Psalm 73 - The Big Picture
By Ben Quine
*This blog is part of our weekly, virtual Bible Study through the book of Psalms. For information on how to participate, please visit this page.
Psalm 73
In verse 1 the Psalmist says surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. This is a true statement that everyone can agree with. God chose Israel out of all the nations of the earth to carry His Word and to protect His Word throughout the ages. They have been blessed by God beyond all the nations!
But in verse 2-15 he points out what most have seemingly observed throughout the centuries that it appears the wicked prosper. It appears they don’t have to struggle with the same things believers do. And of course there is an element of truth to this, because if your not serving God the enemy of your soul will leave you alone because he’s got you right where he wants you.
But if you follow God the enemy attacks at every opportunity. The Bible says in John 10:10 the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. He tries to steal what God has given us, he tries to kill us so we can no longer be used by God and he tries to destroy us and all that we have. It can seem like a lonely road at times as we try to follow God and do His will.
And yet the enemy’s of the cross and the people of the world seem to prosper and get off “scott-free”. One of the things I am always telling our church is we have to look at the big picture.
Our circumstances are not always indicative of what is really going on.
At times it does seem like the enemy is prospering and getting away with wrong doing, but the truth is God is still in control, He still sits on the throne and nothing has taken Him by surprise.
We have to trust Him, we have to know in our knower that He knows what He is doing and He has a plan.
Everything is not what it seems. In Psalm 43 we see a similar thought by the Psalmist.
Psalm 43:1-5 (NIV)
1 Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.
2 You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?
3 Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.
4 Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Then in verse 16-28 the Psalmist says, 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.
The truth is nobody is getting away with anything.
Every person will stand before the judgment seat of Christ where Jesus will separate the goats and the sheep. Those who have rejected Christ will enter into eternal judgment where they will be separated from God for eternity. Those who have put their faith and trust in Christ will spend eternity with Christ.
It really is all about perspective.
When we see things through our fleshly eyes we often can’t see the forest for the trees. We only see what we can see. But when we look through our spiritual eyes with the spiritual truth God has given us in His Word, our eyes are opened and we see things from God’s perspective.
God’s perspective is the only one that counts! He has already seen everything that has happened and that will happen. He is not taken by surprise and His plans and purposes will be fulfilled. No matter what we have to go through here on earth we know according to Romans 8:28 God will use all things for our ultimate good.
Evil people will not get away with what it may appear to us in the moment they are getting away with. They will answer to God for their deeds and their words and so will we. The difference is our sins have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus and we are forgiven and because we are forgiven we will respond to God day by day out of a forgiven heart and we will continue to grow spiritually and become more and more like our heavenly Father.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!
20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. (Psalm 73:18-28)
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