Psalm 73:1 ¶ «A Psalm of
Asaph.» 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.
God’s people have often felt this, seen it, and been dismayed by
it, that wicked people seem to prosper in the world. They seem to succeed and
even reach the heights of power. Some of them, many even, mock God and anyone
who follows their Creator and yet seem to have no recompense brought down on
them. Look at Job’s lament.
Job 21:7 Wherefore do the
wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? 8 Their seed is established in their sight with
them, and their offspring before their eyes. 9
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. 10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their
cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. 11
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children
dance. 12 They take the timbrel and
harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. 13
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. 14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us;
for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 15
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should
we have, if we pray unto him?
And Jeremiah’s complaint;
Jeremiah 12:1 ¶ Righteous
art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy
judgments: Wherefore [why] doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all
they happy that deal very treacherously? 2
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they
bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
Usually, people trying to do right make the argument, why should I
do right when others get away with almost anything and prosper and I’m
struggling to survive? It’s almost that we envy the wicked but
successful person which is a sad state of affairs.
Psalm 73:15 ¶ 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.
The Psalmist didn’t want to say what he was thinking publicly for
fear he would offend but it was very hard for him to take, having to reconcile
the prosperity of the wicked with the suffering of God’s people. Then, he went
to the sanctuary of God and God gave him wisdom and understanding and he
realized what the fate of the wicked was. Jonathan Edwards will use 18 in his
sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God which I recommend you read
or listen to it being read.
The destruction of the wicked on this earth can come in a moment
of time, when it is unexpected. Their success vanishes like a dream when one
wakes up. They will suffer, as well, in the existence to come in eternity. And
God will bring their suffering on them, holding them in utter contempt.
Daniel 12:2 And many of
them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life,
and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Psalm 73:21 ¶ 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.
The Psalmist is tormented at how foolish he had been. He
acknowledges that God is holding him up and is his guide who will receive him into
glory, one of the mentions of eternal life by the Hebrew writers. The Psalmist
admits he has no one in heaven or earth but God. Even though his thoughts and
his flesh die he will live by God’s power forever. He particularly condemns
those who have chosen to follow other gods, to go a whoring from God.
Finally, he admits that it is good for him to draw close to God, putting his
trust in Him, and spreading abroad what God has done and is doing.
Just think of how things are for us. We lament that the wicked
prosper, or seem to, and some comment often about how they wish God’s judgment would
come down on those people in public life who flaunt their sin, their
corruption, and their disdain of God. But, if we think about it we know that
their fate is not a good one and their sorrow, grief, and eternal pain is
hanging over their heads like the Greek Damocles’ sword. It is foolish to
complain so and we show no more of an understanding than an animal when we do
it. God’s ways are sure, it has been said, but they are tedious, meaning that
it can take a lot longer than we’d like for the destruction of the wicked to
come but when it does it can come swiftly like the Berlin Wall coming down in 1989.
So shall their destruction come as revealed in the book of Revelation, swiftly and
with much grief of heart and gnashing of teeth.
Psalm 92:5 O LORD, how
great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. 6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool
understand this.
7 ¶ When the wicked spring
as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they
shall be destroyed for ever: 8 But thou,
LORD, art most high for evermore.
No comments:
Post a Comment