Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Psalm 73: 1-3, NRSV.
Gracious God, please keep our feet from slipping, by speaking to us through Your Word; in the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
As we continue to look at the “hard sayings” in the Book of Psalms, our study today, takes us to Psalm 73. How many of us would admit to anyone, even ourselves, that we were envious of someone? Especially, the boastful! As Christians, we often repeat phrases, such as, The Lord knows the proud afar off (Psalm 138: 6); or, “Pride goeth before a fall” (Proverbs 16: 8). And of course, boasting is seen as a result of pride. So why would a Christian, of all persons, be envious of someone that is boastful?
This psalm is said to be a psalm of Asaph, who was a prophet; and a musician in the temple (1 Chronicles 25: 1, 2, 6 – 9). Isn’t it noteworthy that the people that you would least believe would have questions about God’s justice, are the ones who are not afraid to ask God questions? These are the people who God uses as His mouthpiece (prophets); who God trusts to provide music for His temple; and that was no menial task. It was a sacred trust; it still is! Asaph said, I almost fell. I almost became terribly discouraged! I could not understand what was happening! I became envious when I saw how the arrogant person was prospering!
To Asaph, as to so many of us, it seemed that the wicked had not a problem in the world! They enjoyed good health! The everyday struggle of the common person was unknown to them. They wore their pride around their necks. Violence was their way of life. They were so full of iniquity! They threatened, and they decieved. They acted as if they were assured of a place in heaven; and that they were the rulers of the earth! It was obvious that they did not believe that God was taking note of what they did. They were as carefree as anyone could get!
So Asaph concluded, as many of us do, that making the effort to live a pure life really did not matter; it did not make any difference what we did, because it seemed that the ones who were being punished were the ones who were trying to do right. At that point, his feet almost slipped. He almost threw in the towel! It was then, that he entered the temple of the Lord! It is very interesting that Asaph should say that. Was he not a prophet of the Lord? Was he not a temple musician, and therefore, constantly in the temple? Why make special mention of entering the temple of the Lord at this particular point? You see my friend, we can be surrounded with all the evidence of God’s mercy and justice; but if we are blinded by envy, it will not only limit our vision, it will also distort it! We can be ministering within the temple, and yet lose sight of God’s justice that is taking place all around us, even now! We can also lose sight of the judgement day when every person will be rewarded according to their deeds, “whether [they] be good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12: 14)!
It is in the temple, that the plan of salvation, which reveals the justice of God, is fully understood! It is in the temple, that Jesus, our Great High Priest, is even now, pleading the case of His faithful followers! It is in the temple that the difference between them that serve the Lord, and them that do not, is made evident. May God keep our feet from stumbling, as we enter His temple, by faith, and behold the evidence of His justice!