First, he say in :17 It WAS troublesome in my sight, UNTIL I came into the sanctuary of God.. Psalm 73 begins with a summary of his theology. Or: I have always tried to do the right thing, and not drink, or smoke, or do drugs, but I have all these health problems; while people I know who dont care, but go and do whatever they want are totally healthy and able-bodied. Weve been to sanctuary of God; weve read the word of God, and we know how it ends. Thats a good word for some of us. This psalm is a brutally honest confessional, from the heart of Asaph to the God he felt had given him a rip off. God wants to do that for you. (Psalm 41:9), Listen, the real Bible not just the feel good parts of the Bible that get quoted in a lot of our devotionals the real Bible is FULL of these REAL, honest, hard questions that Gods people have brought before Him. Look at v. 3: "For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." And he's about to get as real as it gets. Asaph, the author, is the choir leader, whose occupation placed him in constant contact with the people of Israel, and with the sanctuary of God, the temple. May 29, 2017 The Psalms help us express our pain to God, knowing that he hears our cries. Traffic was brought to a halt for hours. But in the end, God allows Asaph to regain a proper perspective. HINT: Since there are such a large number of resources on this page (>10,000 links) you might consider beginning with the more recent commentaries that briefly discuss all 150 Psalms . He wrestles with the tension of holding onto God's goodness and sovereignty while dealing the tragedies he was experiencing. (This is) a psalm of *Asaph. 9. "You try to honor God and stay humble and do good, you'll have a tough, mediocre life. Tag Archives: Psalm 73 sermon "The Man Who Almost Gave Up His Faith" (Psalm 73 sermon) Posted on 2018/03/12 by Shawn Thomas. :4 There are no pains in their death, and their body is fat. Asaph takes his raw deal to the right place and finds out that he didn't have it bad after all. ", Building Your Life On The Rock (Matthew 7:24-27 sermon), "This Is My Story: The Woman At The Well" (John 4:1-42 sermon), "The Greatest Verse in the Bible?" The Argument of Psalm 1. God is big enough to take your anger, your pain, and your questions. What Asaph Knew. In further illustration of this exalted exercise, I would remark, that prayer is appointed as the act of our approach to Him. In short, the wicked are totally self-reliant and autonomous people. 2-3; vv. He said its just about enough to make you lose your faith. We're sorry, an error occurred. 6. Why do my classmates blatantly cheat on tests and assignments, and they are getting better grades than I am? Job had questions like this, didnt he? That's the situation of the psalmist in Psalm 73. I don't understand what is happening or why! Asaph has his eye on the celebrities of his day, the Donald Trumps and Lindsey Lohans who openly disdain God. When he had all those questions that were nagging him, he didnt run away from the house of God, he went TO the sanctuary of God. III. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance The fact that this vigorous protest is introduced by the same adverb surely as verse 1 and the fact that the phrase pure in heart is a repetition from the asseveration of divine justice in verse 1 suggest that verses 13-14 function as a counter claim to verse 1. He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. If you'll allow me to paraphrase it, it goes like this: "So this is how life really works! According to verse 18, God will place the wicked on the slippery slope that the psalmist almost experienced (vs. 2). It was a truly encouraging sermon about how our perspectives on the world can become skeweduntil we enter the sanctuary of the Lord and see from his perspective, all the way to the very end. But from the perspective of eternity, from the point of view in worship, there is a quick ride to the bottom. In either case, questioning and doubts are not virtues, as some have suggested.60 Ultimately, the truth is that continuous questioning and doubt destroys human relationships. It's not difficult for that to happen, by the way. 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. Join Plus; Plus . You examples are superb. He was really troubled by what he had seen in the world around him, and it raised questions which bothered him. The challenge for the liturgist and preacher is to incorporate a critical reassessment of our culture in a pastorally sensitive manner. 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." To help us, we will turn to the Psalms, where the raw emotions of real people who just hit the wall are expressed, and where deep reservoirs of truth are found that can help you through. But Asaph is in trouble. read more, Scripture: So dont cave in to your doubts. This raises a crucial question for the preacher: does the psalmist expect to live with God after death in verse 24b? 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. Rating . Unload that acid. Scripture: Psalms 73:24. So when Asaph got this revelation from God, he said Oh, Ive been so foolish. He said in :22, I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You, God. Hang on to Him! We may read these words and say, "I was just like Asaph except for this. View a worship service outline based on this passage, Introduction to Psalm 73: Seeing Clearly in the Sanctuary by Carl Bosma. 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. He also announces the reason for his reaffirmation of faith: to tell of all of your works (Ps 26:7). Panic, Conclusions, Denomination: Change). Verse Psalms 73:28. Notice how personal, direct, and intimate the psalmist is in addressing God. These subdivisions will be used in our exposition. Verses 21-22 are a flashback on his traumatic experience reported in verses 2-16.36 In these verses he admits that when his heart and kidneys were poignantly disturbed (vs. 21) about the shalom of the wicked, he was stupid and lacked understanding (vs. 21ab).37 For all practical purposes, he confesses that his envy of the arrogant (vs. 3) was completely wrong. They make sure the cameras are clicking and the interviewers are there to fawn over them. : "When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you." It suggests that the affirmation of faith in verse 1 posed a serious problem for the speaker. The envy he had of the wicked was like blinders to his eyes. At least that seems to be the meaning of the emphatic summary conclusion of the lengthy description of the wicked in verse 12, which echoes verse 3 and, together with it, frames verses 4-11: Look (hinneh) at the wicked always at ease, they increase their wealth. He did what Job did. However, the experience of the psalmist proved the opposite. From a canonical perspective Walter Brueggemann4 and J. Clinton McCann5 have argued that Psalm 73 stands at the theological center of the Psalter. ", Can you connect with any of these feelings? In fact, their existence is as insubstantial as a dreamhere today, gone tomorrow (cf. The concluding verse, verse 28, summarizes the new vision the speaker obtained in verses 23-25 and, what is more important, it serves as a clearer definition of what it means that God is good to the pure in heart (vs. 1). For more information, see ourPrivacy Policy. If you've ever had something happen to you that was out of human control but seemed so unfair that you don't understand how a good God could let it happen, then you need to sit awhile with a choir director named Asaph. Psalm 25:6-9 All The Wrong Notes. The author of Psalm 73, Asaph, was almost like Elie Wiesel. Well have you ever watched your dog? Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. As a result, "Psalm 32 serves as an important check against any tendency . Your family. It's not fair.". Envy is so common that God made it the subject of one of His 10 commandments: "Do not covet your neighbor's house. You are the church, and Lifeway is here to serve you with biblical resources for everything life brings your way. (616) 526-6088 worship@calvin.edu, On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary, See our related website, Zeteo Preaching and Worship. So he says in :13, Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence. Youll only regret it if you do. Video for Psalm 73: The title of this psalm ( A Psalm of Asaph) tells us that it was written by the great singer and musician of David and Solomon's era ( 1 Chronicles 15:17-19, 16:5-7, 25:6 ). Dont turn FROM God in your questions, turn TO Him. Featuring Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Kristi McLelland, and more! Perspective is God's gift to our inward sight, and with it we have a surefootedness to move ahead confidently as we live, learn, and labor. If we are to defeat envy, we need to change our focus. Glorification also refers to our elevation to an exalted state in eternity. Amen, and Amen ( Ps. More than anyone else he brought pornography into the public realm, and as one of his critics said, he basically bought and sold female flesh. Relationship To God, Great Expectations, Denomination: They are arrogant and wicked, he said. 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. Psalm 25:1-12 God Of New Beginnings. What do you do when with your theology clashes with reality? Moreover, it is important to remind them that the essence of faith is not our grasp of God but Gods sure grasp of us61 through the nailed hands of his crucified Son. In light of the prosperity of the wicked, the poet concludes that his attempt to lead a moral life has been absolutely in vain: Surely, in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence. With an eternal perspective, everything looks different. Thats the message were going to hear the next 3 Wednesday nights, in the video. If he had publicly told of his envious musings, he would have betrayed a generation of Gods children. In light of verse 25 and Psalm 49:15 we are of the opinion that it does.43. This wonderful psalm may be best understood by the . Everything changed. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Why do violence-endorsing rap singers, arrogant executives, and God-mocking people get their own TV shows? God is NOT insane; it IS worth it to serve Him, literally no matter what the cost. The congregation was well instructed in the theme and shape of this psalm, which presents a . When you did the right thing, but got the back of the hand anyway. I. When they came to the elephants, the zoo keeper wanted them to have more than a verbal description, so he allowed them each to feel the elephant. These godless people, they live on easy street! Psalm 25:8 Bubbles On The Border. Dec 4, 1988. Or maybe he does business with an ungodly person in town who seems to have the Midas touch. In the Psalm Asaph recounts a time of wavering faith and growing doubts. Psalm 145:18 adds that "the Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth." Ever been gossiped about? Psalm 73:1-3, Tags: Is it really worth it to serve God? "Then I understood their final destiny. As Brueggemann rightly notes, this summary is not a condemnation of the wicked. Asaph is struggling with the World and the people in it. Because He kept six crematories working night and day, on Sunday and feast days? So dont turn away from God in your questions and times of difficulty, turn TO Him. In fact, in rather strong language, he acknowledges that he behaved as a brute beast38 with God. The psalmists realization of Gods presence in verses 22-24 leads to a reflective spin-off in verses 25-26,44 in which he articulates a supreme confession of trust.45 In verse 25 he confesses that the antidote to his previous envy (vs. 3) is his hold-guide-receive experience of Gods persistent presence (vv. I want to talk with you for the next several weeks about the hardest, the most painful, the worst days of your life. Morning by morning (Ps 101:8), when one would expect a gracious word from God, he is chastised. He was used more by Satan than perhaps anyone else in his lifetime. We know where history is going. Thats why its so important to be here at church on a regular basis. 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. Wicked emphasizes the guilt of those who are actively choosing that which is offensive to God. John Piper Dec 4, 1988. He is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He's not thinking about tomorrow. You certainly don't welcome it. God allowed Satan to test Job. 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. He was evil. . But it WILL change suddenly and even more dramatically, the moment they enter eternity. The answer is that these verses serve as a rhetorical foil for the passionate protest that follows in verses 13-14. There is a sense in which we cannot be nearer to God in one view than another. or why have I looked for sympathy but there was none. (Psalm 69:20) 3. It is going to end differently. 13-14), the poet first embarks on an extensive and vivid description of the actions and words of the wicked in verses 4-12.18. SO WHY SERVE GOD? We can also affirm the future because God's Presence companions us. In Job 29-31, this broken man struggles with the raw deal he received. Before you bail out on God, Asaph wants you to sit with him and learn from his experiences. We arent told exactly what Asaph experienced, but we are told that when he went to the place of worship his heart and his perspective were changed. I want answers, God." Because He had had thousands of children burned in His pits? There is no record that God ever rebuffs Job for being honest. 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. Psalm 73 is the honest confession of a faithful Israelite, concerning his own struggle with the problem of pain. it seemed to me a wearisome task. But her sophomore year, she suffered a knee injury that took her out for some time. (Psalms 73:15-16 RSV) Here he is, filled with doubts and despair and almost ready to give up, but something stops him. According to verse 7, their hearts overflow with conceit. Put yourself in the position so that God can speak to you. Why pray, when I pray these same prayer requests day after day, but it doesnt seem like they are being answered? Maybe he was sitting at the doctor's office one day and started thumbing through a magazine that featured celebrity homes. Asaph had been checking out the people playing for the other team. A good illustration can paint a picture in the imagination to help clarify the truth of a passage. It's all backwards." They simply assert that God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth (Gen 14:19), is totally oblivious to what happens on earth. How to Live with God as Your Portion By Kristine Brown . Why is God blessing them instead of judging them?". Publisher's summary: Confraternities were the most common form of organized religious life in medieval and early modern Europe. He said in :3, For I was envious of the arrogant He said the wicked in his land seemed to prosper, and he was jealous of them. And were all in it for the same reasonto fuel the churchs mission of making disciples. History is not going to end with secular humanism on the throne. Who did something unfair to you at work? There he was reminded of God's attributes, character and power. How many rash words and unsifted actions have we wished to take back because of the negative consequences they brought about? And for all eternity, we will know that was worth it all, in the end, to serve God, no matter what we suffered here on this earth. Psalm 24 Back On The Farm. Psalms 73:25-26. Others, however, claim that it is a song of thanksgiving by an individual. He took his doubts and confusion to God in prayer. State your [case], so that you may be vindicated." 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