Psalms 73-1-28 I almost gave up

When You See the Righteous Suffer and the Wicked Prosper, 73:1–28

(73:1–28) Introduction: Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper? It is impossible to understand. Perhaps more than any one single factor, it jolts the faith of people across the globe. It just does not seem right.

The Bible teaches that God blesses the righteous and judges the wicked. Yet, it so often appears that the ungodly prosper more and suffer less than the godly. From good people who seem to have more than their share of troubles to faithful believers who are attacked by criminals to Christians who are persecuted and martyred for their faith, the suffering of the righteous does not make sense to us.

It was exactly this dilemma that prompted the writing of Psalm 73. The first of Book III of Psalms, Psalm 73 is also the first of a section of eleven psalms attributed to Asaph, one of three chief musical directors in David’s court. An outstanding singer and percussionist, he also authored Psalm 50 (1 Chr. 15:16–19; 16:4–7, 37; 25:1ff).

Psalm 73 is the last of three psalms that address the suffering of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked (Ps. 37; 49). Without question, the counsel of the previous psalms is immeasurably profitable. However, what God teaches us through Asaph lends a sense of closure to the subject: the understanding of life’s perplexing dilemmas is found only in the presence of God (v. 17). When our faith is shaken by the wicked things occuring in this world, we need to draw near to Him (v. 28). This is, When You See the Righteous Suffer and the Wicked Prosper, 73:1–28.

1. Stand on God’s Word (v. 1).

2. Confess your struggle and lack of understanding to God, 16 (vv. 2–16).

3. Enter the presence (sanctuary) of God and listen to Him (His Holy Word) (vv. 17–27).

4. Bear strong witness for God (v. 28).

1 (73:1) Stand on God’s word.

Although Asaph was struggling with the suffering of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked, he determined to stand on the clear teaching of God’s Holy Word: God is good to His people. Truly, He is good to all who are of a clean heart (Ps. 24:4). Truly is the most important word in this first verse. It emphasizes that, in spite of how things may appear, God is good to His people. Commentator Derek Kidner also notes that “the phrase, pure [clean] in heart, is more significant than it may seem … Pure means more than clean-minded … basically, it is being totally committed to God.”

Thought 1. The truth of God’s Word is not determined by our experiences and observations. God’s Word is true regardless of how things appear. Satan’s oldest trick is to cast doubt on God’s Word. This is exactly what he did with Eve in the Garden of Eden. He twisted God’s command to abstain from eating of the tree of knowledge, leading Eve to question God’s goodness (Ge. 3:1–5). In the same fashion, he uses the injustices of this world to tempt us to question God’s Word and character. Like Jesus when He was tempted, we must stand firm on God’s Word, using it to resist Satan (Mt. 4:1–10; Ep. 6:17). God’s Word is absolute truth. Whatever happens, it will stand, and it will endure forever. We must never allow ourselves to be moved from or to doubt what it says, regardless of our experiences or feelings. God is good to His people, to all who are pure in heart!

“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (Lu. 21:33).

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (1 Th. 2:13).

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Pe. 1:23–25).

“The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Ps. 12:6).

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Ps. 19:7–8).

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Is. 40:8).

2 (73:2–16) Confess your struggle and lack of understanding to God, v. 16.

Asaph was struggling with a serious dilemma: he could not understand why he, a righteous man, suffered every day while the wicked prospered. The injustice of this had shaken his faith to the core. He had kept his feelings bottled up for so long that he was now at the breaking point. Feeling unable to speak to anyone else about his questions, he confessed his struggle and lack of understanding to God.

a. Confess that you are tempted to slip back: Because you envy the prosperity (pleasures and possessions) of the wicked (vv. 2–12).

What Asaph could not understand—the prosperity of the wicked—seriously threatened his faith. He openly confessed that he was strongly tempted to slip back from following the Lord. He had stood firm in his confidence in God and His goodness, but the prosperity of the wicked troubled him so grievously that he nearly slipped from the right path (v. 2). He became envious of the foolish, the proud, arrogant people who exalt themselves and their selfish desires over God’s righteous commands (v. 3).

As Asaph observed their easy lives, it seemed that the ungodly were exempt from the struggles of life and the bands of death (v. 4). Bands (chartsubbah) means fetters or chains (Is. 58:6). The wicked somehow appeared to avoid the bondage and pain of affliction that the righteous suffer, even in their deaths. They were well-fed, and their bodies were healthy and strong. They lived free of life’s ordinary burdens and problems. From his perspective, they were immune to hardship (v. 5).

Even more unjust to Asaph was this fact: the easy lives of the wicked spawned more pride in their sinful hearts (v. 6). They wore their rebellion against God’s commands like a medal of honor around their necks. Showing little restraint, they clothed themselves with violence, with cruel, criminal acts against others. In spite of this, they seemed to have everything their hearts could desire (v. 7). “Their eyes stand out [bulge out] with fatness” symbolizes their abundance of money and possessions.

Asaph continued to describe the despicable behavior of the corrupt. They used their tongues for evil. They scoffed, spoke maliciously, and threatened others (v. 8). They even cursed and spoke against God Himself. Asaph painted a graphic picture of their boastful speaking, depicting their arrogant tongues fearlessly strutting across the face of the earth. As they proudly paraded their wickedness, they openly intimidated everybody they encountered as if they were untouchable (v. 9).

As the wicked spread their verbal poison throughout the land, many people foolishly believed their false promises (v. 10). Enticed by the deceivers’ prosperous lives, the people blindly followed them. “Waters of a full cup are wrung out to them” portrays senseless, simple-minded people heartily drinking up the toxic waters that abundantly spewed out of the evildoers’ vile mouths.

With minds totally corrupted, these rebellious people reviled God, going so far as to question His existence and power (v. 11). Note their questions: How does God know? Does the Most High even have the knowledge He claims to have? Apparently, since they suffered no penalty for their misbehavior and injustice, they assumed that one of three things must be true:

⮚ God did not see or know what they did.

⮚ God was not powerful enough to stop them or punish them.

⮚ God does not exist at all.

These are the ungodly, Asaph concluded (v. 12). This is what the wicked are like. In spite of their fiendish behavior, their blatant flaunting of God’s holy law, they are always at ease. They lead carefree lives, and all the while their prosperity continues to increase.

b. Confess the intense turmoil you are experiencing (vv. 13–16).

Asaph was brutally honest with God: the prosperity of the wicked had thrust him into intense turmoil. He had begun to question the very foundations of his faith, wondering if living for God was useless (v. 13). Day by day, he made every effort to walk righteously. He had turned away from the bright lights, pleasures, and perversions of this world. Was it all in vain? Had he kept his heart clean for nothing? Did he “wash his hands in innocency,” carefully guarding his behavior to be innocent of wrongdoing, to no avail?

In spite of his best efforts to live a godly life, Asaph was plagued with trials and troubles (v. 14). Plagued (nagah) and chastened indicate that he had been struck by what he felt was God’s judgment (Ge. 12:17; Is. 53:4). All the day long and every morning suggest that he had been touched by a physical affliction, perhaps an ongoing, incurable disease (2 K. 15:5; 2 Chr. 26:20).

For some time, Asaph had kept his feelings bottled up within, causing severe mental and emotional stress. As a chief worship leader in Israel, he carefully considered his influence on others. If he talked about what he was feeling, he knew that he would offend God’s people. He felt that he would betray the faith that had bound Israel throughout the generations, even to the current generation of children (v. 15). At the same time, however, trying to know or understand this—why God allowed the wicked to prosper while he suffered—kept him reeling in utter turmoil (v. 16).

Thought 1. Personal suffering can seriously challenge our faith, just as it did Asaph’s. This godly man suffered every day with a serious affliction, some severe trial that he felt was God’s discipline in his life. At the same time, he watched the wicked go about their vile business untouched by trouble.

Notice, first, that Scripture does not condemn Asaph for having these feelings. One of the greatest lessons of Psalms is that we have the liberty to empty our hurting hearts at God’s throne. That same lesson is taught again here at the beginning of Book III: God is not weak or overly sensitive. Rather, He is powerful and understanding. He can handle our burdens, and He can deal with our questions, even when they are about Him. When we do not understand God’s ways—when we lack wisdom about our trials—we can ask for God’s help (Js. 1:2–5).

Second, note Asaph’s concern for God’s people. As a leader, he did not speak of his struggles to other people, lest he betray their faith. Pastors and other leaders know what it is like to be unable to talk to others when their own faith is challenged. If the individuals they lead learn of their questions and doubts, then they might lose confidence in their pastor or leader, or, they too might be tempted to slip in their faith. At the same time, like Asaph, none of us should keep our feelings bottled up within us indefinitely. When we struggle with questions or feelings that we cannot express to any other person, we can always tell them to Jesus. He knows and understands our conflicts. He became one of us in order to intercede for us. From the cross, He cried out to God, questioning why the Father had forsaken Him (Mt. 27:46). Having suffered every trial and temptation that we might face, Jesus is able to help us when we are tried (He. 2:17–18). He was “touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” and He invites us to come to Him for help in our time of need (He. 4:14–16).

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him” (Ep. 1:17).

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (He. 4:14–16).

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (Js. 1:5).

“Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up” (Ps. 94:17–18).

“For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding” (Pr. 2:6).

3 (73:17–27) Enter the presence (sanctuary) of God and listen to Him (His Holy Word).

With his spirit in bondage to his negative feelings, Asaph went to the sanctuary of God—the place where His presence dwelled in a special way. Entering God’s presence set Asaph free from the envy and bitterness that gripped his soul. As he bowed before the Lord, God spoke to his heart from His Holy Word. By listening to God, Asaph learned four invaluable lessons that changed his perspective and his life.

a. You will understand the wicked’s destiny (vv. 17–20).

When Asaph entered God’s holy presence, the Lord lifted him above the injustices of this present world in order for him to see the destiny of the wicked (v. 17). That is to say, God gave him a clear understanding of the end of the ungodly:

⮚ They are on a slippery path to destruction (v. 18).

⮚ They will be suddenly destroyed, utterly consumed or swept away by “instantaneous, unexpected terrors” (v. 19). Picture the wicked recklessly going about their ungodly lives, thinking that God does not see them. Then, all of a sudden, some terrifying calamity—God’s judgment—rips them out of this world and forcefully thrusts them into eternal condemnation.

⮚ They will be destroyed by the Lord Himself (v. 20). Like a quickly-forgotten dream, their lives will suddenly pass away, never to be seen again. The picture here is of God awakening in judgment and totally wiping the wicked off the face of the earth. They will be like an image, a fantasy or illusion that never really existed.

b. You will learn how wrong you are (vv. 21–22).

Like Isaiah the prophet’s experience, Asaph’s entering the Lord’s holy presence caused him to see himself in a dif ferent light (Is. 6:1–5). He recognized how wrong he was in allowing himself to be overcome by negative thinking. By saying his heart was grieved, Asaph was confessing that he had become bitter toward God (v. 21). Was grieved (chamets) means became fermented or sour. Plainly stated, Asaph humbly admitted that his attitude toward God had become rotten. When he said “I was pricked in my reins,” he meant he had allowed his envy of the wicked and his bitterness toward God to pierce through or corrupt his entire life, all the way to his innermost being. Convicted and ashamed, Asaph bluntly stated that he was both foolish and ignorant before God, like a senseless animal (v. 22).

c. You will learn that you belong to God (vv. 23–24).

Asaph now realized a glorious truth: even though he had slipped away from God, God had never left him (v. 23). He belonged to God. At his lowest moment, when he was bitter toward God, the Lord never let go of him. He held tightly onto Asaph’s right hand—a picture of God’s protection and direction.

God also guided him with His counsel, His Holy Word (v. 24). When Asaph strayed from the truth, God’s Word led him back, enlightening him to his own foolishness and illuminating God’s goodness and righteousness (Ps. 19:7; 119:105). With his faith joyously renewed, Asaph declared that God’s counsel would continue to guide him through the rest of his life. Then, God would receive him to glory, that is, lead him into His holy presence, Asaph’s glorious destiny.

d. You will learn that God is enough, all you need in heaven and on earth (vv. 25–27).

Asaph saved his most precious lesson for last: being in God’s presence overshadows all the trials and injustices of life. Even as Asaph pondered the glories of heaven, he declared that all he longed for there was God (v. 25). To him, “heaven is heaven because God is there.” In addition, entering God’s presence had now brought complete satisfaction to his life. He was able to say in all honesty that the only thing he desired on earth was God. God is enough. He is all that matters. He is all we need.

In God’s presence, Asaph found strength for his difficult life (v. 26). He declared that though his flesh and heart, his health and spirit, might fail (kalah), God would sustain him through his afflictions. Death held no power over him, for God was his portion forever. Portion (cheleq) means a share of an inheritance. Asaph proclaimed that the Lord was his inheritance (Ps. 16:5). When he died, he would live eternally in God’s glorious presence.

Focusing on his magnificent future enabled Asaph to accept the present reality—the prosperity of the wicked. Although he suffered affliction in this life, he had the splendid hope of living with God forever. In contrast, the ungodly have no hope whatsoever, for God will destroy all who turn away from Him (v. 27).

Thought 1. At times, we all struggle with questions about God and why He allows things to happen as they do, both in our own lives and the lives of others around the world. There are many things we simply cannot understand, for instance …

• the many injustices of evil governments

• the suffering of innocent children and the weak

• atrocious acts by criminals, terrorists, dictators, and quakes, and gangs

• crippling illnesses and disease

• widespread famine and poverty

• natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and cyclones

• the tragic death of children and young adults

These and a multitude of other horrible things can leave us reeling physically, mentally, and emotionally and cause us to question God’s goodness and love. When this is our state of mind, only one thing can help us: entering God’s presence. When we bow before the Lord, He will reveal His goodness to us, and He will speak to our hearts. As His Word and Spirit comfort us, He will teach us about Himself. We will learn that He is all we need and that His strength will empower us to deal with whatever difficulties come into our lives. He will lead us to the realization that His presence in our lives is enough. He will guide us back to the right path.

Like Asaph, we must look beyond the evils and injustices of this world and focus on the future. God is absolutely righteous. He will judge the wicked; and the righteous—as difficult as our lives may be in the present—will spend eternity in His glorious presence. “The glory of God affects one’s whole way of life as one lives in the joy of God’s love, mercy, patience, grace, and forgiveness. But hope extends beyond this life to the future, when God takes care of all his children’s needs.” The inheritance of the wicked is everlasting destruction and desolation. But God is our portion, our share, our inheritance. We will live with Him forever!

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Ph. 4:6–9).

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pe. 5:7).

“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11).

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary” (Ps. 63:1–2).

“Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?” (Ps. 77:13).

4 (73:28) Bear strong witness for God.

Realizing that others struggled with the same issue he did, Asaph determined to bear strong witness regarding what God had done in his life. Drawing near to God gave Asaph the right perspective on the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous. By entering God’s presence, he had learned to trust God.

a. He is the Lord God, the Sovereign Lord (v. 28a).

Asaph first had to gain the right perspective on who God is. He is the Lord GOD (Adonai Yahovih, a form of Yahweh or Jehovah). This title emphasizes that our covenant-keeping God is the Master of all things. He is ultimately in control of everything that takes place in our lives and in this world.

b. He is your refuge (v. 28b).

Gaining the right perspective on God gave Asaph the right perspective on the injustices of life. Realizing that God is in control enabled him to put his trust in God, to take refuge in Him. Instead of struggling with the question of why he was suffering while the wicked prospered, he decided to rest in God, fully trusting the Lord to take care of him and to do what was right. As a result, Asaph was able to say wholeheartedly that, in spite of how things may appear sometimes, God is truly good to His people (v. 1).

Thought 1. Asaph’s testimony is the great lesson of Psalm 73: when we are wrestling with the injustices of this world, we need to recognize who God is and trust Him to do what is right. He is our Lord, our personal God with whom we have an eternal relationship through His covenant. As His children through faith in Jesus Christ, He will take care of us (Ga. 3:26; Mt. 6:31–33). When we draw near to Him and trust Him, we gain the right perspective on the problems of life. Like Asaph, we will then have a testimony we can share with others. We can declare the work God has done in our lives and help others who are struggling to realize that God is always in control and can be trusted in all things.

“We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak” (2 Co. 4:13).

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 Jn. 1:3).

“Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul” (Ps. 66:16).

“I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings” (Ps. 77:12).