Praise God For His Justice
Psalms 73
What is justice?
Justice means rendering to every one that which is his due!
Justice means doing what the law demands!
Justice differs from equity in that equity is the impartial distribution of justice.
God says:
Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
Our God is not a tyrant but neither is He a weakling, when He comes to judge this world His actions will be the exact right thing to do.
The justice of God is just as real and certain as His mercy and is as much a fact as our salvation is true!
Let's begin!
*****Psa 73:1 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
Asaph was one of the leaders of the choir who was appointed by David and put in place by Solomon in the new Temple.
There are 12 Psalms attributed to Asaph.
Asaph was also a skilled musician and not many realize it but Asaph was also a "seer", a prophet called of God.
2Ch 29:30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of "Asaph the seer". And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Asaph could see into the future and Asaph prophesied with his music.
What is the truth of God's prophets?
Each prophet was to proclaim the message given to him of God!
Each prophet spoke in God's name and by God's authority and thus their words must thus be true.
Asaph begins with "Truly God is good to Israel".
It can never be said that Jehovah God has not been and will always be good to His covenant people Israel!
Who are the true Israel?
Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Here we see that of all the children of Abraham it is only Isaac, the only son by Sarah, that is the Father of Israel.
These are the children of the the promises of God!
The true Israel is not those that ceremonially clean but all those that have been cleaned in their inward parts.
We must know that we will never understand the things of God until we spend some time in His Word!
Asaph was led of God to sing the songs of prophesy but even Asaph had doubts sometimes just as we all do!
*****Psa 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
No matter who we are, our faith will waver from time to time.
It will sometimes seem to be a great burden to walk in the ways of God.
We will sometimes stagger at the weight of being obedient to the Word of God.
The Lord is surely good and we know He is our example but there will be days when we cannot see how we will ever meet such a high standard as God has set before us.
What is the greatest cause of these things? Envy of the things we see in this world!
*****Psa 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Envy can described as being discontent. Asaph was discontent because he was focused on those he considered superior to him, the wicked rich and prosperous.
There is not one way that a lost soul is superior to a saved soul!
All those that reject the Word of God are fools!
When we become envious of fools we are even more foolish!
But sometimes when we see the prosperity of these wicked people it's hard not to be envious of them.
When we forget that we will inherit the vast riches of Heaven and become envious of the things in this world we just do not have our priorities in order.
When we become fixed on the present and forget the future of those that reject the Lord Jesus it will affect our faith and we will then become miserable Christians.
There is nothing in this world we should desire greater than our relationship with the Lord!
*****Psa 73:4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
Psa 73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Death is a reality for every member of the human race but the Bible teaches us that the soul cannot die.
It is the Christian that should come to death with a peace that cannot be understood but that is not always the case.
But a quiet death also does not always mean a happy hereafter.
What Asaph saw was that most of the rich wicked people on this earth do not have a great concern for their death and the hereafter.
What Asaph saw was that those that were rich but wicked could afford the best doctors and the best medicine and in most cases could live a healthy life and by these same means they could slip into a painless death.
God says:
Pro 31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Pro 31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Pro 31:8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Many of the rich die as well as they live but they will still miss out on Heaven.
It is a fact that if you are a Christian you will face many tribulations before you can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven!
The truth is, let them have what they can get in this world for that's all they will ever have without Christ Jesus!
*****Psa 73:6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
Pride is unreasonable conceit!
Conceit is a high opinion of your own self above all others.
God says:
Pro 26:12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
Pride is the sin of Satan and all those that think they are too good to yield to the Word of God!
Those that are so full of pride, wear their pride better than anything that money can buy.
In their boastful arrogance they wear the garments of evil and they are proud of it!
We have to be blind to see that our own nation is failing because those in control are so full of self pride that they think they know best what is good for everyone else.
Only the ones who know the Lord Jesus Christ on a personal level can know what is good for them, not any government!
Asaph saw these same things it was testing his faith.
*****Psa 73:7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
Those that are rich are usually fat with the things that money can buy but their eyes are always searching for something they do not have.
But those same eyes convey an attitude of arrogance and fierceness for all those considered to be a lower class of people.
If they had all the world, they would still be searching for something else because their prideful lust cannot be satisfied.
They are evil continually!
*****Psa 73:8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
In the Bible times those that were buried were said not to be corrupt until the 4th day. Here we see that those that are rich and wicked are corrupt, their flesh is rotting away, before they die a physical death.
Oppression is the act of imposing unreasonable burdens on others, such as taxes, or services, and even cruelty.
They not only defend their ways, they insist on them, as the way things should be.
They speak as if they were sitting on the judges bench and they expect all the world to stand in awe of them!
I cannot help but think about what is going on in Washington, DC as I study these passages.
*****Psa 73:9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
With such pride and arrogance they defy Jehovah God and relate Him as just another false religion that are the true troublemakers in this world.
They make themselves the gods of this world and speak down on the ordinary man!
They overcome every obstacle to find victims they can slander and abuse.
They believe that no one and no thing is out of their reach.
They believe they can say anything at anytime and their words will be as they come from God and should be accepted.
What did God ask Satan?
Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
The wicked rich men of this world carry with them all the traits of Satan.
*****Psa 73:10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
Because of all these things God's people return to Him over and over again complaining that the wicked evil prosper while God's people suffer persecution and some of it is terrible.
They become full of doubt, and confused, thinking that God just does not care and they fall into the same snares of Satan over and over again.
David wrote in the 23 Psalm these words:
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; "my cup runneth over".
Here in this verse we see that our cup that was running over with the joy of salvation has now now been wrung out and contain no joy at all.
Paul wrote to Timothy these words:
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, "they have erred from the faith", and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
We see that when we earnestly desire the things of this world we will begin to doubt our faith.
Sorrow is uneasiness or the pain in our minds but this pain in our minds will penetrate deep into our being and interfere with our walk with God.
And how do the ungodly respond in our weakness?
*****Psa 73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
Psa 73:12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
Psa 73:13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
Those that reject the truth of God will say even if there is a God, He is not concerned with what is going on in this world.
They will flatter themselves thinking that what they are doing is not observed from Heaven.
They will say even if there be a God, He does not deal with us on a personal level.
They will just say how can God know all these things.
And all those that desire those same riches will get caught up in this foolishness.
This is one of the greatest stumbling blocks of true faith!
The ungodly seem to prosper while the godly suffer.
These who have no respect for other human beings and deserve to be chased out of this world become the owners of most of the world and no matter the laws, or who sits as ruler, they increase in riches.
It has amazed me in America that not only have the rich gotten richer and the poor gotten poorer but those that have always been in the middle are now come under full attack of the rich.
There is no transfer of wealth of the rich to the poor, there is only a transfer of wealth from the middle to the rich and all but them become poor.
We are so easily deceived by the work of Satan!
Poor Asaph questions the value of holiness and his own salvation just as many others have throughout all generations.
Asaph was a prophet of God yet he too fell into this same snare of the Devil.
Who are we to think we cannot fall into this same trap?
Asaph had kept his walk with the Lord as pure as he had his inner being but he was full of doubt at this time of the rewards of his salvation, saying how can these things be true?
*****Psa 73:14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
When we are struggling with our salvation, we will find that God may be working on us the most.
It will seem that the more effort we put into living a holy life, the more we are being tested in our faith.
What is the truth?
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
The trials of our faith are precious to the Lord.
We all know that a faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
There is not a day that goes by that the Christian is not on God's training ground and we must accept that God knows what He is doing in our lives!
It is always best to accept what God is doing is best for us and keep our own personal thoughts between us and our God.
*****Psa 73:15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
Psa 73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
It is not always wise to speak one's thoughts to other believers.
Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
We must always look at the consequences of our speech to others especially to those of the Church!
1Co 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
Asaph decided to bridle his tongue and this is the same thing we should all do.
The thoughts of causing harm to our family of God should over come any desire to say anything that could cause problems with our Church family.
We really have only one answer to all life's problems, we must take them to the Lord!
*****Psa 73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
The solution to these problems and all others that can interfere with our relationship with the Lord can only be found in the presence of God!
God is righteous but also merciful!
God is holy but also forgiving!
We must change our point of view, away from the things of this world, to the things of the glory world!
The solution to these things is not in our present world.
Our solution comes by the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the New World to come!
Hell awaits the ungodly, while Heaven awaits all those that God has redeemed through the blood of His Son!
When we understand the end of all the ungodly and wicked people on this earth, we will not desire the things they have on this earth that will only lead to their own destruction!
It is at the house of God where we can hear the preaching of the truth.
It is at the house of God where we can join others in the study of God's Word.
It is at the house of God where we can fellowship with others who are going through or have already gone through the things that seem to cause us the most problems.
It is at the house of God where we can learn the joy of the Lord.
The end for the saints of God is peace, rest, and salvation.
The end of the wicked is ruin, destruction, and death!
What did Jesus say to the rich man?
Luk 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
When we open our eyes to the truth of God we will see the future of all those that reject the Lord Jesus Christ and we will not want any part of the things that they think they possess!
The Bible says "to be not envious of evil men nor desire to be with them".
The feet of the evil are on slippery ground.
*****Psa 73:18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
What did Asaph realize?
It is God who sits on the throne. Those that are rich, prosperous and powerful did not get that way by accident. God had made these arrangements.
These things from God were not intended to bless these wicked people.
God pointed out that no man can stand on his own without God and the higher they are the more dangerous the places of riches and honor.
It can be treacherous feeling standing on slippery ground.
It is God that set them up and it is God that will bring them down unless they find the will of God for their lives just like all others.
Many of them end in temporary destruction on this earth and everlasting destruction from where there is no escape.
*****Psa 73:19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
Psa 73:20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
Many rich and powerful people fall suddenly!
The destruction of Pharaoh came suddenly in the midst of the Red Sea.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah came suddenly.
The destruction Korah came suddenly as the earth opened up and engulfed them.
And that destruction was not only came suddenly but that destruction was full of terror.
Pharaoh felt the terror of drowning.
The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were fleeing from the heat of the flame.
The family of Korah felt the terror of falling into the bottomless pit.
All those that forget they owe their existence to the Living God will see all their possessions taken away from them or just given to someone else.
Their life will seem as dream turned into a nightmare.
When the Lord returns to judge this world, it will not be a pleasant day for those that have rejected His Word.
It is in the wisdom of the Lord that lies true riches.
Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
*****Psa 73:22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
Psa 73:23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
When we finally awaken to the truth of God it is like a light bulb goes off in our brains and we will realize how foolish we really are.
Not just foolish but truly stupid to envy those that are on such a path of destruction.
Knowing what God says will change the way we think.
Remember to repent is not just saying I'm sorry.
Repenting is not just changing our direction from the ways of the world to the ways of God.
Repenting is also a complete change in the way we think of sin!
Animals do not have the ability to see the errors of their way and change but God's people are not and never have been any part of the animal world!
Animals cannot ask for forgiveness.
Envy is a terrible sin that must be confessed before the Lord and yes, we will be forgiven!
Our sin nature places us just barely above the animal world but our faith places us in close proximity to the Lord.
It is the Lord that holds our hand even when we are on the slippery slopes of this world.
Asaph had come close to falling into this snare of the Devil but it was the Word of God and the sanctuary of God that had awakened him to the truth.
*****Psa 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
We must be done with choosing our own way.
We do not possess the knowledge to pick our own path in this sinful world.
We must ask to be led by the Lord and we must then follow obediently.
When we pray that sinners prayer we are asking to Lord to take control of our lives.
The Lord will then awaken us to His Word which will show us the correct path to follow.
It is our willingness to obey the Word of God and listen to The Holy Spirit that will guide us through sanctification in our walk with the Lord and the end result is "glorification".
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
*****Psa 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
When we are able to turn away from the glitter of this world and turn toward God we can focus on true riches that are everlasting.
In Heaven we have God the Father, who will keep all His covenants.
In Heaven we have God the Son, our Mediator, our Savior, and our Redeemer and our Intercessor.
In Heaven we have God the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter who has sealed us until we get to Heaven.
There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the things in Heaven.
Isa 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
*****Psa 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
This world we live in will cause our heart to fail.
This world we live in will cause our flesh to fail.
But when the Lord is our strength we simply cannot fail because the Lord will not allow it!
We need to place all our desires at the feet of the Lord, there is nothing more desirable than to know the Lord.
Friendship with the world will breed envy but the Holy Spirit is more jealous of us than this world we live in and He will not be overcome.
Our God will live forever and He wants us to be with Him forever!
*****Psa 73:27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
Psa 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
God expects a close and personal relationship with Him, so we must be near to God to live. Sin creates distance between us and the Lord.
Our God is a jealous God that requires us to serve Him and Him only!
God sees deep into the heart and will destroy pretenders of the faith along with all unbelievers!
What did Asaph finally realize?
He realized that if he had never doubted the Lord to begin with, he would not be suffering all these things!
The closer we cling to Jesus, the safer we will be in this world we live.
What is the realization of providence of the Lord?
That nothing happens on this earth that our Father in Heaven does not have ultimate control over.
Nothing on this Earth is subject to fate!
God did not create our world and then just go somewhere to leave it operating on it's own!
God is not His own creation!
God is not in a battle between good and evil!
God has no limits and there is nothing that happens on this earth that God has no control over.
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
One of the greatest verses in the Bible says this:
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
We must accept that God knows what He is doing and our job is to trust Him and tell others how wonderful He truly is!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
Psalms 73
What is justice?
Justice means rendering to every one that which is his due!
Justice means doing what the law demands!
Justice differs from equity in that equity is the impartial distribution of justice.
God says:
Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
Our God is not a tyrant but neither is He a weakling, when He comes to judge this world His actions will be the exact right thing to do.
The justice of God is just as real and certain as His mercy and is as much a fact as our salvation is true!
Let's begin!
*****Psa 73:1 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
Asaph was one of the leaders of the choir who was appointed by David and put in place by Solomon in the new Temple.
There are 12 Psalms attributed to Asaph.
Asaph was also a skilled musician and not many realize it but Asaph was also a "seer", a prophet called of God.
2Ch 29:30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of "Asaph the seer". And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Asaph could see into the future and Asaph prophesied with his music.
What is the truth of God's prophets?
Each prophet was to proclaim the message given to him of God!
Each prophet spoke in God's name and by God's authority and thus their words must thus be true.
Asaph begins with "Truly God is good to Israel".
It can never be said that Jehovah God has not been and will always be good to His covenant people Israel!
Who are the true Israel?
Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Here we see that of all the children of Abraham it is only Isaac, the only son by Sarah, that is the Father of Israel.
These are the children of the the promises of God!
The true Israel is not those that ceremonially clean but all those that have been cleaned in their inward parts.
We must know that we will never understand the things of God until we spend some time in His Word!
Asaph was led of God to sing the songs of prophesy but even Asaph had doubts sometimes just as we all do!
*****Psa 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
No matter who we are, our faith will waver from time to time.
It will sometimes seem to be a great burden to walk in the ways of God.
We will sometimes stagger at the weight of being obedient to the Word of God.
The Lord is surely good and we know He is our example but there will be days when we cannot see how we will ever meet such a high standard as God has set before us.
What is the greatest cause of these things? Envy of the things we see in this world!
*****Psa 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Envy can described as being discontent. Asaph was discontent because he was focused on those he considered superior to him, the wicked rich and prosperous.
There is not one way that a lost soul is superior to a saved soul!
All those that reject the Word of God are fools!
When we become envious of fools we are even more foolish!
But sometimes when we see the prosperity of these wicked people it's hard not to be envious of them.
When we forget that we will inherit the vast riches of Heaven and become envious of the things in this world we just do not have our priorities in order.
When we become fixed on the present and forget the future of those that reject the Lord Jesus it will affect our faith and we will then become miserable Christians.
There is nothing in this world we should desire greater than our relationship with the Lord!
*****Psa 73:4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
Psa 73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Death is a reality for every member of the human race but the Bible teaches us that the soul cannot die.
It is the Christian that should come to death with a peace that cannot be understood but that is not always the case.
But a quiet death also does not always mean a happy hereafter.
What Asaph saw was that most of the rich wicked people on this earth do not have a great concern for their death and the hereafter.
What Asaph saw was that those that were rich but wicked could afford the best doctors and the best medicine and in most cases could live a healthy life and by these same means they could slip into a painless death.
God says:
Pro 31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Pro 31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Pro 31:8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Many of the rich die as well as they live but they will still miss out on Heaven.
It is a fact that if you are a Christian you will face many tribulations before you can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven!
The truth is, let them have what they can get in this world for that's all they will ever have without Christ Jesus!
*****Psa 73:6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
Pride is unreasonable conceit!
Conceit is a high opinion of your own self above all others.
God says:
Pro 26:12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.
Pride is the sin of Satan and all those that think they are too good to yield to the Word of God!
Those that are so full of pride, wear their pride better than anything that money can buy.
In their boastful arrogance they wear the garments of evil and they are proud of it!
We have to be blind to see that our own nation is failing because those in control are so full of self pride that they think they know best what is good for everyone else.
Only the ones who know the Lord Jesus Christ on a personal level can know what is good for them, not any government!
Asaph saw these same things it was testing his faith.
*****Psa 73:7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
Those that are rich are usually fat with the things that money can buy but their eyes are always searching for something they do not have.
But those same eyes convey an attitude of arrogance and fierceness for all those considered to be a lower class of people.
If they had all the world, they would still be searching for something else because their prideful lust cannot be satisfied.
They are evil continually!
*****Psa 73:8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
In the Bible times those that were buried were said not to be corrupt until the 4th day. Here we see that those that are rich and wicked are corrupt, their flesh is rotting away, before they die a physical death.
Oppression is the act of imposing unreasonable burdens on others, such as taxes, or services, and even cruelty.
They not only defend their ways, they insist on them, as the way things should be.
They speak as if they were sitting on the judges bench and they expect all the world to stand in awe of them!
I cannot help but think about what is going on in Washington, DC as I study these passages.
*****Psa 73:9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
With such pride and arrogance they defy Jehovah God and relate Him as just another false religion that are the true troublemakers in this world.
They make themselves the gods of this world and speak down on the ordinary man!
They overcome every obstacle to find victims they can slander and abuse.
They believe that no one and no thing is out of their reach.
They believe they can say anything at anytime and their words will be as they come from God and should be accepted.
What did God ask Satan?
Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
The wicked rich men of this world carry with them all the traits of Satan.
*****Psa 73:10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
Because of all these things God's people return to Him over and over again complaining that the wicked evil prosper while God's people suffer persecution and some of it is terrible.
They become full of doubt, and confused, thinking that God just does not care and they fall into the same snares of Satan over and over again.
David wrote in the 23 Psalm these words:
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; "my cup runneth over".
Here in this verse we see that our cup that was running over with the joy of salvation has now now been wrung out and contain no joy at all.
Paul wrote to Timothy these words:
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, "they have erred from the faith", and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
We see that when we earnestly desire the things of this world we will begin to doubt our faith.
Sorrow is uneasiness or the pain in our minds but this pain in our minds will penetrate deep into our being and interfere with our walk with God.
And how do the ungodly respond in our weakness?
*****Psa 73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
Psa 73:12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
Psa 73:13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
Those that reject the truth of God will say even if there is a God, He is not concerned with what is going on in this world.
They will flatter themselves thinking that what they are doing is not observed from Heaven.
They will say even if there be a God, He does not deal with us on a personal level.
They will just say how can God know all these things.
And all those that desire those same riches will get caught up in this foolishness.
This is one of the greatest stumbling blocks of true faith!
The ungodly seem to prosper while the godly suffer.
These who have no respect for other human beings and deserve to be chased out of this world become the owners of most of the world and no matter the laws, or who sits as ruler, they increase in riches.
It has amazed me in America that not only have the rich gotten richer and the poor gotten poorer but those that have always been in the middle are now come under full attack of the rich.
There is no transfer of wealth of the rich to the poor, there is only a transfer of wealth from the middle to the rich and all but them become poor.
We are so easily deceived by the work of Satan!
Poor Asaph questions the value of holiness and his own salvation just as many others have throughout all generations.
Asaph was a prophet of God yet he too fell into this same snare of the Devil.
Who are we to think we cannot fall into this same trap?
Asaph had kept his walk with the Lord as pure as he had his inner being but he was full of doubt at this time of the rewards of his salvation, saying how can these things be true?
*****Psa 73:14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
When we are struggling with our salvation, we will find that God may be working on us the most.
It will seem that the more effort we put into living a holy life, the more we are being tested in our faith.
What is the truth?
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
The trials of our faith are precious to the Lord.
We all know that a faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!
There is not a day that goes by that the Christian is not on God's training ground and we must accept that God knows what He is doing in our lives!
It is always best to accept what God is doing is best for us and keep our own personal thoughts between us and our God.
*****Psa 73:15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
Psa 73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
It is not always wise to speak one's thoughts to other believers.
Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
We must always look at the consequences of our speech to others especially to those of the Church!
1Co 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
Asaph decided to bridle his tongue and this is the same thing we should all do.
The thoughts of causing harm to our family of God should over come any desire to say anything that could cause problems with our Church family.
We really have only one answer to all life's problems, we must take them to the Lord!
*****Psa 73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
The solution to these problems and all others that can interfere with our relationship with the Lord can only be found in the presence of God!
God is righteous but also merciful!
God is holy but also forgiving!
We must change our point of view, away from the things of this world, to the things of the glory world!
The solution to these things is not in our present world.
Our solution comes by the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the New World to come!
Hell awaits the ungodly, while Heaven awaits all those that God has redeemed through the blood of His Son!
When we understand the end of all the ungodly and wicked people on this earth, we will not desire the things they have on this earth that will only lead to their own destruction!
It is at the house of God where we can hear the preaching of the truth.
It is at the house of God where we can join others in the study of God's Word.
It is at the house of God where we can fellowship with others who are going through or have already gone through the things that seem to cause us the most problems.
It is at the house of God where we can learn the joy of the Lord.
The end for the saints of God is peace, rest, and salvation.
The end of the wicked is ruin, destruction, and death!
What did Jesus say to the rich man?
Luk 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
When we open our eyes to the truth of God we will see the future of all those that reject the Lord Jesus Christ and we will not want any part of the things that they think they possess!
The Bible says "to be not envious of evil men nor desire to be with them".
The feet of the evil are on slippery ground.
*****Psa 73:18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
What did Asaph realize?
It is God who sits on the throne. Those that are rich, prosperous and powerful did not get that way by accident. God had made these arrangements.
These things from God were not intended to bless these wicked people.
God pointed out that no man can stand on his own without God and the higher they are the more dangerous the places of riches and honor.
It can be treacherous feeling standing on slippery ground.
It is God that set them up and it is God that will bring them down unless they find the will of God for their lives just like all others.
Many of them end in temporary destruction on this earth and everlasting destruction from where there is no escape.
*****Psa 73:19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
Psa 73:20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
Many rich and powerful people fall suddenly!
The destruction of Pharaoh came suddenly in the midst of the Red Sea.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah came suddenly.
The destruction Korah came suddenly as the earth opened up and engulfed them.
And that destruction was not only came suddenly but that destruction was full of terror.
Pharaoh felt the terror of drowning.
The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were fleeing from the heat of the flame.
The family of Korah felt the terror of falling into the bottomless pit.
All those that forget they owe their existence to the Living God will see all their possessions taken away from them or just given to someone else.
Their life will seem as dream turned into a nightmare.
When the Lord returns to judge this world, it will not be a pleasant day for those that have rejected His Word.
It is in the wisdom of the Lord that lies true riches.
Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
*****Psa 73:22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
Psa 73:23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
When we finally awaken to the truth of God it is like a light bulb goes off in our brains and we will realize how foolish we really are.
Not just foolish but truly stupid to envy those that are on such a path of destruction.
Knowing what God says will change the way we think.
Remember to repent is not just saying I'm sorry.
Repenting is not just changing our direction from the ways of the world to the ways of God.
Repenting is also a complete change in the way we think of sin!
Animals do not have the ability to see the errors of their way and change but God's people are not and never have been any part of the animal world!
Animals cannot ask for forgiveness.
Envy is a terrible sin that must be confessed before the Lord and yes, we will be forgiven!
Our sin nature places us just barely above the animal world but our faith places us in close proximity to the Lord.
It is the Lord that holds our hand even when we are on the slippery slopes of this world.
Asaph had come close to falling into this snare of the Devil but it was the Word of God and the sanctuary of God that had awakened him to the truth.
*****Psa 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
We must be done with choosing our own way.
We do not possess the knowledge to pick our own path in this sinful world.
We must ask to be led by the Lord and we must then follow obediently.
When we pray that sinners prayer we are asking to Lord to take control of our lives.
The Lord will then awaken us to His Word which will show us the correct path to follow.
It is our willingness to obey the Word of God and listen to The Holy Spirit that will guide us through sanctification in our walk with the Lord and the end result is "glorification".
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
*****Psa 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
When we are able to turn away from the glitter of this world and turn toward God we can focus on true riches that are everlasting.
In Heaven we have God the Father, who will keep all His covenants.
In Heaven we have God the Son, our Mediator, our Savior, and our Redeemer and our Intercessor.
In Heaven we have God the Holy Spirit who is our Comforter who has sealed us until we get to Heaven.
There is nothing on this earth that can compare to the things in Heaven.
Isa 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
*****Psa 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
This world we live in will cause our heart to fail.
This world we live in will cause our flesh to fail.
But when the Lord is our strength we simply cannot fail because the Lord will not allow it!
We need to place all our desires at the feet of the Lord, there is nothing more desirable than to know the Lord.
Friendship with the world will breed envy but the Holy Spirit is more jealous of us than this world we live in and He will not be overcome.
Our God will live forever and He wants us to be with Him forever!
*****Psa 73:27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
Psa 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.
God expects a close and personal relationship with Him, so we must be near to God to live. Sin creates distance between us and the Lord.
Our God is a jealous God that requires us to serve Him and Him only!
God sees deep into the heart and will destroy pretenders of the faith along with all unbelievers!
What did Asaph finally realize?
He realized that if he had never doubted the Lord to begin with, he would not be suffering all these things!
The closer we cling to Jesus, the safer we will be in this world we live.
What is the realization of providence of the Lord?
That nothing happens on this earth that our Father in Heaven does not have ultimate control over.
Nothing on this Earth is subject to fate!
God did not create our world and then just go somewhere to leave it operating on it's own!
God is not His own creation!
God is not in a battle between good and evil!
God has no limits and there is nothing that happens on this earth that God has no control over.
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
One of the greatest verses in the Bible says this:
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
We must accept that God knows what He is doing and our job is to trust Him and tell others how wonderful He truly is!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
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