Psalm 73

Scripture

English Standard Version (Psalm 73)

God Is My Strength and Portion Forever

73 A PSALM OF ASAPH.

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. 1 Corinthians 15:58

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.

A1 (v 1) Truth stated: God is good (Yellow)

Within these first three versus it seems as if Asaph is trying to reassure himself that God is good to those that are faithful to Him and obey His commandments. In a world were we are able to look all around us and see what others are doing it can be hard to know that even though others are acting in a way unpleasing to God yet they still “prosper” the have the nice house, cool car, “perfect life.” While we struggle and have our own hardships by doing this the “correct way” others are taking short cuts and the easy way out and are doing just fine

Matthew 7:13–14 ““Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

B1 (vs 2–14) Poor me! (Green)

In V:2-3 we see Asaph being real and venerable. Telling us that he has almost slipped in his walk with God. That he nearly left the path of following God because he was jealous of the prosperity the wicked seemed to have. It seemed as if their way was an easier way out with a greater reward.

If we are being honest this is something that I can confidently say we have all thought about at one time or another

It is important to note that this man is NOT a new believer. Asaph was a celebrated musician in the time of David. Asaph & his family were the worship leaders in the temple. In 2 Chron. 29:30 Asaph is even called a “seer” which is a role similar to a prophet. This man was connected first hand with God and still had these questions and temptations.

Psalm 73:6–9 “Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.”

Not only are there actions wicked but they wear it with pride and boast about it. Mocking those who follow God and quite frankly attempting to draw the followers of God into there wicked ways.

Our advisory the devil works in many different ways and will come to tempt us through various avenues. Some of our sin derives from discontentment, I know mine does. This is a great way for the devil to tempt us to vary from God’s path.

This is the true beauty of the Psalms. A man of Asaph’s position would have had a great deal of trouble talking about this to others in the church. But he is taking it to God. The fact that scriptures of doubt like this are in the Bible is truly astonishing. It shows us that God is not angered by our questions and or doubts but He wants to revel to us the true meaning and the way. We must pour out our questions, concerns, and disappointments unto God rather than burying them within ourselves leading to giving the devil a stronghold. Creating resentment, anger, and disbelief ultimately causing us to turn from our faith all together.

We must always remember when facing these hard truths what Paul had said: (1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” living not in vain but in the Lord

C (vs 15–20) New perspectives (Blue)

We we encounter questions and doubts such as these in our walk with Christ we have a few options: stay queit until it festers and causes resent ment. Look for answers out side of our faith. Or bring these concerns to God like Asaph did in V: 16-17

Psalm 73:16–17 “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.”

When we go through these kind of faith struggles the Devil often times tries to use these as a foot hold for shame. Being ashamed of our doubt, causing us to be unwilling or afraid to confide in those around us or even scared to bring these concerns to God. But this is what this psalm and many others in this book are about. Coming to God with our concerns and doubt and God giving us peace, comfort, and possibly revelation.

B2 (vs 21–26) Rich me! (Red)

A2 (vs 27–28) Truth affirmed: yes it is good! (Orange)

Conclusion/Review

- (maybe in conclusion/review section)We see that Asaph has been tempted to join the majority in their wicked ways because it seems to be working for them. I look at my own life. I wake up at 3am so that I have the time to read, to pray, to study, and to take Spanish classes. These are all things that add to my already large plate with having kids a wife and being a supervisor at work. God has called me to do all these things and for me I have found that waking up earlier is the only time that I am able to do all these things and not take away from the things that I already have. My life would be easier if I only chose a few of those things to do and cut out the rest. I would definitely get more sleep but that is not what God has called me to do. We are all chosen to do great things but in order to do such things we must rely on the Lord to be able to accomplish those things.

- Many of times similar doubts and questions come about when we are facing our own struggles and begin to look around at the prosperity and good things in others lifes. Possibly the hardships we face are more of a pruning than a punishment.

Questions

What do you feel like God is calling you to do that will cause you to sacrifice time energy or effort?