Psalms 73 Illusion and Reality

Transcription

1 Psalms 73 Illusion and Reality By Mark Mayberry 2/13/2011 Introduction Psalm 73: A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! 2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat. 5 They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. 7 Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. 8 They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. 9 They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return to this place, And waters of abundance are drunk by them. 11 They say, How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High? 12 Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. 13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; 14 For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning. 15 If I had said, I will speak thus, Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. 16 When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight 17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. 18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! 20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form. 21 When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within, 22 Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. 24 With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. 28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. This psalm is attributed to Asaph, King David s chief musician. The son of Berachiah (2 Chron. 20:14), a Levite, Asaph sounded cymbals before the Ark of the Covenant when it was moved from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem (1 Chron. 15:16-19). Asaph s family became one of the three families given responsibility for music and song in the Temple (1 Chron. 16:4-7, 37; 25:1-9). Following the Captivity, 128 singers from this family returned from Babylon and celebrated when the foundations of Zerubbabel s temple were laid (Ezra 2:41; 3:10). Twelve Psalms are attributed to this individual or his family (Psa. 50, 73-83). i

2 2 Chronicles 20: Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; 1 Chronicles 15: Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy. 17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel, and from his relatives, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and from the sons of Merari their relatives, Ethan the son of Kushaiah, 18 and with them their relatives of the second rank, Zechariah, Ben, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers. 19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph and Ethan were appointed to sound aloud cymbals of bronze; 1 Chronicles 16: He appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, even to celebrate and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel: 5 Asaph the chief, and second to him Zechariah, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom and Jeiel, with musical instruments, harps, lyres; also Asaph played loud-sounding cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests blew trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day David first assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the Lord. 1 Chronicles 16: So he left Asaph and his relatives there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister before the ark continually, as every day s work required; 1 Chronicles 25: Moreover, David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals; and the number of those who performed their service was: 2 Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah and Asharelah; the sons of Asaph were under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king. 3 Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun with the harp, who prophesied in giving thanks and praising the Lord. 4 Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. 5 All these were the sons of Heman the king s seer to exalt him according to the words of God, for God gave fourteen sons and three daughters to Heman. 6 All these were under the direction of their father to sing in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, harps and lyres, for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the direction of the king. 7 Their number who were trained in singing to the Lord, with their relatives, all who were skillful, was They cast lots for their duties, all alike, the small as well as the great, the teacher as well as the pupil. 9 Now the first lot came out for Asaph to Joseph, the second for Gedaliah, he with his relatives and sons were twelve; Ezra 2: The singers: the sons of Asaph,

3 Ezra 3: Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord according to the directions of King David of Israel. The author begins by acknowledging the goodness of God (vs. 1). Yet, when comparing the state of the righteous and the wicked, his faith is severely tested: But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped; for I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked (vs. 2-3). 1 A Psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! 2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Let us, therefore, consider the illusion and reality of the wicked. The word illusion is defined as an erroneous perception of reality; an erroneous concept or belief ii The word reality is defined as the quality or state of being actual or true. iii Things are not always as they seem. The temporal success of the wicked is illusionary, while their future reality is shocking. In contrast, the adversity of the righteous is momentary, while their future reality is eternally secure. The Status Of The Wicked They Appear To Be Successful From a worldly standpoint, the wicked often enjoy prosperity. Their eyes bulge with abundance. They increase in riches. Seemingly they experience no pain, even in death. Apparently they have no weakness, for their strength appears firm. They are not troubled or plagued as other men. Moreover, they are respected and always seem at ease (vs. 3-5, 7, 10, 12). 3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat. 5 They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like mankind. 7 Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. 10 Therefore his people return to this place, And waters of abundance are drunk by them. 12 Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. 3

4 In Reality, They Are Complete Failures In reality, they are utter failures. Troubled and restless, the wicked are like the tossing sea (Isa. 57:20-21). Despite protestations to the contrary, they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and destitute (Rev. 3:17-18). Isaiah 57: But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud. 21 There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked. Revelation 3: Because you say, I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing, and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. The Character Of The Wicked They Appear To Be Satisfactory From a worldly standpoint, the character of the wicked appears acceptable. Seemingly, nothing succeeds like success. Yet, external appearances and internal reality often differ (Matt. 23:27-28; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Col. 2:23). Matthew 23: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 2 Corinthians 11: For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. Colossians 2: These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. In Reality, They Are Utterly Unacceptable In reality, they are utterly unacceptable: arrogant, boastful, wicked, proud, violent, oppressive, scornful, and blasphemous (vs. 3, 6, 8-11). 3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4

5 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. 8 They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. 9 They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return to this place, And waters of abundance are drunk by them. 11 They say, How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High? The Destiny Of The Wicked They Appear To Be Secure From a worldly standpoint, the future of the wicked seems secure. Enjoying physical abundance, they exclaim Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry (Luke 12:16-21). Fully expecting to continue their self-indulgent lifestyle, they boast, Tomorrow will be like today, only more so (Isa. 56:11-12). Luke 12: And He told them a parable, saying, The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 And he began reasoning to himself, saying, What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops? 18 Then he said, This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry. 20 But God said to him, You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared? 21 So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Isaiah 56: And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one. 12 Come, they say, let us get wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink; And tomorrow will be like today, only more so. In Reality, They Are Wholly Insecure In reality, they are wholly insecure, facing an uncertain earthly future (Prov. 27:1; James 4:13-17), and from eternity s standpoint, the certainty of divine judgment (vs ; cf. Isa. 3:8-11). Proverbs 27: Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth. James 4: Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit. 14 5

6 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that. 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. 18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! 20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form. Isaiah 3: For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, Because their speech and their actions are against the Lord, To rebel against His glorious presence. 9 The expression of their faces bears witness against them, And they display their sin like Sodom; They do not even conceal it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves. 10 Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions. 11 Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, For what he deserves will be done to him. Conclusion As the Psalmist struggled with these issues, he was tempted to think that serving God is futile (vs ). However, deep inside, he knew that such thoughts were wrong (vs. 15). 13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; 14 For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning. 15 If I had said, I will speak thus, Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. His fear, uncertainty and doubts were erased through the power of transcending worship (vs ). We should seek after the Lord and inquire at His temple (Psa. 27:4-5). The Word of God offers guidance and understanding (Psa. 119:130; 2 Tim. 3:14-17). 16 When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight 17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Psalm 27: One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple. 5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. Psalm 119: The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. 6

7 2 Timothy 3: You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. Coming to his senses, Asaph repents of his folly and ignorance (vs ). In closing, he reaffirms the fundamental truth that God is good and great, offering protection, guidance, reward, purpose, and strength (vs ). Let us not foolishly forsake the Lord, but rather draw near to Him (vs ). 21 When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within, 22 Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. 23 Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. 24 With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. 28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. i Nelson s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. Herbert Lockyer, Sr. (Seattle, WA: BibleSoft & Nashville: TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986), s.v. Asaph. ii The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition, (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992), s.v. Illusion. iii The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition, (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992), s.v. Reality. 7