13-14) into exuberant trust also underscores the need for careful liturgical planning. They can take care of themselves. As he frankly admits in verse 3, his doubt was caused by his envy of the prosperity (shalom) of the boasting wicked. Psalm 73:1-3, Tags: Asaph was eaten up with it. Who did you in financially? You examples are superb. But the man was a sexual predator. Your Emotions Matter to God Learning from the Bible's Songbook. Rover is only concerned with the immediate. Verse 17 marks a pivotal transition to a new understanding. But because there is an eternity, what happens in this life is not even a speck on the timeline of eternity, and we know that things will be different there. Relationship To God, Great Expectations, Denomination: Still, in v. 15, he stops to consider the impact his next steps will have: "If I had said, 'I will speak thus,' I would have betrayed your children." If it is, then just eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die. If this life is all there is, then it may not be worth it to serve God, because there are people who sin, and cheat, and steal, and seem to get away with it while people who obey God sometimes suffer. Back to Chuck Smith's Bio & Resources "THE PLACE OF UNDERSTANDING" Intro: I know a dear dedicated couple, tithe faithfully, serving God as active laymen in church, their first baby was born horribly deformed. Or maybe he does business with an ungodly person in town who seems to have the Midas touch. Charles Haddon . A person may say, well I just dont feel like being there today but that may be the day that God is going to speak to you. NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 73:1-9 1 Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! I tripping over something that just doesn't make sense! It's remarkable how inefficient these actions are. Have you ever been betrayed? It is just like Psalm 73 says: You have set them in slippery places How they are destroyed in a moment.. In addition to the important connections between Psalm 73 and Psalms 1 and 2, Psalm 73 also shares important themes with Psalm 34. It doesnt seem to pay? Psalm 73 begins the third book of the Psalterthe collection of some of Israel's prized hymns, ballads, and congregational hymns. 6, 10). (Psalm 22:2) 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. Why? He ceased being concerned about the sin of the successful and starting focusing instead on the success of the sinful. : "When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you." What does he mean by this? Asaph was getting more and more into despair and perhaps wondering walking by faith was worth it, but all this changed when he changed his focus. He also announces the reason for his reaffirmation of faith: to tell of all of your works (Ps 26:7). In view of the cross-references to Psalm 24 in Psalm 73, it is suggested that the entry psalm be used in the liturgy. The visit he made: They don't face the hardships I face. end). Others, however, claim that it is a song of thanksgiving by an individual. Still others assert that it is a wisdom psalm, similar to Psalm 49. Psalm 73 moves from radical doubt to a robust reaffirmation of faith. Battling the Unbelief of Despondency. In language that recalls Psalm 24:4 (pure heart) and Psalm 26:6 (washed my hands in innocence), the poet asserts that his protestation of innocence in the lament ritual was completely in vain. He says, the wicked people are succeeding, and the righteous are being punished. That may also have been the reason that occasioned his doubt. Keep up the good work. Psalm 73-Smith, Terry L. "A Crisis in Faith: An Exegesis of Psalm 73," Restoration Quarterly 17.3 (1974) 162 . Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. The Argument of Psalm 1. The affirmation of verse 24a as it has been translated by the NIV has been of great comfort to believers in their suffering. So go ahead, tell Him about it. 1:18-24 sermon), "Following Jesus" (Matthew 4:18-22 sermon), "How To Seek The Lord" (Isaiah 55:6-7 sermon), "The Purpose of God's Blessings" (Psalm 67 sermon), "The Importance of Forgiving Others" (Matthew 6:14-15 sermon), Teacher's Overview of Lifeway's "Explore the Bible" lesson: John 11:32-46, "I AM The Resurrection", "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. Who did something unfair to you at work? 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). How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threate The poet introduces his honest confession with the emphatic contrastive phrase But, as for me. This phrase introduces the yes, but factor. It's not fair.". A key step in this process, of course, is to make the audience aware of the presence of Gods hand in their lives. This is a valuable lesson for us: When you are troubled by something in life, dont turn away from God; turn TO Him. *other, THE STORY OF CHICKEN LITTLE The Man Who Almost Gave Up His Faith (Psalm 73sermon), Lifeway Explore the Bible: John 12:1-11, "Why Wasn't This Sold? And were all in it for the same reasonto fuel the churchs mission of making disciples. But it wasnt just that he came to God; God actually SHOWED him something specific that helped him: he says in :17, Then I perceived their end. He says God showed me not just what the present state of these wicked people is, but what their END is going to be. Psalm 26 A Life Of Integrity. I don't go to the clubs, I maintain all this discipline and for what? 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. How do you hold to the conviction that God is good when life stinks? Because, according to verse 14, while the arrogant wicked are not plagued (vs. 5), the speaker is plagued constantly. In addition, as he looked around he saw those who had no regard for God living in prosperity and apparent happiness. Look at v. 3: "For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." Glorification also refers to our elevation to an exalted state in eternity. But it WILL change suddenly and even more dramatically, the moment they enter eternity. They have no trouble; they succeed at everything they do; they are so well off they are bulging with fatness; and are at ease and have increased in wealth. Because he was blinded by envy, he admits emphatically that he did not recognize that, in spite of his brutish behavior, he was always with God (vs. 23a), an admission that represents the flipside of Gods promise to the patriarchs, I will be with you always. And, more importantly, in the temple he discovers that Gods right hand has a tight grip on him (vs. 23b). Consider this godly guidance when you get a raw deal. How can that be? Certainly God is good to Israel, and to those whose motives are pure ( Psalm 73:1 ). And it shows us that we can do that with God too; these Psalms give us permission to bring our honest hurts and feelings to God, and say like these Psalmists: He lost his son on the mission field, and he was asking, Is God insane for asking His people to make sacrifices like that? Gods NOT insane; but these kinds of questions are real, and difficult.). He discovers that faith depends not on his fragile, often vulnerable grasp of God, but on Gods grasp of him.39 That hand has not and will not let him go.40 In addition, in sharp contrast to the wicked, who claim that the Most High knows nothing, the psalmist admits that, not the counsel of the wicked (Ps 1:1), but Gods counsel personally guides41 him in the way that he should go (vs. 24a).42 Indeed, in the end God will receive him into glory (vs. 24b; NIV). If we are to defeat envy, we need to change our focus. It is this asseveration of divine justice that is severely tested in verses 2-27 and marvelously reaffirmed in verse 28, which, as we have noted above, forms an inclusio with verse 1. It refers first of all to God. sermon outline overlap with other sermon outlines taken from the Book of Psalms. The admission that his feet almost slipped suggests that perhaps the law of God was not in his heart (Ps 37:30). Maybe Lazarus was tempted to give up HIS faith. The connection with Psalm 24:4 suggests that functionally verse 1 is not a proverbial statement,16 nor exactly a brief reiteration of the torah piety of Psalm 1,17 but, instead, an asseveration of Gods justice that is formally similar to Psalms 25:8 and 92:15 (cf. Hah." The Thesis: God is Good (vs. 1) Psalm 73 is written as Asaph looks back at his time of struggle and doubt. Asaph had been checking out the people playing for the other team. Join Plus; Plus . 9. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. History is not going to end with secular humanism on the throne. It IS going to end better it will probably end better even in this life, and it will certainly end better for her heaven. While CHICKEN LITTLE was hit in the head by a piece That is so important. HINT: Since there are such a large number of resources on this page (>10,000 links) you might consider beginning with the more recent commentaries that briefly discuss all 150 Psalms . Life has a way of suddenly altering its course down hard paths, leaving us hurt, confused, and weak, with lots of unanswered questions. Reorientation with Respect to Gods Presence (vv. The author of Psalm 73, Asaph, was almost like Elie Wiesel. He says God is good; I know that . Thats the message of Psalm 73. Introduction to Psalm 73: "Seeing Clearly in the Sanctuary". And yet Hugh Hefner lived in a $200 million mansion, and lived to the ripe old age of 91! He is married to Leeanne and is the father of Joey and Craig. Blessed be the Lord for evermore. 15-16), After this passionate protest the speaker switches audience and addresses God for the first time. We're going to say the things that sometimes go unsaid about our struggles, our depressions, when we feel so alone and have no ready answers. According to Isaiah 48:22, there is no peace for the wicked. Jobs questioning and doubt is a case in point. In short, the wicked are totally self-reliant and autonomous people. So why am I serving God? Lying There he was reminded of God's attributes, character and power. The psalmists realization of Gods presence in verses 22-24 leads to a reflective spin-off in verses 25-26,44 in which he articulates a supreme confession of trust.45 In verse 25 he confesses that the antidote to his previous envy (vs. 3) is his hold-guide-receive experience of Gods persistent presence (vv. 24 in Psalm 73, Asaph, was almost like Elie Wiesel outlines taken from the Book of Psalms the. And the righteous are being punished wicked are totally self-reliant and autonomous people person in who! Age of 91 whose motives are pure ( Psalm 73:1 ) go to the ripe old age 91... Of your works ( Ps 26:7 ) drink, and to those who are pure ( 73:1! As it has been translated by the NIV has been translated by the NIV has been translated by NIV... 15-16 ), the moment they enter eternity: to tell of all your deeds piece that is important! 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