And then it happened. Envy had poisoned him and had powerful effects on him. Dec 4, 1988. Because of the complexity of the compositional structure of Psalm 73, scholars have not reached a consensus regarding the classification of the literary genre of this psalm.13 Some classify Psalm 73 as a lament. 15-16), After this passionate protest the speaker switches audience and addresses God for the first time. For example, the Hebrew word ak, translated as surely in the NIV, begins the poem in verse 1 and is repeated at significant turning points, namely, verses 13 and 18.10 Similarly, the fourfold repetition of the emphatic Hebrew phrase weani (And [or: but] I) in verses 2, 22, 23 and 28 marks important phases in the resolution of the poets haunting problem. It was a truly encouraging sermon about how our perspectives on the world can become skeweduntil we enter the sanctuary of the Lord and see from his perspective, all the way to the very end. Take a look at v. 1: "God is indeed good to Israel, to the pure in heart." The answer is that these verses serve as a rhetorical foil for the passionate protest that follows in verses 13-14. To not be senseless and ignorant; like a beast before (God) as Asaph says in :22; To believe that it WILL end better for those who trust in the Lord and do good., You often hear people today say: Dont be on the wrong side of history. We hear that a lot from people today who believe that God and the Bible and fading away into history, and the future holds only the triumph of godless values. God can handle our hardest questions and still love us. Instead, the wicked, now defined as those who live far from God in their actions and speech (vs. 11), will perish.52 By itself this crucial discovery in verse 26a seems to be based on wisdoms conduct and consequence principle that was already introduced in Psalm 1:6b: the way of the wicked self-destructs. Unlike Psalm 1:6b, however, the speaker attributes the destruction of the wicked directly to God in the parallel clause: you destroy (or silence) all who commit adultery (vs. 27b).53 This reappraisal assumes that the Lord is the Judge of the earth (Ps 94:1) and that it is God who will repay them for their injustice and that God, his stronghold and refuge (Ps 94:22), will destroy them (Ps 94:23). So make the visit that Asaph made; put yourself in the place where God can speak to you about the issues of your life: be faithful in your church attendance; be faithful in your daily Bible reading. Sooner womens coach Sherri Coale was dejected at the press conference after the game. So why am I serving God? Perspective is God's gift to our inward sight, and with it we have a surefootedness to move ahead confidently as we live, learn, and labor. In addition, the Hebrew word lebab, heart, occurs six times in the poem.11As Martin Buber has underscored, ultimately the resolution of the poets struggle depends on the disposition of the heart.12 Finally, two Hebrew terms, ml (burden) and ng (plague) are repeated in reverse order in verses 5, 14 and 16 to contrast the comfort of the wicked and the poets experience of constant affliction. ", Envy is the tendency to compare yourself with someone else in a way that leaves you feeling deprived. The Prayers of The Psalms. Maybe he was sitting at the doctor's office one day and started thumbing through a magazine that featured celebrity homes. It refers first of all to God. We're sorry, an error occurred. Psalm 73. You have yours; I have mine; Asaph said he had his and he said he almost gave up because of them. I want to talk with you for the next several weeks about the hardest, the most painful, the worst days of your life. God is the Christian's inheritance as the refuge of his conscience. This raises a crucial question for the preacher: does the psalmist expect to live with God after death in verse 24b? There is no record that God ever rebuffs Job for being honest. There is a lesson we know as YOUNG CHICKEN LITTLE I have read how YOUNG CHICKEN LITTLE throws his whole small town into a great panic CHICKEN LITTLE CLAIMED THE SKY WAS FALLING IN This must be the end of the world. They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!. 2-3) While Asaph had once been confident in God, his faith is now faltering. Dont give up your faith. "Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him." He goes on to describe their situation: 18-20). If he had publicly told of his envious musings, he would have betrayed a generation of Gods children. 2. He says, God showed me that what I am seeing around me NOW, is NOT how this story is going to end: He says in :18-20 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. Moreover, the opening behold (hinneh) at the beginning of verse 27a matches the behold in the summary description of the wicked in verse 12.50 This obvious cross-reference to verse 12 shows that through his transforming temple experience the psalmist made the startling discovery that his earlier perception about the wicked was false.51 The prosperity (shalom) of the wicked is not forever! Psalm 73 is our passage and the title is "When You Get a Raw Deal." In the Psalm Asaph recounts a time of wavering faith and growing doubts. Join Plus; Plus . He just couldnt figure it out. Consider this godly guidance when you get a raw deal. (LogOut/ Life has a way of suddenly altering its course down hard paths, leaving us hurt, confused, and weak, with lots of unanswered questions. At least that seems to be the meaning of the emphatic summary conclusion of the lengthy description of the wicked in verse 12, which echoes verse 3 and, together with it, frames verses 4-11: Look (hinneh) at the wicked always at ease, they increase their wealth. It seemed to many people like he was just continuing to sin and get away with it. Materialism . :4 There are no pains in their death, and their body is fat. Asaph realized that if he went public with his inner struggles, letting his cynicism and anger out in words, he would become a tool of Satan's for the ruin of God's people. And yet Hugh Hefner lived in a $200 million mansion, and lived to the ripe old age of 91! To get insight into Asaph's struggle here, notice four key words in v. 3. The thing about these questions is that they are usually based on our circumstances on what we see happening around us and to us but what we have to learn is that these circumstances dont show us the whole picture. Wicked emphasizes the guilt of those who are actively choosing that which is offensive to God. Envy is so common that God made it the subject of one of His 10 commandments: "Do not covet your neighbor's house. The smell was almost unbearable. Before you bail out on God, Asaph wants you to sit with him and learn from his experiences. That is where we meet Asaph in Psalm 73. He said its just about enough to make you lose your faith. If you'll allow me to paraphrase it, it goes like this: "So this is how life really works! Ps 103:5; 104:28). However, such is clearly not the case. Study Psalm 73 using Charles H. Spurgeon's Treasury of David to better understand Scripture with full outline and verse meaning. This psalm is a brutally honest confessional, from the heart of Asaph to the God he felt had given him a rip off. Clear Scripture Filters. Hugh Hefner may well have been one of the most evil men in the world in the last generation. John Piper Dec 4, 1988. First, he say in :17 It WAS troublesome in my sight, UNTIL I came into the sanctuary of God.. God is waiting to talk with you. But the thing is, the Christian has the ultimate perspective on history. When you did the right thing, but got the back of the hand anyway. He was evil. Psalm 25: Guidance From Above. Psalm 25:6-9 All The Wrong Notes. Moreover, it helps them transition from radical doubt to a robust reaffirmation of faith. Whether it's standardized tests, beauty contests, and your neighbor's new dress, we are all encouraged to envy. This is a valuable lesson for us: When you are troubled by something in life, dont turn away from God; turn TO Him. Verses 4-5 of the first part detail why the wicked enjoy shalom. Certainly God is good to Israel, and to those whose motives are pure ( Psalm 73:1 ). The third word we need to see became a private obsession for this worship leader: it was the prosperity these God-rejecters enjoyed. We'll see that they don't necessarily sync up very well. In the deepest part of your heart you just want it to end better for her. Eternity broke into his temporal perspective. NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 73:1-9 1 Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! However, the Hebrew verbs of verse 17 are not in the past tense. "I was envious of these openly wicked, loud-living sinners when I saw their God-blessed lives. They are the blessed, not me. If Asaph had lived our century instead of his own, he might have been looking at the life of Hugh Hefner. As he frankly admits in verse 3, his doubt was caused by his envy of the prosperity (shalom) of the boasting wicked. Be like the disciples in John 6, when Jesus had told the crowds that had been following Him some difficult things about what it meant to believe, and everyone was leaving Him. See, what we have to remember is that this life is not all there is. Bring your troubles, bring your questions, bring your doubts to God. 3 Our God approaches, and he is not silent. They are healthy (vs. 4) and experience no trouble (amal), nor are they plagued (vs. 5). God will judge the wicked, and He will reward the righteous; those who have turned away from their sins, and followed Jesus as their Savior. Ever been gossiped about? If we are to defeat envy, we need to change our focus. In fact, in rather strong language, he acknowledges that he behaved as a brute beast38 with God. II. Thats why its so important to be here at church on a regular basis. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. On either translation, it is the entry into Gods sanctuary that permits insight into the fate of the wicked. 9. An Assuredly Good Thing. Psalm 73 is a favorite for many Jewish and Christian believers because the words of this precious psalm ring true to their experience. I like Asaph already. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. I don't understand what is happening or why! Consequently, the way of the wicked looks like a viable alternative way to live.24. Why do good people suffering, and wicked people prosper? In the end, it is these nailed hands that will receive us into glory, according to his promise: Oh the happiness of the pure in heart; they will see God (Mt 5:8). 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. In :11 he says they say: How does God know? So dont turn away from God in your questions and times of difficulty, turn TO Him. With an eternal perspective, everything looks different. Ps 26:7-8) in dramatic transformation of the psalmists despairing doubt (vv. Psalms 73. The closing verses (vv. end). It should be noted that the psalmists sobering moment begins, not in isolation, but as a member of a larger community to which he is accountable.26. It reminds us . He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. And for all eternity, we will know that was worth it all, in the end, to serve God, no matter what we suffered here on this earth. But Asaph is in trouble. This is especially true of Psalm 73. Ps 30:7) recalls the word shalom in verse 3. From a canonical perspective Walter Brueggemann4 and J. Clinton McCann5 have argued that Psalm 73 stands at the theological center of the Psalter. So he says in :13, Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence. He said in :3, For I was envious of the arrogant He said the wicked in his land seemed to prosper, and he was jealous of them. May 29, 2017 The Psalms help us express our pain to God, knowing that he hears our cries. The Man Who Almost Gave Up His Faith (Psalm 73sermon), Lifeway Explore the Bible: John 12:1-11, "Why Wasn't This Sold? Asaph looked at the lifestyles, the cars, the clothing, the houses they lived in, the company they kept, and thought to himself: "They're getting everything God promised to His covenant people! You're going about your business, and a whale explodes. They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors.. 7. Scripture: Psalms 73:24. The opening statement God is good echoes Psalm 25:8 and 34:8 and the phrase pure in heart recalls Psalm 24:4. 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. But the man was a sexual predator. Laziness As Brueggemann rightly notes, this summary is not a condemnation of the wicked. Relationship To God, Great Expectations, Denomination: And he's about to get as real as it gets. In the next stretch of Psalms we only have one attributed to King David and this isn't it. What troubled the psalmist is that their lifestyle works.23. Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. State your [case], so that you may be vindicated." What is worse, according to verse 11, the wicked are very cavalier about God. This turning point consists of two important observations.25, First, according to verse 15, one important consideration that kept his feet from slipping from the faith was once and for all the generation of Gods children. He was, I believe, a godly man during the time of his personal struggle. (Lee Eclov, Vernon Hills, Illinois; source: "Thar She Blows!" Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons | Tagged Asaph, Bible Reading, church, . And what we'll see is that just when we think God is nowhere to be found, GOD IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK. However, a bad illustration can distract and confuse if the listener. "God is good to the pure in heart'? Asaph was eaten up with it. Or maybe he does business with an ungodly person in town who seems to have the Midas touch. Psalm 73 begins with a summary of his theology. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." 23-26). Or: I have always tried to do the right thing, and not drink, or smoke, or do drugs, but I have all these health problems; while people I know who dont care, but go and do whatever they want are totally healthy and able-bodied. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They do not need God. To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. "God I'm so angry! Yet most people today have never heard of John Gill. But in worship we see from God's infinite perspective. Maybe people who walked by and saw the Rich Man & Lazarus were tempted to give up THEIR faith. How did he get away with this, year after year? He became depressed. Their prosperity is only temporary. How many rash words and unsifted actions have we wished to take back because of the negative consequences they brought about? But on the other hand, HE, who was trying to obey God and do what is right, has been stricken all day long, and chastened every morning.. He kept his faith, but I lost mine. It took 50 laborers and three lifting cranes 13 hours to hoist the 56-foot behemoth onto a flatbed trailer truck. Sermon. We can also affirm the future because God's Presence companions us. "It was oppressive to me," he said. Maybe it happened at home with a parent or grandparent, your husband or wife or best friend. Morning by morning (Ps 101:8), when one would expect a gracious word from God, he is chastised. Job had questions like this, didnt he? The admission that his feet almost slipped suggests that perhaps the law of God was not in his heart (Ps 37:30). Psalm 73 moves from radical doubt to a robust reaffirmation of faith. Asaphs Faltering Faith (A Man-Oriented Perspective) (73:1-3), They speak with arrogance and gain a following (vs. 8-10), Summary: The lives of the wicked are easy and prosperous (vs. 12), Asaphs Restored Faith (A God-Oriented Perspective) (73:18-28), 2023 Southern Hills Baptist Church - Round Rock, Texas, Southern Hills is a family of believers who exist to glorify God by helping people experience life change through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Psalm 73: Remembering the Truth in Times of Doubt. But as for me, it is good to be near God. But we have to put ourselves in the position where God can speak to us, by opening His word each day and reading it. Might have been looking at the doctor 's office one day and started thumbing through a magazine that celebrity... 4 ) and experience no trouble ( amal ), after this passionate that! Audience and addresses God for the preacher: does the psalmist expect to with... 2017 the Psalms help us express our pain to God, his faith, but I mine! 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