There seems to be something wrong with the equation of life. Isn’t it obedience = blessing?
Our general outline of Psalm 73 is simple: Asaph’s Dilemma (vv 1-12) and Asaph’s Deliverance (vv 13-28). Asaph could have begun the psalm with the words, “Don’t panic! There’s definitely a problem here, but there’s a solution as well. So keep reading.” Instead, he writes, “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” (vv 1-2). He begins with what he knows is true. But he also wants to talk about what is troubling. You’ve probably noticed it can be very tricky to keep our footing when we look down instead of looking up. Asaph’s portrait of the wicked is an external view. He doesn’t have God’s advantage of looking into their hearts. Here are his five issues. 1. The wicked are prosperous (vv 3-5), both in their wealth and their health. 2. The wicked are proud (vv 6-9) because they seem to get away with it. In fact, they’re proud of their pride, wearing it like jewelry (v 6). “They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth” (v 9). They “scoff” (v 8) at both God and men. 3. The wicked are pompous (vv 10-12), draining whatever they find and leaving nothing for others (v 10). They do it in defiance of God, treating Him as if He is a non-issue (v 11). It’s a child’s song, “One of these things is not like the others,” but Asaph is stumped. At Shechem, God made it clear: If you obey, you will be blessed; if you disobey, you’ll be cursed. But here’s the bottom line: “Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches” (v 12). Can you be wicked and rich and get away with it? Are his efforts to please God a waste of time (vv 13-14)? It’s time for Asaph (and for us) to have a dramatic change in our perspective.