Down the Slippery Slope
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· 2 viewswavering faith might result in an incorrect focus. Envy and strife come from lack of faith in God and His faithfulness.
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Psalm 73:1-28
Psalm 73:1-28
God is always good to His people
God is always good to His people
1 Truly God is good to Israel, Even to such as are of a clean heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; My steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: But their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; Neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; Violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish.
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: They speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: And waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, Who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, And washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, And chastened every morning.
15 If I say, I will speak thus; Behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
16 When I thought to know this, It was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then understood I their end.
18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: Thou castedst them down into destruction.
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh; So, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, And I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all thy works.
Asaph was a musician in David’s kingdom.
Asaph was a musician in David’s kingdom.
Helped in the celebration of moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.
Wrote Psalms 73 -83 and others. He was a straight forward person, trying to see God’s truth.
This Psalm presents a mirror image.
This Psalm presents a mirror image.
A. God is good (v1)
B. But there is a problem causing God’s people to stumble. (v2)
C. The “Prosperity of the wicked is the problem. (v3)
c. Description of the “wicked” (vv 4-12)
b. Description of God’s faithful (vv13-16)
a. God is good (vv 17-28)
God is good to His People
God is good to His People
Israel was God’s chosen people
Individuals with a clean heart make up his chosen people today. (Ps 51 said “create in me a clean heart, o Lord”)
God is not willing that any should perish.
God wants all people to become His children by the new birth.
When we take our eyes off Jesus we slip
When we take our eyes off Jesus we slip
In golf one must keep his eye on the ball.
Peter walked on water until he took his eye off Jesus.
The prosperity of the wicked caused envy
The prosperity of the wicked caused envy
Their wickedness was in the manner of thinking and living.
Their bodies - v 4
their eyes - v 5
their hearts - v7
their mouths and
their tongues - v9
Their thinking brought pride and violence.
Their thinking brought pride and violence.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; Violence covereth them as a garment.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.
Asaph’s dilemma
Asaph’s dilemma
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,
If “God is good to those with a pure heart,” He can’t understand.
His heart is clean - Attitude toward life
His hands are washed in innocence - his way of life.
v 15. If he had spoken as the wicked, he would have betrayed his own people - the people of God.
v 16 as he tried to understand this, it was painful - a hard and tiring task.
The turning point is in verse 17
The turning point is in verse 17
until I went into the sanctuary of God
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then understood I their end.
v. 18 - They are set in the slippery places. Prosperity of the wicked was temporary
There was no real future for them
Psalm 37:34–36 (ESV)
34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.
37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
The wicked are destined for destruction, but Asaph realized that he enjoyed permanent protection (vv. 23-24).
He had been stupid and ignorant (v. 22) to doubt.
He was weak and fragile (v. 26),
God is his rock and strength.
God is permanently close as he draws close to God.
Asaph would draw nigh to God
Asaph would draw nigh to God
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.
When we have drawn close to God, how should we regard those who do not know God?
When we have drawn close to God, how should we regard those who do not know God?
envy, pride and self exultation vanishes,
While the wicked have contempt for outsiders.
We want to tell everyone the source of our joy!
God’s plan is that His people would influence the world for good!
God’s plan is that His people would influence the world for good!
You shall be witnesses to these things!
By this shall all people know that you are my disciples: that you have love for one another. (John 13:35)
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The most important thing you can do in life is exalt God.
The most important thing you can do in life is exalt God.
The second most important thing is for you to help someone else learn to exalt God.
The second most important thing is for you to help someone else learn to exalt God.
There are two slippery slopes
There are two slippery slopes
Number one: It is very slippery for God’s people to take their eyes off Jesus!
Number one: It is very slippery for God’s people to take their eyes off Jesus!
Number two: It is very slippery for those who do not have Jesus as their Redeemer to live and die with Him.
Number two: It is very slippery for those who do not have Jesus as their Redeemer to live and die with Him.