Introductory Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us your Word, to teach us. Thank you for giving us your Son, to save us. And thank you for giving us your Holy Spirit, to help us and to advocate for us. God, teach us not to despair, but rather give us the grace needed to trust in you though dark thoughts. Amen.<\/p>\n
Today we are going to be taking a look at one of my favorite psalms, #73. This psalm is in two parts really and the first part is pretty depressing, and unfortunately, familiar. Let’s just take a look at the middle part right now right now.<\/p>\n
Psalm 73:4-14 (NKJV):
\n[The wicked], there are no pangs in their death,
\nBut their strength is firm.
\nThey are not in trouble as other men,
\nNor are they plagued like other men.
\nTherefore pride serves as their necklace;
\nViolence covers them like a garment.
\nTheir eyes bulge with abundance;
\nThey have more than heart could wish.
\nThey scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression;
\nThey speak loftily.
\nThey set their mouth against the heavens,
\nAnd their tongue walks through the earth.
\nTherefore his people return here,
\nAnd waters of a full cup are drained by them.
\nAnd they say, \u201cHow does God know?
\nAnd is there knowledge in the Most High?\u201d
\nBehold, these are the ungodly,
\nWho are always at ease;
\nThey increase in riches.
\nSurely I have cleansed my heart in vain,
\nAnd washed my hands in innocence.
\nFor all day long I have been plagued,
\nAnd chastened every morning.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nAnd to maybe get a better picture oh what the writer is complaining about here, lets look at that again in the very colloquial translation, The Message.<\/p>\n
Psalm 73:4-14 (Message)
\n[The rich and wicked] have nothing to worry about,
\nnot a care in the whole wide world.
\nPretentious with arrogance,
\nthey wear the latest fashions in violence,
\nPampered and overfed,
\ndecked out in silk bows of silliness.
\nThey jeer, using words to kill;
\nthey bully their way with words.
\nThey\u2019re full of hot air,
\nloudmouths disturbing the peace.
\nPeople actually listen to them\u2014can you believe it?
\nLike thirsty puppies, they lap up their words.
\nWhat\u2019s going on here? Is God out to lunch?
\nNobody\u2019s tending the store.
\nThe wicked get by with everything;
\nthey have it made, piling up riches.
\nI\u2019ve been stupid to play by the rules;
\nwhat has it gotten me?
\nA long run of bad luck, that\u2019s what\u2014
\na slap in the face every time I walk out the door.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nWhat a giant downer – so much complaining! Is this God’s Word here? Is this the sort of thing God wants us to write down or to say? Let’s step back a bit.This is just the middle part. The writer gives us some meta commentary before and after. Let\u2019s get some background on what he just said.<\/p>\n
Psalm 73:1-4, 15-28
\nTruly God is good to Israel,
\nTo such as are pure in heart.
\nBut as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
\nMy steps had nearly slipped.
\nFor I was envious of the boastful,
\nWhen I saw the prosperity of the wicked.<\/p>\nIf I had said, \u201cI will speak thus,\u201d
\nBehold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
\nWhen I thought how to understand this,
\nIt was too painful for me\u2014
\nUntil I went into the sanctuary of God;
\nThen I understood their end.<\/p>\nSurely You set them in slippery places;
\nYou cast them down to destruction.
\nOh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
\nThey are utterly consumed with terrors.
\nAs a dream when one awakes,
\nSo, Lord, when You awake,
\nYou shall despise their image.<\/p>\nThus my heart was grieved,
\nAnd I was vexed in my mind.
\nI was so foolish and ignorant;
\nI was like a beast before You.
\nNevertheless I am continually with You;
\nYou hold me by my right hand.
\nYou will guide me with Your counsel,
\nAnd afterward receive me to glory.<\/p>\nWhom have I in heaven but You?
\nAnd there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
\nMy flesh and my heart fail;
\nBut God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.<\/p>\nFor indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
\nYou have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
\nBut it is good for me to draw near to God;
\nI have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
\nThat I may declare all Your works.<\/p>\nPsalm 73:15-18 (Message)
\nIf I\u2019d have given in and talked like this,
\nI would have betrayed your dear children.
\nStill, when I tried to figure it out,
\nall I got was a splitting headache . . .
\nUntil I entered the sanctuary of God.
\nThen I saw the whole picture.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nI’m going to deal with two questions today. The first is a large abstract one. Why is there injustice in the world today? Why isn’t the world fair? Why is it full of evil and why doesn’t God do something about it?<\/p>\n
The second question is more personal and practical. How can I avoid ending up like the guy in the psalm? Are there some practical ways to guard myself against envying the rich or the wicked so much? It seems like I find myself doing it all the time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Introductory Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us your Word, to teach us. Thank you for giving us your Son, to save us. And thank you for giving us your Holy Spirit, to help us and to advocate for us. God, teach us not to despair, but rather give us the grace needed to trust … <\/p>\n