PERSPECTIVE

The 5 Books of Psalms  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
0 ratings
· 9 views

The question of why good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people explained. Have to go to God's house and get His perspective

Notes
Transcript

BACKGROUND

This is the first Psalm in the third book of the Psalms.
Written by Asaph, who wrote Psalm 50 and Psalms 73-83. We know he was a contemporary of King David. We know very little about him other than that.
Psalm 73 is a lament Psalm. It reminds the student of the Bible of Job and Jeremiah and the suffering they endured.
The theme is similar to Psalms 10, 37, 49. ”Why does God allow the wicked to prosper and the righteous to suffer from oppression?” Are there any benefits of living righteously? What are the benefits of being a Godly person?
The Psalm begins on a negative note, but then ends with praise, appreciation, and dedication to living righteously. Very similar to Ecclesiastes in this way.
Key words in this Psalm: God/Israel (el) 6x (5x God, 1x Israel); Heart 6x; Wisdom/Knowledge 4x; Garment/Set 4x; Lord 3x; Nothing 3x; Happen/Occur 3x; Everyone/Everything 3x.

INTRODUCTION

“Myopia is a visual problem that keeps people from seeing objects at a distance. They can see only what is immediately before them” (Steven Lawson, Holman Old Testament Commentary, p. 365).
Even more problematic is spiritual myopia - a perspective problem that keeps people from seeing only the physical things before them.
The question of “Why does God allow the wicked to prosper and the righteous to suffer?” is one that is discussed often in scrioture.
Many people today have difficulty with this concept as well. Admittedly, it is not an easy question to discuss.
It becomes more clear when we allow ourselves to view life, time, and what is true prosperity and suffering from God’s perspective.

I. THE FOUNDATION OF HIS PERSPECTIVE (vv.1-3)

It seems this sets the stage for the entire Psalm.
He acknowledges God is good to Israel. He knows that in the abstract, but sometimes it is hard for us to remember that in our day-to-day lives.
God is good. It is part of His fundamental character (Psa. 25:8; 86:5; 100:5; 119:68; 135:3; 136:1; 145:9).
However, the Psalmist will shift his focus from God’s Godness to those things he observes around him.
v.2 - He focuses on the “individual experience” to form his perspective.
It seems that it is a personal issue he is going through. This lament seems not to come from some national issue at hand, but rather something that is going on in his personal life.
What was it he almost did? Almost lose his faith? It seems that is so. All because he begin to look at things from his perspective as he looked at the prosperity of the wicked - RATHER than looking at things from God’s perspective.

II. THE PROBLEM OF HIS PERSPECTIVE (vv.4-10)

They suffer NO pain? Really? They have NO trouble? Really? They NEVER suffer? Really? They can do NO wrong? Really? The Psalmist exaggerates because his perspective has gotten off. It certainly must have seemed like that was the case to him.
vv. 4-5, 10 - They viewed physical prosperity as blessing from God, and physical suffering as punishment from God (remember Job’s friends?). The perceived fact that these evil people seemed to have no problems seemed to be God’s stamp of approval to him, and yet, they were wicked!
vv. 6-9 - They were arrogant, violent, used their blessings to do evil, thought only sinful things, mocked, spoke evil, threatened, acted as if they were God themselves! And yet, You bless them?
That is why his faith nearly stumbled. If they do all those things and are blessed, why live righteously?

III. RESPONSES TO HIS PERSPECTIVE (vv.11-14)

vv. 11-12 - What the wicked say - This is how they were mocking and acting like they ruled.
vv. 13-14 - What the Psalmist says - They get richer, and yet I am living so pure, with such pure motives, and I suffer all the day long. Again, maybe some exaggeration. You are 100% pure? All you get is suffering? Really?

IV. THE ANSWER TO HIS PERSPECTIVE (vv.15-20)

vv. 15-16 - It would be wrong for him to spread this - he would only cause others to slip. Yet, he still couldn’t figure it out himself.
vv. 17-20 - He turned to where all who are righteous must turn for answers - The Lord! And when he looked at it from God’s perspective he saw that God had put them in a position to hang themselves. By seeing what the end of the wicked was, it made sense. God’s justice had not failed, it had only been asleep for a time. The time will come when it will awaken, and then, it will be FAR better to be righteous than to be found wicked!
Interesting that he says that he almost slipped, but then realizes it is the wicked who will really slip down!

V. PROPER PERSPECTIVE (vv.21-28)

vv. 21-22 - I was in the wrong because I was looking at all this from my perspective, rather than God’s.
vv. 23-26 - God is always with me. He always helps me. He always blesses me.
vv. 27-28 - The end of it all tells the tale. It does not matter what happens in this life. If we are away from God, we will be punished. If we are with God, He will protect us. That is what I will declare to every one!
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more