Ps 73

“ A lament Psalm by Asaph”

What is a lament?
The psalms of communal lament are a group of
Psalm Forms from the Hebrew Bible, classified by
their focus on laments expressing deep sorrow for
the travails of a nation and as a group asking for
God's blessing or intervention.

Who is Asaph?
A Levite; one of the leaders of David's choir (
1 Chronicles 6:39 ). Psalms 50 and 73-83 inclusive are
attributed to him. He is mentioned along with David as
skilled in music, and a "seer" ( 2 Chronicles 29:30 ).
The "sons of Asaph," mentioned in 1Chr 1 Chronicles
20:14 , and Ezra 2:41 , were his descendants, or more
probably a class of poets or singers who recognized him
as their master.

I. I Know For a Fact….God is good! (v.1)

1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are
pure.
 This is Asaph speaking. And let me make one
point clear at the outset. I know for a fact that God
is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart.
The truth is so obvious that you'd think no one
would ever question it.
II. But….my foot almost slipped! (v.2-3)
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were
slipping, and I was almost gone.3 For I envied the
proud when I saw them prosper despite their
wickedness.
 73:2, 3 But there was a time when I actually began
to wonder. My stance on the subject became very
wobbly, and my faith almost took a temporary
tumble.
 What is the Problem? – a godly man lets his eyes
on the prosperity of the wicked.
Eg. 1998 tour of Sam Shoe Store owner’s house in
Iloilo City.
 “You see, I began to think how well off the wicked
are-lots of money, plenty of pleasure, no troubles-
and soon I was wishing I was like them.”
o Maayo pa siya….ako intawon!
o Is God really good?

 feet were slipping…from the path of truth and

godliness.
III. The Problem @ close glance… (v.4-12)
4 They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are
so healthy and strong.
Everything seems to be going their way. They don't
have as much physical suffering as believers do. Their
bodies are healthy and sleek ( no lack of
potassium…….naturally-they can afford the best of
everything).
5 They don't have troubles like other people; they're not
plagued with problems like everyone else.

Everything seems to be going their way. They don't

have as much physical suffering as believers do. Their
bodies are healthy and sleek ( no lack of
potassium…….naturally-they can afford the best of
everything). They escape many of the troubles and
tragedies of decent people like ourselves. And even if
trouble should strike them, they are heavily insured
against every conceivable form of loss.

6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe

themselves with cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever
wish for!

No wonder they are so self-confident. They are as proud

as a peacock and ruthless as a tiger.

8 They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they

seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens, and their words
strut throughout the earth.
Just as their bodies seem to overflow with fatness, so
their minds are spilling over with crooked schemes.
And are they ever arrogant! They scoff and curse at
their underlings and treat them as if they were dirt,
threatening them continually.
Hardly an objective account; it is rather the exaggerated
picture that envious and troubled eyes perceive. (maayo
pa sila….ako intawon!)
Even God Himself does not escape their malice. Their
speech is punctuated with profanity, and they brazenly
blaspheme Him. Their tongue swaggers and struts
through the earth, as if to say, "Here I come; get out
of my way."
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused,
drinking in all their words.
11 "What does God know?" they ask. "Does the Most
High even know what's happening?"
12 Look at these wicked people—enjoying a life of ease
while their riches multiply.
Most of the ordinary people think they are great. They
bow and scrape and show utmost respect. No matter
what the wicked do, the people find no fault with them.
And this only confirms the oppressors in their
arrogance. They figure that if there is a God, He
certainly doesn't know what's going on. So they feel
safe in pursuing their careers of crookedness. And there
they are-cushioned in luxury and getting richer all the
time.
Illus: “Vigan to Vegas”….home watched by
Tigers….high rollin’ in Vegas (we can’t judge but
God knows for sure..)
IV. Faith in doubt…. (v.13-14)
13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep
myself innocent for no reason?
14 I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning
brings me pain.
(“ako intawon”)
 73:13, 14 Well, I began to think, "What good has it
done me to live a decent, honest, respectable life?"
The hours I've spent in prayer. The time spent in
the Word. The distribution of funds to the work of
the Lord. The active testimony for the Lord, both
public and private. All I've got for it has been a
daily dose of suffering and punishment. I wondered
if the life of faith was worth the cost.
V. The Turning Point! (v.15-17)
15 If I had really spoken this way to others, I would
have been a traitor to your people.16 So I tried to
understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult
task it is!17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
 73:15 Of course, I never shared my doubts and
misgivings with other believers. I knew better than
to do that. So I kept all my doubts to myself, lest I
should offend or stumble some simple, trusting
soul.
 73:16 But still the whole business was a riddle to
me: the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer.
It seemed so hard to understand. In fact, it wore me
out trying to solve the problem. (Opposite
Prosperity Teaching of today!)
  73:17 Then something wonderful happened. One
day I went into the sanctuary of God-not the
literal temple in Jerusalem but the heavenly one. I
entered there by faith. As I was complaining to the
Lord about the prosperity of the wicked in this life,
the question suddenly flashed across my mind,
"Yes, but what about the life to come?" The more I
thought about their eternal destiny, the more
everything came into focus.
VI. A Clear Vision of the Wickeds path (v.18-20)
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send
them sliding over the cliff to destruction.19 In an instant
they are destroyed, completely swept away by
terrors.20 When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at
their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the
morning.
 73:18 So I spoke to the Lord something like this:
Lord, now I realize that, despite all appearances,
the life of the wicked is a precarious existence.
They are walking on the slippery edge of a vast
precipice. Sooner or later they fall over to their
destruction. In a moment they are cut off-swept
away by a wave of terrors too horrible to
contemplate. They are to me like a dream when
one awakes in the morning-the things that
disturbed the dreamer are seen to be nothing but
phantoms. (horrible dream of failing in
Chemistry!)
VII. A Vision of Self (v.21-22)
21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was
all torn up inside. 22 I was so foolish and ignorant—I
must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
 73:21, 22 I see now that the things that were
causing me to be envious were mere shadows. It
was stupid of me to become bitter and agitated over
the seeming prosperity of the ungodly. In
questioning Your justice I was acting more like a
beast than a man. (Excuse me for behaving as I
did.)
VIII. A Vision of God’s unfailing Love (v.23-24)
23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.24
You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a
glorious destiny.
 73:23, 24 Yet in spite of my ignorant behavior,
You have not forsaken me. I am continually with
You, and You hold on to me, like a father holds his
child by the hand. Throughout all my life, You
guide me with Your counsel, and then at last You
will receive me to glory.
IX. Renewed Faith in God (v.25-26)
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more
than anything on earth.26 My health may fail, and my
spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of
my heart; he is mine forever.
 73:25, 26 It is enough that I have You in heaven;
that makes me fabulously wealthy. And now I have
no desire for anything upon earth apart from
 Yourself. Let the ungodly have their wealth. I am
satisfied with You and find my all-sufficiency in
You. My body may waste away and my heart may
fail, but God is the strength of my life and all I'll
ever need or want throughout eternity.
X. Renewed Service to the Lord (v.27-28)
27 Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy
those who abandon you.28 But as for me, how good it
is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my
shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful
things you do.NLT
 73:27, 28 Those who try to keep as far away from
You as possible shall perish without You. And all
those who desert You for false gods will be
destroyed. As far as I am concerned, I want to be as
near to You as possible. I have committed myself
to You for protection, and I want to declare all
Your wonderful works to anyone who will listen.