judgment on himself. What made him look at himself and say, I was brutish and ignorant. Verse 23 - 28.

The Wealth of the Righteous

Psalm 73:23–28 ESV

23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

“23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.”

They they die Terrors await. For me afterwards? Glory. How stupid, of ignorant, not brutish to envy their curse.

It is a cures because they sit back and think, I have everything, They are the foolish, like the rich man Jesus spoke of.

“The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (Lk 12:16–21, ESV)

The foolish person is more worried about the thing of this life then their standing before an Holy and wrathful God that will have justice.

Verse 26-27 “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

The psalmist is reflecting again,

How could I be envious of the wicked, what I have you.

Christian if the spent can take comfort in this thought all the more can you.

You have the incarnation, the resurrection and the completed revelation.

You have the more sure word because Christ has come.

You have the more sure word because he now lives.

And you have the more sure hope knowing he will come back.

Ever promise of God every hope of God’s people finds its yes and amen in him.

Conclusion

The psalm concludes in verse 27 and 28. “For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. (Ps 73:27–28, ESV)

You cannot be near to the world and be near to God.

You cannot love health, wealth, family or your own life and be a disciple of Christ.

Can you say this evening what the Psalmist said in verse 25? “And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you."

Benediction

We close with a Doxology from Romans Chapter 16.

Romans 16:25–27 ESV

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

References

[1]John Calvin and James Anderson, Commentary on the Book of Psalms, vol. 3 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 121.

[2] R. C. Sproul, ed., The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015), 914.

[3] John Calvin and James Anderson, Commentary on the Book of Psalms, vol. 3 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 127.

Bibliography

Calvin, John, and James Anderson. Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.

Sproul, R. C., ed. The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust, 2015.

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