God is the Christian's inheritance as the refuge of his conscience. Change). You live by lust, power, greed, and deceit, and you become a celebrity. There may be times when it seems to be going that way and it looks like that a lot in America today but the Bible says it will not end there. 2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. As men despise their dreams when they awake from them, so, when God "stirs up himself and awakes to judgment" ( Psalms 35:23 ), he will despise such mere semblances of humanity ( Psalms 39:6) as the wicked are. Psalm 73 begins the third book of the Psalterthe collection of some of Israel's prized hymns, ballads, and congregational hymns. In the Psalm Asaph recounts a time of wavering faith and growing doubts. Asaph paused to realize that his decisions will have ripple effects on others. The admission that his feet almost slipped suggests that perhaps the law of God was not in his heart (Ps 37:30). It has all turned around, so suddenly. 6. Take a look at v. 1: "God is indeed good to Israel, to the pure in heart." Why is God blessing them instead of judging them?". This switch marks a major turning point in the poem. Ever been gossiped about? On the contrary, in verse 16 he reports that when he tried to understand the problem concerning the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, when he tried to develop a theodicy, it became a burden (vs. 5) in his eyes. Based on this certainty the psalmist then proclaims that even though his health should fail, God is his Rock46 and portion.47 With respect to this confession of trust, Artur Weiser writes: Nowhere else in the Old Testament is the power of faith in God to master life so profoundly grasped in such purity and strength, nowhere so forcefully formulated, as in the nevertheless, uttered by faith, by which the poet of Psalm 73 commits himself to God.48. 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. As such, it has proved to be an enduring source of comfort amidst suffering. God can handle our hardest questions and still love us. Why do I serve in ministry, week after week, but it doesnt seem like it is doing any good, and no one is responding or changing? And their end will be terrible. Like Asaph, come into the sanctuary of God.. As he frankly admits in verse 3, his doubt was caused by his envy of the prosperity (shalom) of the boasting wicked. How the Psalms Speak to All of Our Emotions Dane C. Ortlund. He was angry and disillusioned. While the primary source of sermon . Psalm 73. They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threate 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 . In fact, someone pointed out that over the past 20 years at the Oscar ceremonies, Harvey Weinstein had been publicly thanked in the Oscar speeches as many times as God! You didn't plan for it. 8-Week Series for Lent. I have typed this psalm as a psalm of wisdom because it deals with a common problem found in wisdom literature, the prosperity of the wicked. He DIDNT but he said, he almost did. a. He was a faithful follower of God. Before he recounts his time of doubt he begins with what he now knows to be true: God is good and He is good to those who are His. Close Filters Scripture . :4 There are no pains in their death, and their body is fat. Asaph was eaten up with it. These are a lot like Asaphs questions, arent they? So here Asaph says, basically, I almost gave up the faith! 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. Psalm 73:1-28. Bring your troubles, bring your questions, bring your doubts to God. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. God is big enough to take your anger, your pain, and your questions. God has SO much to say to us and so many of us are getting so much out of His word every day. III. (616) 526-6088 worship@calvin.edu, On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary, See our related website, Zeteo Preaching and Worship. The opening statement that God is good to Israel, for example, recalls Psalm 34:8. 3 For I was envious of the . They are arrogant and wicked, he said. Psalm 73 is the honest confession of a faithful Israelite, concerning his own struggle with the problem of pain. (Psalm 22:2) "God I'm so angry! Why do my classmates blatantly cheat on tests and assignments, and they are getting better grades than I am? Brief outline from a message given at a nursing home, but suitable for any audience. In this strategic location the poem examines one of the most complex and perplexing problems for believers: the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous.6 In this struggle Psalm 73 summarizes, according to McCann, the basic lesson that readers should have learned in their meditating on Psalms 1-72, namely, that happiness or goodness has less to do with material prosperity than with the assurance of Gods sustaining presence amidst suffering.7. Message. 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. The Hebrew word for prosperity is shalom. In view of the cross-references to Psalm 24 in Psalm 73, it is suggested that the entry psalm be used in the liturgy. Keep up the good work. 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. Job was a righteous man who lost all his children, his possessions, and his health. These godless people, they live on easy street! One of the best known memoirs of the Holocaust is Night by Elie Wiesel. Browse by letter: A. Sermon illustrations can be the tie that binds the text of God's word to the heart of the individual listening. He's Where the Joy Is by Tara-Leigh Cobble, Black Church Leadership & Family Conference. Why pray, when I pray these same prayer requests day after day, but it doesnt seem like they are being answered? One of our daily Bible readings as we started off the year was the Book of Job. On the contrary, the oppressive economic practices of the wicked were at the heart of his problem. History is not going to end with secular humanism on the throne. Relationship To God, Great Expectations, Denomination: Therefore, the speaker claims in verse 10 (the Hebrew text is difficult) that the wicked enjoy popularity and attract a crowd of people. But before he relates his personal experience (vv. end). We're kicking this study off on a bruising, but all-too-common experience that can leave your teeth on edge and bitterness in your heart. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. God, I was like an animal. For example, my father recited the beautiful words of verses 24-25 of this psalm to my mother on August 27, 1945, just before she died. How many rash words and unsifted actions have we wished to take back because of the negative consequences they brought about? As we start in verse one, he's going to tell us about his experience looking around the world and also his beliefs. Most of us can probably think of a time we were glad we DIDNT say or do something I remember one time I wrote a comment on Facebook that really tore into someone but I just hit the delete key instead and wiped the whole thing out. It wasnt right. Jobs questioning and doubt is a case in point. If youre going to turn your back on God in your distress, where are you going to go? In light of verse 25 and Psalm 49:15 we are of the opinion that it does.43. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Let's look at Psalm 1 together for a few minutes. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Video for Psalm 73: The title of this psalm ( A Psalm of Asaph) tells us that it was written by the great singer and musician of David and Solomon's era ( 1 Chronicles 15:17-19, 16:5-7, 25:6 ). Psalms 73. As Brueggemann rightly notes, this summary is not a condemnation of the wicked. Asaph has his eye on the celebrities of his day, the Donald Trumps and Lindsey Lohans who openly disdain God. Hugh Hefner may well have been one of the most evil men in the world in the last generation. Survey respondents noted that temptations 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! They do not deny Gods existence. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Intro: One day, six blind men decided to go to the zoo.They hired a guide to tell them about all the exotic animals they couldn't see. You're going about your business, and a whale explodes. His eyes were locked in on the prosperity of the wicked and he was overcome with envy. The section as a whole concludes with a summary statement in verse 12, a verse in which the term wicked is repeated from verse 3 and the phrase at ease (NRSV; cf. So they say: Dont be on the wrong side of history.. Look at v. 3: "For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." In :11 he says they say: How does God know? Psalms 73:20. Because God has showed me that things are going to end differently than they are right now. See, what we have to remember is that this life is not all there is. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Asaph takes his raw deal to the right place and finds out that he didn't have it bad after all. Several times in recent months I have had individuals say to me: Pastor, that message today was for me! Psalm 73:28. Asaph, the author, is the choir leader, whose occupation placed him in constant contact with the people of Israel, and with the sanctuary of God, the temple. Four promises from God in this passage: 1. Who put the screws to you? Your Bible study. o ^Like Psalms 37 and 49, this psalm is a wisdom psalm, designed to instruct the . Even though these words were written 3000 years ago, they might as well have been written today. He did what Job did. Your sermons are simple but complex with a very good end lesson. The speakers extensive description of the wicked in verses 4-12 suggests that he was a careful observer and that he has been intensely occupied with the problem.19 His detailed description consists of two parts, verses 4-6 and 7-11. (1 John 2:17) God completely controls their destiny, not them. A sermon should underscore, to borrow from the title of Robert Davidson excellent commentary, the vitality of worship. According to verse 16, human rationality could not explain the perplexing problem of why good things happen to bad people and why bad things happen to good people.62 Only the communal experience (vs. 15) in the sanctuary of God provided the necessary perspective to resolve the psalmists crisis of faith (vs. 17). Its the same thing with our daily Bible reading. But the thing is, the Christian has the ultimate perspective on history. In short, verse 27 declares that autonomy is a harlotry that does not work.54. Psalm 73:23-24 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. Before you bail out on God, Asaph wants you to sit with him and learn from his experiences. read more, Scripture: Who did something unfair to you at work? 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.. Psalm 73 belongs to the didactic psalms, conveying personal wisdom and faith. The Prayers of The Psalms. This psalm is a brutally honest confessional, from the heart of Asaph to the God he felt had given him a rip off. Your Emotions Matter to God Learning from the Bible's Songbook. CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. Some of us today, if we are honest, might say that we are troubled by some questions is our lives just like Asaph was. Psalm 73 in context. Psalm 73:1-3, Tags: Thats the message of Psalm 73. He tells it all in v. 13: Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing? 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. To have faith; to know that what we can see right now, is not the end of the story. It should just end better. Asaph was one of three directors who worked under King David. (LogOut/ 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. I tripping over something that just doesn't make sense! John Piper Sep 11, 2018. But the NRSV translation of this clause shows that the clause could also mean that the psalmist is restored to his honor. View a worship service outline based on this passage, Introduction to Psalm 73: Seeing Clearly in the Sanctuary by Carl Bosma. Your family. Behind every support specialist, Bible study editor, graphic designer, and accountant is a Sunday School teacher, kids volunteer, or small group leader. Sep 11, 2018. 2. Because in His great might He had created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many factories of death? Hang on to Him! In fact, God offers this invitation in Isaiah 43:26: "Take Me to court; let us argue our case together. I heard a sermon last Sunday on Psalm 73. They simply assert that God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth (Gen 14:19), is totally oblivious to what happens on earth. 8. They are self-promoting, anti-God, and worldly, and they are the ones that are getting a slice of the pie, not me. II. The closing verses (vv. 4-12; vv. Because ONE SECOND after they died, it all changed suddenly, didnt it? Armed with a new perspective about God and this world, Asaph also sees himself clearly. You have words of eternal life. He took his doubts and confusion to God in prayer. That rich man lived in luxury, and wouldnt even give the crumbs from his table to poor Lazarus; and there was that poor man, covered with sores, starving. That may also have been the reason that occasioned his doubt. Navigating the challenges and joys of ministry life. Isn't that just like life sometimes? I hadnt felt good all day. But we have to put ourselves in the position where God can speak to us, by opening His word each day and reading it. It literally means peace with God such that your life is fulfilled, tranquil, and complete. 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. The fact that this vigorous protest is introduced by the same adverb surely as verse 1 and the fact that the phrase pure in heart is a repetition from the asseveration of divine justice in verse 1 suggest that verses 13-14 function as a counter claim to verse 1. 37:9-10).35 In other words, the poets initial perception of the carefree lifestyle of the wicked is wrong. How can that be? More recently, Craig C. Broyles has called attention to the fact that Psalm 73 contains important echoes of the psalms of entry (Ps 15 and 24) and related psalms.14 The reference to a protestation of innocence in verse 15 and the expression of confidence in verse 28 that concludes in a vow to praise suggests that in Psalm 73 the poet reflects on his experience of the lament process in the temple. In light of the verses that follow, good could be taken to refer to material goods (cf. ", Envy is the tendency to compare yourself with someone else in a way that leaves you feeling deprived. He starts out saying, "God is indeed good to Israel, to the pure at heart. Psalm 25:1-12 God Of New Beginnings. Psalm 25: Guidance From Above. He said in Job 10:18, Why then have You brought me out of the womb? In other words, his suffering was so great, why would God allow him to be born if he was going to have to go through all of that? Thats why its so important to be here at church on a regular basis. WORD AND PHRASE STUDY. Psalm 73-Smith, Terry L. "A Crisis in Faith: An Exegesis of Psalm 73," Restoration Quarterly 17.3 (1974) 162 . Harvey Weinstein was for many years one of the top producers in Hollywood. When they came to the elephants, the zoo keeper wanted them to have more than a verbal description, so he allowed them each to feel the elephant. I would urge you to follow his example, tracing the results your words and actions have on your family, friends, lost acquaintances, and church. O ^Like Psalms 37 and 49, this summary is not a condemnation of the womb such, is. Tara-Leigh Cobble, Black Church Leadership & Family Conference Introduction to Psalm 73: Seeing Clearly the! Struggles ; their bodies are healthy and strong ( vv one SECOND after died. Such that your life is not the end of the wicked psalm 73 sermon illustration by. A very good end lesson DIDNT but he said, he almost did arrogant! To have faith ; to know that what we have to remember is that this is! 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