PSALM 73
Psalmist wants to understand God’s dealing verse 1- 2
Truly God is good to Israel
even to such as are of a clean heart
BUT as for me – my feet were almost gone
my steps had well-nigh slipped
Psalmist describes wicked verse 3- 12
FOR I was envious at the foolish
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked
FOR there are no bands in their death
but their strength is firm
They are not in trouble as other men
neither are they plagued like other men
THEREFORE pride compasses them about as a chain
violence covers them as a garment
their eyes stand out with fatness
they have more than heart could wish they are corrupt
and speak wickedly concerning oppression
they speak loftily
they set their mouth against the heavens
their tongue walks through the earth
THEREFORE his people return hither
and waters of a full cup are wrung out of them
and they say
How does God know?
Is there knowledge in the most High?
BEHOLD – these are the ungodly – who prosper in the world
they increase in riches
Psalmist wonders about staying holy for nothing verse 13- 14
VERILY I have cleansed my heart in vain
washed my hands in innocency
for all the day long have I been PLAGUED
and CHASTENED every morning
Psalmist still wondering about wicked verse 15- 16
If I say – I will speak thus
BEHOLD – I should offend against
the generation of YOUR children
when I thought to know this
it was too painful for me
Psalmist went into the sanctuary and understood verse 17- 20
Until I went into the sanctuary of God
THEN understood I their end
Surely YOU did set them in slippery places
YOU cast them down into destruction
How are they brought into desolation – as in a moment
they are utterly consumed with terrors
as a dream when one awakes
so – O Lord – when YOU awake
YOU shall despise their image
Psalmist claims the LORD verse 21- 26
Thus my heart was grieved – and I was pricked in my reins
so foolish was I – and ignorant
I was as a beast before YOU
Nevertheless I am continually with YOU
YOU have held me by my right hand
YOU shall guide me with YOUR counsel
and afterward receive me to glory
Whom have I in heaven but YOU?
and there is none on earth that I desire beside YOU
my flesh and my heart fails
BUT God is the strength of my heart
and my portion for ever
Psalmist trusts the LORD verse 27- 28
FOR – lo – they that are far from YOU shall perish
YOU have destroyed all them
that go whoring from YOU
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 YOUR works
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
:2 “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). (Slipped – 8210 שֶׂפֶק, שָׁפַךְ [shaphak /shaw·fak/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 2444; GK 8564 and 9161; 115 occurrences; AV translates as “pour out” 46 times, “shed” 36 times, “pour” 20 times, “cast” six times, “gush out” once, and translated miscellaneously six times. 1 to pour, pour out, spill. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to pour, pour out. 1A2 to shed (blood). 1A3 to pour out (anger or heart) (fig). 1B (Niphal) to be poured out, be shed. 1C (Pual) to be poured out, be shed. 1D (Hithpael). 1D1 to be poured out. 1D2 to pour out oneself. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2001).
DEVOTION: When was the last time you felt sorry for yourself? We all have suffered with the ailment of looking at people and saying that should be me or why are they prospering? Asaph apparently was suffering from some of that and recognized his state here in these verses! While God was good, he realized that he was in a precarious state. The pure in heart of verse one was not him at this time and his understanding of that made him stop for reflection and evaluation.
When we know what God requires and suddenly realize that our attitude is wrong it should cause us to stop and reflect. Just because others have or are promoted does not permit us, as believers, to become fleshly or carnal in attitude or action. As the psalmist points out, it can happen quickly and we can fall! Yet God is faithful and continues to work in us to bring us back to himself (v.28).
CHALLENGE: Do you need an attitude adjustment today as you look at people instead of the Lord? He will guide you in His counsel as you hold His hand! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I say the prosperity of the wicked. (7065 “envious” [qana’] means be envy, be jealous, to get heated, become excited, to feel envious towards, admire enviously, to burn with zeal, to excite to jealous anger.)
DEVOTION: Sometimes even believers look at those who don’t know Christ and wonder what it is like to just act as they do. They don’t seem to care about anything. Their philosophy is to eat, drink and be merry and not worry about anything that is going to happen in the future.
Some of them don’t seem to have a worry in the world but just go along with the flow and act anyway they like and it doesn’t seem to bother them but at night alone sometimes it might be a different story but we never see it.
They seem not worry about the future because they are living to just enjoy life to it’s fullest with no concern for tomorrow. Their families seem OK and those that are not seem to be getting along without any restrictions that we are trying to follow because we are followers of Jesus.
However, Asaph, continues his thoughts with the fact that their end of life is different and they will face God in judgment but at present their current life looks like fun to those looking on.
God wants us to realize that this world is not our home we are just passing through to our time period in heaven for eternity. We only live to be usually under a hundred years and eternity is much longer.
We need to understand that we can think these same thoughts at times but we have to understand that life is short and eternity is long.
CHALLENGE: We have to evaluate all sides of what it means to be a believer and realize that in the end we are on the right side. Trust HIM.
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: 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency. (2135 “cleansed” [zakah] means clean, to be pure, to keep free from immorality or sin, to make clean, be clear, be regarded as just, or keep clean.)
DEVOTION: While Asaph looks around in his world it seems that he has just cut himself off from having fun. He has tried to live a life that is pleasing to the LORD while those around him seem to be able to eat, drink, and be merry without any seeming consequences to their actions. They look like they are having fun while he is restricting what he is doing to what is pleasing to the LORD.
The fun life looks like something that would be easy to take. You live to have fun without any concern for tomorrow. You do and say whatever you would like and not worry about what people think of you.
He is wondering why he is trying to live a pure life while those who are not look like they are just having so much fun and don’t seem to be worried about what might happen in the future.
Those who believe the Bible know that there is a future judgement but many people think that all there is to life is the lifetime that they live and after that is just the grave. They don’t think there is any life after death. It is not a concern.
There are so many high school and college teachers that think these thoughts and teach them to their students on a daily basis. They seem to be living the life and nothing bad is happening to them.
In high school there can be people who make fun of those who believe the Bible and in Christ. They laugh at you and make fun of your odd habits. They want you to join them in their fun. They invite you to their parties and say that it doesn’t matter if you just drink soft drinks while they are drinking beer or other things. They say that you don’t have to watch what they watch or have any of the drugs that they are using. You can just come.
This usually doesn’t work. I had a man who was part of that crowd and they told him to keep coming and he didn’t think anything was wrong until he started to witness to them about Christ. Then they said “What are you doing here?” They didn’t want to hear his witness.
If you can go to the party and not take the drugs or the drinking and can witness to them about what Christ has done in your life then their reaction might be different like this man.
CHALLENGE: The Bible tells us that we have to watch where we go and what we do once we become a follower of Jesus. Our testimony is very important to our witness to the dying world.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. (995 “understood” [biyn] means to separate mentally, consider, diligently, discern, feel, instruct, have intelligence, know, mark, or think.)
DEVOTION: Our world is confusing. When we look at the world around us it seems to not make sense. It seems that those who don’t love the LORD are doing better than those who love the LORD. It seems like trouble hits the follower of the LORD and those outside of Christ have it easy.
The psalmist states this to God. He was honest with the LORD. He asked questions and made comments. The LORD wants us to be honest with HIM. HE wants us to search the Scriptures for answers. HE wants us to pray or talk with HIM about every situation we find ourselves in. HE wants to have individuals who are bold in seeking HIS presence and finding answers.
We can talk to God this way. HE will help us discern what is truth and what is a lie. The enemy wants us to believe that the wicked are getting away with murder and we are just suffering to help us grow in the LORD. We should switch sides and join the enemy. They seem to have it nice.
The Psalmist uses a long list of conditions that those outside of Christ find in their lives. They are proud of the fact that they have it better than those who are followers of Christ. They think God doesn’t see what they are doing.
These facts confuse the Psalmist until he goes into the house of the LORD and understands that their end is eternity in the lake of fire. They might have it good here on earth but that only lasts for a lifetime.
BUT when we look into the Word of God and worship HIM, we realize that God is working HIS plan and the wicked will get their just deserts. There is an eternity waiting for all people.
Some will go to heaven and some will go to the lake of fire. Those who are followers of the LORD are the only ones going to heaven. We need to tell the others that HE is the only way to heaven and they need to live for HIM.
CHALLENGE: Honesty with the LORD is the best policy. HE wants us to ask HIM questions. HE wants us to realize that HE is guiding our every step. We have to come to the same conclusion as this Psalmist!!! It is the end that matters.
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: 26 “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.” (“Portion,” 2506 חֵלֶק [cheleq] AV translates as “portion” 40 times, “part” 22 times, “flattering” once, “flattery” once, “inheritance” once, and “partaker” once. 1 portion, share, part, territory. 1a portion, share. 1b portion, tract, parcel (of land). 1c one’s portion, one’s possession. 1d (chosen) portion. 1e portion, award (from God). 2 smoothness, seductiveness, flattery. [Strong, J. (2001). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software]).
DEVOTION: This song by Asaph (who was assigned to make music for King David and therefore must have been a gifted musician) is about the tendency of all of us to become envious of those who are more prosperous than we are. In other words, it is about the sin of covetousness (which Paul picked out as the sin that he struggled with in Romans 7).
From man’s perspective, it does not make sense that the evil should prosper and the good should lack. We expect that justice will reward us for doing what is right, and that if God were fair we would get physical blessings. It is interesting that the children of Israel had this perspective as well, based on the Mosaic covenant which was given to them at Sinai. Yet we also see in the Old Testament that the true follower of God will go through times of difficulty and that things will not always work out the way we think they should in this life.
Despite the fact that there may be disadvantages to obeying God, the righteous man will still choose to walk in the way of obedience (Psalm 1). This is because God gives His blessing and peace to those who do so, and that this life is not all that there is. Thus, Asaph discovers that the way of the evil man, even though it looks good right now, will ultimately lead to destruction, and that is the reason why God’s children should not be covetous.
So if God teaches us not to be covetous, then how should we live? We should be satisfied with God being our portion in this life. In other words, we are to change in terms of what we want from the things that we see to the things which are spiritual. Only in this way will we experience true satisfaction.
CHALLENGE: While it is not wrong to want certain physical comforts, what one thing are you willing to give up in order to know God better? Is God truly your portion and possession above all else? (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Sanctuary of God verse 17
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verses 1, 11, 17, 26, 28
God is good to Israel verse 1
Most High verse 11
Sanctuary of God verse 17
Lord – Adonai (Master, Owner) verse 20, 28
GOD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 28
Lord God verse 28
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Not in trouble as other men verse 5
Ungodly who prosper verse 12
Ungodly who prosper in riches verse 12
Ungodly set in slippery places verse 18
Ungodly headed into destruction verse 18
Ungodly utterly consumed with terrors verse 19
Ungodly have image that is despised by God verse 20
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Steps had well nigh slipped verse 2
Envious verse 3
Foolish verse 3, 22
Wicked verse 3
Pride verse 6
Violence verse 6
Have more than heart could wish verse 7
Corrupt verse 8
Speak wickedly verse 8
Speak loftily verse 8
Setting mouth against God verse 9
Question God’s knowledge verse 11
Ungodly verse 12
Ignorant verse 22
Whoring verse 27
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Clean heart verse 1
Cleansed heart verse 13
Wash hands in innocence verse 13
Chastened every morning verse 14
Understanding verse 17
Continually with God verse 23
Held in God’s right hand verse 23
Guidance verse 24
Headed to glory verse 24
Desire for God verse 25
Strength verse 26
Draw near to God verse 28
Trust verse 28
Witness verse 28
Declare all the works of God verse 28
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Asaph – servant in Temple verse 1- 28
Saw the prosperity of the wicked
They have more than heart could wish
Thinks he has cleansed his heart in vain
Washed his hands in innocency
In God’s sanctuary he understood
end of wicked
God despises mage of wicked
I was foolish and ignorant
I am continually with YOU
You are holding my right hand
You are my guide
Who have I in heaven but YOU?
I decide YOU alone
God is the strength of my heart
Israel verse 1
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Death verse 4
Understanding the end of ungodly verse 17
Heaven verse 25
Perish verse 27
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QUOTES regarding passage
4. This verse as read by rsv, etc., makes excellent sense, though it involves dividing one Hebrew word into two. While this was hardly justified in verse 1 (see comment there on the upright), here the awkwardness of the alternative makes a case for it. (Kidner, D. (1975). Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, pp. 288–289). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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73:4–12. Asaph explained the prosperity that troubled him. He observed that the wicked do not seem to suffer trouble as other people do (vv. 4–5). They cover themselves with pride and violence (v. 6). Their evil devices are unbounded (v. 7). Their speech is scornful, malicious, and arrogant, as if they owned the earth (vv. 8–9). Many people are carried away by their evil (they turn to them, v. 10) and presumptuous self-confidence, thinking God does not know of their sin (v. 11; cf. 94:7). With no cares in the world (cf. 73:4–5, 12) wicked, arrogant people continue to prosper. (Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 847). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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From Asaph’s viewpoint, the ungodly “had it made.” They were healthy (vv. 4–5) and had no struggles in either life or death (Job 21:13, 23). They were proud of their wealth and stations in life, and they wore that pride like jewelry. They used violence to get their wealth and wore that violence like rich garments. Like an overflowing river, their hard hearts and evil minds produced endless ideas for getting richer, and they frequently spoke words of opposition against the Lord in heaven. The words of the arrogant would “strut through the land” and take possession of whatever they wanted. But the greatest tragedy is that many of God’s people don’t seem to know any better but follow their bad example and enjoy their friendship! (v. 10). These ungodly men are sinning, but their foolish followers are “drinking it all up.” (For drinking as a metaphor for sinning, see Job 15:16; 34:7; Prov. 4:17; 19:28; Rev. 14:8.) To encourage their hard hearts and quiet their evil consciences, the wicked affirmed that God didn’t know what they were doing (Ps. 10).
Based on the evidence he could see around him, Asaph came to the wrong conclusion that he has wasted his time and energy maintaining clean hands and a pure heart (vv. 13 and 1, and see 24:4 and 26:6). If he had ever read the book of Job, then he had missed its message, for we don’t serve God because of what we get out of it but because He is worthy of our worship and service regardless of what He allows to come to our lives. Satan has a commercial view of the life of faith and encourages us to serve God for what we get out of it (Job 1–2), and Asaph almost bought into that philosophy. (See also Dan. 3:16–18.) (Wiersbe, W. W. (2004). Be worshipful (1st ed., pp. 238–239). Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries.)
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The psalmist wondered how the wicked could impudently flaunt God’s ways and thrive (see Job 21). He wondered if his piety had been for nothing. But he came to understand that God sustained him, not his own will, and that grace would lead him to eternal glory. (Garrett, D. A. (1998). The Poetic and Wisdom Books. In D. S. Dockery (Ed.), Holman concise Bible commentary (p. 228). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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73:4 no pains in their death. The wicked seem to go through life in good health, and then die a painless death. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ps 73:4). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Ver. 4. For there are no bands in their death, &c.] Nothing that binds and straitens them, afflicts and distresses them; they have no pain of mind nor of body, but die at once, suddenly, in a moment, wholly at ease and quiet, without any bitterness of soul; see Job 21:13, 23, 25 or there are no bands until their death; they have no straits nor difficulties all their life long, no distempers nor diseases which may be called bonds, Luke 13:12, 13, 16 till they come to die: the Vulgate Latin version is, there is no respect to their death; they take no notice of it, they have no care or concern about it; or, as the Targum, “they are not terrified nor troubled because of the day of their death;” they put it away far from them, and think nothing about it: but their strength is firm; they are hale and robust, healthful and sound, to the day of their death; their strength is not weakened in the way by diseases and distempers. Some take the word rendered strength to signify a porch or palace, and translate it, they are strong as a palace, or in a palace, or their palace is strong; their houses are well built, and continue long. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 4, p. 2). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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4. “For there are no bands in their death.” This is mentioned as the chief wonder, for we usually expect that in the solemn article of death, a difference will appear, and the wicked will become evidently in trouble. The notion is still prevalent that a quiet death means a happy hereafter. The Psalmist had observed that the very reverse is true. Careless persons become case-hardened, and continue presumptuously secure, even to the last. Some are startled at the approach of judgment, but many more have received a strong delusion to believe a lie. What with the surgeon’s drugs and their own infidelity, or false peace, they glide into eternity without a struggle. We have seen godly men bound with doubts, and fettered with anxieties, which have arisen from their holy jealousy; but the godless know nothing of such bands: they care neither for God nor devil. “Their strength is firm.” What care they for death? Frequently they are brazen and insolent, and can vent defiant blasphemies even on their last couch. This may occasion sorrow and surprise among saints, but certainly should not suggest envy, for, in this case, the most terrible inward conflict is infinitely to be preferred to the profoundest calm which insolent presumption can create. Let the righteous die as they may, let my last end be like theirs. (Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 56-87 (Vol. 3, pp. 247–248). London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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God’s delays are not denials,
He has heard your prayer;
He knows all about your trials,
Knows your every care.
God’s delays are not denials,
Help is on the way.
He is watching o’er life’s dials,
Bringing forth the day.
God’s delays are not denials,
You will find Him true,
Working through the darkest trials,
What is best for you. – Grace Troy
We need to be as much before God when the world patronizes us as when it openly disapproves. It is never safe to forget to pray. (H.A. Ironside, The Continual Burnt Offering)
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Yet the ministry is one of the most perilous of professions. The devil hates the Spirit-filled minister with an intensity second only to that which he feels for Christ Himself. The source of this hatred is not difficult to discover. An effective, Christ-like minister is a constant embarrassment to the devil, a threat to his dominion, a rebuttal of his best arguments and a dogged reminder of his coming overthrow. No wonder he hates him. Satan knows that the downfall of a prophet of God is a strategic victory for him, so he rests not day or night devising hidden snares and deadfalls for the ministry. Perhaps a better figure would be the poison dart that only paralyzes its victim, for I think that Satan
has little interest in killing the preacher outright. An ineffective, half-alive minister is a better advertisement for hell than a good man dead. So the preacher’s dangers are likely to be spiritual rather than physical, though sometimes the enemy works through bodily weaknesses to get to the preacher’s soul. (A. W. Tozer, God Tells the Man Who Cares, 90-91.) [PRAY FOR YOUR PASTOR, MISSIONARIES and LEADERS]
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The Sin of the Devil
“Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.” (Exodus 18:11)
This is the first mention in the Bible of the sin of pride, and it appropriately refers to the primeval sin of the “gods”—that is, the supposed deities of the heathen.
Led by Lucifer, a great host of the created angels had rebelled against their Creator, seeking also to be “gods” like Him. Lucifer, later to be called Satan (i.e., “adversary”), thought he could become the highest of all. “O Lucifer . . . thou hast said in thine heart, I will . . . exalt my throne above the stars of God: . . . I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell” (Isaiah 14:12-15).
Satan’s sin—and that of the other self-proclaimed “gods”—was that of “being lifted up with pride . . . the condemnation of the devil” (1 Timothy 3:6). But they shall all, with him, eventually “be brought down to hell” and the “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
This was also the sin of Adam and Eve, for Satan had seduced them with the promise “ye shall be as gods” (Genesis 3:5).
It is also the sin of all humanists and evolutionary pantheists, from Adam’s day to our day, for they seek to do away with God and make “gods” out of “corruptible man.” They have “worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator” (Romans 1:23, 25).
But “pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). Our Lord of creation is “above all gods,” even in that “thing wherein they dealt proudly.” The sin of pride was the very first sin and is still the most difficult sin to overcome, but “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). (HMM. The Institute for Creation Research)
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