It should just end better. He was one of the great worship leaders in the OT. God wants to do that for you. Why is God blessing them instead of judging them?". Commentaries, Sermons, Illustrations, Devotionals. 1, 28) form an inclusio and frame within which the painful experience of the poet is unfolded. This switch marks a major turning point in the poem. Psalm 73 in context. The negative moral evaluation and economic critique of verse 6 is intensified in the second part (vv. The Argument of Psalm 1. 9. He was really troubled by what he had seen in the world around him, and it raised questions which bothered him. But the NRSV translation of this clause shows that the clause could also mean that the psalmist is restored to his honor. For example, my father recited the beautiful words of verses 24-25 of this psalm to my mother on August 27, 1945, just before she died. Now get ready for the stinger. *other, THE STORY OF CHICKEN LITTLE I have typed this psalm as a psalm of wisdom because it deals with a common problem found in wisdom literature, the prosperity of the wicked. "I nearly lost my grip on what I believe. Materialism 89:52, ending Book 3). A good illustration can paint a picture in the imagination to help clarify the truth of a passage. 4. Hugh Hefner may well have been one of the most evil men in the world in the last generation. According to Psalm 1:6b, the way of the wicked self-destructs. Cars, people, and local shops were splattered with whale entrails. He opens it with a truth: Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But then he begins to tell his own personal testimony in :2, But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling. He says God is good; I know that but I came close to stumbling (in the Bible stumbling means to be lost; to give up the faith. D. The book of Job and Psalm 37 deal with the same problem, but in this life; Psalm 73 deals with it in light of Matthew 25. In addition, the Hebrew word lebab, heart, occurs six times in the poem.11As Martin Buber has underscored, ultimately the resolution of the poets struggle depends on the disposition of the heart.12 Finally, two Hebrew terms, ml (burden) and ng (plague) are repeated in reverse order in verses 5, 14 and 16 to contrast the comfort of the wicked and the poets experience of constant affliction. But Asaph is in trouble. This psalm is a brutally honest confessional, from the heart of Asaph to the God he felt had given him a rip off. How is that right? But in worship we see from God's infinite perspective. Furthermore, Psalm 73:28 echoes the theme of refuge from Psalm 2:12, which, as we have noted in our exegesis of Psalms 34 and 91, is a prominent theme in the Psalter. I hadnt felt good all day. In the sanctuary God was his focus, not his problems. Why? For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Listen to his words in v. 16-17: "When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny." Envy blinded his vision. There he was reminded of God's attributes, character and power. 21ff. Based on this certainty the psalmist then proclaims that even though his health should fail, God is his Rock46 and portion.47 With respect to this confession of trust, Artur Weiser writes: Nowhere else in the Old Testament is the power of faith in God to master life so profoundly grasped in such purity and strength, nowhere so forcefully formulated, as in the nevertheless, uttered by faith, by which the poet of Psalm 73 commits himself to God.48. They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors.. But on the other hand, HE, who was trying to obey God and do what is right, has been stricken all day long, and chastened every morning.. The reference to the phrase pure of heart and the act of washing ones hands in innocence in verse 13 suggests a connection between Psalm 73 and the psalms of temple entry.32 In any case, following the suggestion of Marvin E. Tate, entry into the temple provides a dramatic threefold correction of the poets envy blurred vision.33, 1. Using the imagery of clothing in this verse, the psalmist boldly engages in shrewd moral and economic criticism.22 According to this verse, the affluent are well-off because of pride and violence. Under these circumstances, Psalm 73 helps believers to be honest with God. In fact, their existence is as insubstantial as a dreamhere today, gone tomorrow (cf. Unload that acid. Psalm 25:6-9 All The Wrong Notes. So here Asaph says, basically, I almost gave up the faith! He gives the soul (1) security; (2) happiness; (3) support in the hour of death. (John 3:16 sermon), "The Message of the Cross" (I Cor. According to verse 18, God will place the wicked on the slippery slope that the psalmist almost experienced (vs. 2). WHERE YOU STAND DETERMINES WHAT YOU SEE!. It's remarkable how inefficient these actions are. Because ONE SECOND after they died, it all changed suddenly, didnt it? Wicked emphasizes the guilt of those who are actively choosing that which is offensive to God. In the NT Jesus says dont cause one of these little ones to stumble that means dont do anything that might cause someone to be lost.) Look at v. 3: "For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." I. Here is where Asaph's perspective is expanded. Psalm 26 Communicating Integrity. In this strategic location the poem examines one of the most complex and perplexing problems for believers: the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous.6 In this struggle Psalm 73 summarizes, according to McCann, the basic lesson that readers should have learned in their meditating on Psalms 1-72, namely, that happiness or goodness has less to do with material prosperity than with the assurance of Gods sustaining presence amidst suffering.7. The Thesis: God is Good (vs. 1) Psalm 73 is written as Asaph looks back at his time of struggle and doubt. He took his doubts and confusion to God in prayer. And were all in it for the same reasonto fuel the churchs mission of making disciples. Why should I be honest? The Psalms, maybe more than any other part of the Bible, help us to explore the depths of our hearts. He says, Im glad I never said what I was thinking about it not being worth it to serve God. In view of the cross-references to Psalm 24 in Psalm 73, it is suggested that the entry psalm be used in the liturgy. The Prayers of The Psalms. God is waiting to talk with you. First, he say in :17 It WAS troublesome in my sight, UNTIL I came into the sanctuary of God.. If you'll allow me to paraphrase it, it goes like this: "So this is how life really works! Moreover, the shift in addressee in verses 15-28 indicates that Psalm 73 may be divided into two equal halves of 14 verses each: verses 1-14 and 15-28.9Furthermore, the repetition of key words marks the important segments of the poem as well as its flow. *Indicated Required Field See ourPrivacy Policy. It seemed to many people like he was just continuing to sin and get away with it. And it shows us that we can do that with God too; these Psalms give us permission to bring our honest hurts and feelings to God, and say like these Psalmists: CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. 2-3; vv. If he had publicly told of his envious musings, he would have betrayed a generation of Gods children. I cannot go where He is not. May 29, 2017 The Psalms help us express our pain to God, knowing that he hears our cries. His faith was tested and he almost fell away. Psalm 73:1-28. This happened for Asaph in verses 16-17: "But when . Whitney Hand was one of the best womens basketball players who ever played for the University of Oklahoma, and she is also a Christian. We're kicking this study off on a bruising, but all-too-common experience that can leave your teeth on edge and bitterness in your heart. C. A Significant Turning Point (vv. As a result, their speech is arrogant and they threaten oppression (vs. 8). They are healthy (vs. 4) and experience no trouble (amal), nor are they plagued (vs. 5). God is on trial in this lament psalm, but ironically, the psalmist functions more as the defense attorney than the prosecuting attorney. This Psalm is his very personal testimony. And then it happened. He became depressed. Free shipping on books, Bibles, gifts, VBS, and church supplies of $50 or more. BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever," ( Psalm 73:26). They are the blessed, not me. "You are guiding me with your counsel," he said . Psalm 73-Smith, Terry L. "A Crisis in Faith: An Exegesis of Psalm 73," Restoration Quarterly 17.3 (1974) 162 . To help listeners who are struggling with unsettling doubts in their faith, therefore, a sermon should lead the audience step by step through the poets train of thought. Psalm 73:1-3, Tags: Consider this godly guidance when you get a raw deal. They are arrogant and wicked, he said. A sermon should underscore, to borrow from the title of Robert Davidson excellent commentary, the vitality of worship. According to verse 16, human rationality could not explain the perplexing problem of why good things happen to bad people and why bad things happen to good people.62 Only the communal experience (vs. 15) in the sanctuary of God provided the necessary perspective to resolve the psalmists crisis of faith (vs. 17). For more information, see ourPrivacy Policy. How do you hold to the conviction that God is good when life stinks? God allowed Satan to test Job. But in the act of prayer I enter as it were into His presence. Psalm 73 is a favorite for many Jewish and Christian believers because the words of this precious psalm ring true to their experience. How did he get away with this, year after year? You can also fit this outline into . WHEN a man is sick, everybody knows what is good for him. What happened to him, and what he saw happening around him, raised questions that caused him to give up his faith. Apparently he ignored the sound advice from Proverbs 23:17 (Do not let your heart envy sinners but always continue in the fear of the Lord). Tag Archives: Psalm 73 sermon "The Man Who Almost Gave Up His Faith" (Psalm 73 sermon) Posted on 2018/03/12 by Shawn Thomas. You examples are superb. In the deepest part of your heart you just want it to end better for her. The poet introduces his honest confession with the emphatic contrastive phrase But, as for me. This phrase introduces the yes, but factor. Psalm 24 Back On The Farm. But it wasnt just that he came to God; God actually SHOWED him something specific that helped him: he says in :17, Then I perceived their end. He says God showed me not just what the present state of these wicked people is, but what their END is going to be. (LogOut/ That is so important. Still, in v. 15, he stops to consider the impact his next steps will have: "If I had said, 'I will speak thus,' I would have betrayed your children." Verses 17b-19 show us that Asaph was now seeing things differently. Scripture: Psalms 73:24. Lying Two weeks later, on January 29, authorities decided to truck the dead whale to a laboratory where they could do an autopsy. This wonderful psalm may be best understood by the . Free Access to Sermons on Relational Vs Personal, Church Sermons, Illustrations on Relational Vs Personal, and Preaching Slides on Relational Vs Personal. Sometimes questioning and doubt is due to sin. The challenge for the liturgist and preacher is to incorporate a critical reassessment of our culture in a pastorally sensitive manner. (LogOut/ For I have been stricken all day long, and chastened every morning., Asaph says, look at these wicked people, who mock God, who do wicked things to other people. 15-16; 17-20; 21-22; 23-26; and 27-28. So they say: Dont be on the wrong side of history.. My feet nearly *slipped and I almost fell over. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. I want answers, God." Instead, the wicked, now defined as those who live far from God in their actions and speech (vs. 11), will perish.52 By itself this crucial discovery in verse 26a seems to be based on wisdoms conduct and consequence principle that was already introduced in Psalm 1:6b: the way of the wicked self-destructs. Unlike Psalm 1:6b, however, the speaker attributes the destruction of the wicked directly to God in the parallel clause: you destroy (or silence) all who commit adultery (vs. 27b).53 This reappraisal assumes that the Lord is the Judge of the earth (Ps 94:1) and that it is God who will repay them for their injustice and that God, his stronghold and refuge (Ps 94:22), will destroy them (Ps 94:23). But based on its strong affirmations of trust (Psalms 73:1; Psalms 73:17-20; Psalms 73:23-28), it can also be classified as a psalm of trust." [Note: Bullock, p. However, the experience of the psalmist proved the opposite. In :11 he says they say: How does God know? Last October it all came crashing down, with a New York Times investigation, and complaints by dozens of his victims. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. (ESV). The answer is that these verses serve as a rhetorical foil for the passionate protest that follows in verses 13-14. God is the Christian's inheritance as the rest of his soul. God is the Christian's inheritance as the refuge of his conscience. He was evil. NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 73:1-9 1 Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! Scripture: Psalm 73. Rover is only concerned with the immediate. As Brueggemann rightly notes, this summary is not a condemnation of the wicked. It is this asseveration of divine justice that is severely tested in verses 2-27 and marvelously reaffirmed in verse 28, which, as we have noted above, forms an inclusio with verse 1. 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