Psalms 73 - Printer Friendly

What does Psalms 73 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Asaph was a worship leader and prophet in the time of King David (1 Chronicles 6:31–32, 39), but he almost lost his faith in God. Bitterness and envy over what seemed to be an unfair situation led him to a spiritual crisis. Scripture does not say if some specific event, or person, inspired this psalm. By deeply considering the truth, Asaph was able to come to a firm conclusion: his faith in God was justified.

Though he saw God's faithfulness to Israel, Asaph struggled to understand why it seemed that wicked people were so prosperous and healthy. As the psalm continues, it becomes clear that these are somewhat exaggerated complaints, but they reflect a concern many Christians have felt. Job chapter 21 parallels many of the same themes as this psalm. Few emotions are as frustrating as experiencing hardship while seeing those who we think "deserve" to suffer escaping similar troubles (Psalm 73:1–3).

The psalm depicts godless people as free of pain, well fed, and trouble free. Books such as Proverbs make it clear that sin does indeed come with consequences (Proverbs 9:13–18). In the heat of the moment, however, a suffering believer can feel as if wicked people have nothing to worry about, at all. Bitterness sets in, and cynicism whispers that all wicked people have it easy. In fact, they seemingly have lives which are so comfortable they can afford to flaunt their status. Rather than being ashamed of their sin, they celebrate it (Psalm 73:4–7).

Even worse, for those who honor God, is how wicked people ridicule and mock believers. The modern era is overflowing with examples of faithful Christians being slandered, taunted, insulted, and sneered at by those who think they are above God. Asaph was pained to see this coming from those who, it seemed, suffered no consequences (Psalm 73:8–9).

For some, temptations and ridicule create unbearable pressure. Rather than oppose what God says is wrong, they turn away from faith and embrace the attitudes of these wicked people. They renounce their former beliefs. They claim that honoring God and obeying His Word is a waste of time. Worse, they claim it's a hindrance to their lives (Psalm 73:10–14).

Asaph recognized the impact of these errors. Especially as a spiritual leader, he knew how damaging his own fall from faith would be. Rather than embrace cynicism and bitterness, he sought to better understand God. From that humble perspective, he remembered that wickedness does, in fact, usually result in earthly troubles. Beyond that, no one will escape God's judgment, even if they seem to avoid punishment during their earthly lives. Asaph recognized that his bitterness was a sin, something he can confess (Psalm 73:15–22).

The psalm ends with a confirmation of faith in the Lord. Compared to everything the world may offer, God is far better. Not only can believers trust in God's plan during earthly life, they also look forward to eternity in His presence. Those who reject Him, on the other hand, face destruction. Asaph's appropriate response to this is a commitment to bring the Lord praise (Psalm 73:23–28).

Psalm 73:1–9 depicts a struggle which resonates with Christians in many eras of history. Asaph almost abandoned his faith in God because he envied the prosperous wicked. He describes them as healthy, wealthy, proud, violent, and profane. Job 21 includes a similar description of the wicked. The wording here is meant to be somewhat exaggerated, reflecting the painful perspective of godly people who suffer. The following verses discuss how the same problems lead others to question God, and how Asaph ultimately resolves his doubts and confirms his faith.

Psalm 73:10–14 describes a kind of despair, to which God's people are often tempted. Scripture notes that following God's will is a surer path to success than rejecting Him (Proverbs 9:10–12), but those who do evil can sometimes prosper. When a godless, depraved person seems happy and healthy, a believer may be tempted to concluded it doesn't pay to serve God. Hurting people are especially sensitive to seeing the wicked prosper, while they suffer. That tempts them to conclude that their righteousness brought them nothing except trouble. The imagery in this section is deliberately exaggerated to enhance that contrast. In the next section, however, Asaph will indicate that this conclusion is wrong, and why (Psalm 73:15–17).

Psalm 73:15–28 gives a fitting resolution to Asaph's complaint (Psalm 73:2–3). He was disturbed by the contrast between the seemingly prosperous wicked and the difficulties of the righteous. Many today feel the same conflict. An eternal perspective gave the answer he needed to those hard examples. In short, wickedness does come with risks, and earthly life is not all there is to our existence. Even in the context of the natural world, evil invites negative consequences and disaster. In eternity, judgment on godlessness is absolutely guaranteed.

Chapter Summary:

Seeing godless people thrive, even as they hatefully mock God, while believers suffer, leads many people to a crisis of faith. This was the case for Asaph. Using exaggerated imagery, he complains to the Lord that it seems as if evil people have easy lives, while godly people suffer. Further reflection reminds Asaph that sin does lead to consequences, both in this life and the next. He confesses his sins of bitterness and resolves to trust God more deeply.

Chapter Context:

This psalm is the first in a collection which corresponds to Leviticus and the overall theme of worship. Asaph, who wrote Psalm 73, confesses that seeing prosperity among wicked people brought him bitterness and envy. That nearly caused him to lose trust in God. Carefully considering God and His eternal truth led Asaph to a stronger faith. Job chapter 21, in which trial-laden Job also complains about the success of some wicked people, mentions many of the same ideas as Psalm 73.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/3/2024 2:17:29 PM