Psalm 73

The wicked of this world can prosper, but as believers we can have peace with a nearness to God.

Focus on the wicked

The psalmist is wrestling with seeing the triumphs of the wicked people. They seem to go through their life with no challenges or set backs or consequences. The psalmist uses the analogy of his feet slipping while walking the path God has set him on, or while running the race of life. The author is being tempted to walk away from his walk with God. He sees the rewards of the evil actions and is confused at why those people aren’t getting what is rightfully their consequence (vs 4-5). We as believers and followers of Christ understand this, as we go through our lives we live with the constant attacks from temptation and our old man. We see wicked people getting rewarded and followers of God going through trials and being tested. We as humans want to so badly have an easy life that when we see others with one we are tempted to do whatever it takes to get that kind of life. those people prosper, but for all the wrong reasons. God will sometimes delay judgement for reasons we can’t always know.

As the author keeps going he looks to the wicked or the foolish people around him and sees that they are prideful (vs 6), Violent (vs 6), Gluttonous (vs 7), Corrupt (vs 8), Blasphemers (vs 8b-11). From verses 6-11 the author is using descriptive words to paint a picture of these wicked people. They wear there pride and violence as a necklace and as their garments. Their eyes are fat with all their wants. They blaspheme against Christ and tempt God by saying things like “How can God know?” and “ Is there knowledge in the most High?” The psalmist is losing his focus on what it truly important. He is focusing on the wicked people that have trophies and crowns and profits here on Earth. He is being side-tracked from the real reason we are on this Earth, which is to glorify God. These people live to glorify themselves, not God. They see what they can get from this world and are satisfied in their strength, it is a false satisfaction. We as believers know what true satisfaction is, but I will get to that later on in the chapter.

The author’s faith in that living a life for Christ isn’t all that it’s chalked up to be. The author Asaph has turned his gaze from God to man. He has been persuaded to see the world through a lens of envy. He envies the easy life and the life that is lived to spite God. He knows it is wrong but is getting weary of the life that is lived to glorify God. We as believers may slip and fall but if we can lift our gaze to Christ and allow Him to help us up can we have an understanding that the wicked would never know. Sometimes being a Christian may seem lonely but we need to change what we are looking at.

The rationalizing

Asaph goes on to think in his mind what he is seeing. He starts out in verse 12 Behold, these are the ungodly. He goes on to say that they prosper in this world, they grow more rich. they are living for this world. Asaph goes on to say that he every morning is plagued and chastened. God promises a life of struggle hardships, He doesn’t say it will be easy, but in God’s strength we won’t need our own strength. Asaph turns to God in verses 16-17. In 16 It was too painful for Asaph to think of all these things (1-15) If we see the world how God sees it, it is a very dark and lonely place. It is filled with hate, lust, envy, strife, fornication, idolatry. Then in verse Does Asaph find hope and peace.

His focus

The author is grieved to think that a life lived against God is good. In verses 16 and 17 are the changing verses. Verse 17 says “Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” The author points out that it wasn’t until he went into God’s sanctuary or God’s house to worship did he understand their end. In verses 18-20 Asaph gives a quick description of the end of the people who live a life separate from God. It all shows destruction, all with out hope. It will be people facing death not sure of what is to come. People have a natural fear of death because it is the only thing that people don’t really know what to expect and it is something that is going to happen to everyone. We as believers have confidence that we know where we are going and who we are going to see. We can have comfort in knowing that we have excepted Christ and allowed for His blood to cleanse us and follow God to a fulfilling life.

Going on Asaph thinks of how foolish it is to think this way, how ignorant he is to have questioned. From verse 23-28 it talks about how a nearness to God is comforting and peaceful. To be near to God is to desire His will in your life. To only look for God on this Earth. Who have I in Heaven but thee? God is my portion forever. For when out hearts and flesh fail God is is our strength. We can put our trust in the Lord. We may live to tell others of the wonderful works God can do through and for them. There is hope for us on this earth that God is our Counsel God is leading, We can rest on God’s promises. All we need to do is draw near to Christ and He will draw near to us, all while the devil fleas. God is the one we have hope and confidence in not ourselves not in the things of this world, but in the One who made everything.

God’s presents in our life is very important. To trust Him lean on Him to glorify Him. That is how we live a fulfilling life. The author through this psalm has gone from sad an depressed from seeing the triumphs of the wicked, to happy and joyful to have a nearness to God. We as believers have the nearness with God, we have that connection that satisfaction from God. We can’t live a life glorifying to God our own way, but if we live a life for God He will be glorified. We as believers need to understand that God is not some far off being we pray to and hope that He listens. No No No God is here with us. God knows your aches and pains. God knows your struggles and your hurts. We can go to God and have a nearness with Him and know a comfort that nothing in this world could copy. Paul counts all His gain but loss, do we see it that way? Is our faith strong enough for us to stand and say that we would rather live a life of hardship and struggle and live in eternity with God? or live a life separate from God and prosper on this Earth for a little while then spend eternity away from God? The choice may seem easy, because it is. In training for anything people need to put themselves through struggle to make themselves better. That’s how these super athletes do what they are doing. My question is, How does your spirit look? Are you training your spirit to be strong in Christ? God doesn’t call us to be weak He calls us to be meek, slow tempered and caring, but He also call us to stand up for God fight for our religion. He gives us the Armour of God in Ephesians 6. We are to go and allow God to work through us. Our fight now is to live for Christ in this world. Live a life that glorifies God. Unchanging in the face of trials and temptations. One that is focused on God and His mercy and grace and power. We can understand the destruction of the wicked but have a heart to show God to them as God wants all to be saved. We can’t lose focus, we need to stay looking to God. Our citizenship is not here on earth it’s up with God.