Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.
1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!
8 They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words.
11 “What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
12 Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
14 I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.
15 If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. 18 Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19 In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.
21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
27 Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend. Though a highly successful scholar, he was unsatisfied, and made a deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. By all accounts he used his gifts selfishly and corruptly but seemed to get everything he wanted. Its as though he wass being blessed for being wicked. But, of course, in the end he has to "pay the piper" and is carted off to hell.

Its a hard thing to see the wicked prosper...if we don't take the long view of things. It would be less difficult if the righteous could count on the same prosperity. But, all too often we see the righteous suffer. When this happens we begin wondering if God is even paying attention...or if our faith even has any value.

This psalm was written because Asaph was frustrated by exactly this inequity. He had begun to think there was nothing in religion, that it was a vain and useless thing. He went to the house of God for an attitude check...and was brought back to his senses. He penned this psalm, to prevent others falling into the same snare.

Asaph begins by admitting the truth. He "envied the proud when (he) saw them prosper despite their wickedness." Its a temptation we all understand. Who wouldn't want more money, more respect, more...well, more? Most of us would say "God...I could use some of that and I'll even be a good person!"
But what really stuck in Asaph's craw was the realization that this was confusing to people of faith. The wicked got away with all sorts of evil and nothing happened to them. They even mocked God. Before long the faithful were asking “Does the Most High even know what’s happening? Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long."

Its easy to fall into the trap of believing our faithfulness should be rewarded. We forget faith is its own reward because it is the vehicle that ushers us into eternal life with our Savior. But, that's then...this is now! A friend of mine used to call it "stinking thinking" He was referring to the temptation believers face when comparing themselves to unbelievers. Before long, we are using the world's standards to measure the worth of our faith.
It happens to all of us...and there is only one antidote.
Asaph got so agitated that he went to church and had a time of reflection with God...clearing his head. He says "I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked...I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you."

I don't know if this part of the psalm is prescriptive, but it seems logical that one good place to get a better perspective on life is by going to the Lord's house and sitting down with Him. If nothing else, we get some relief from having to see all the prosperity squandered on the wicked. It's that sense of "sanctuary" where we can regain our perspective and God can speak with us. It worked for Asaph. He closes his psalm by saying "How good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
I know its tempting to compare our lives with the rich and famous. I wouldn't mind selling 100 million albums, or making a movie that grosses $1.6 Billion. I could do all that and still be a righteous person. I'd be right, and God knows I'd be right. But, that's not the point. It's never about us being right. Its about getting distracted to the point that we are comparing ourselves with wicked people...when the only comparison we should be making is our righteousness against God's righteousness.
And...as I said at the beginning...in the end Faust was carted off to hell. What does scripture say? "A thousand years is like a day to the Lord." So, in rough terms, Faust got everything he wanted...for one hour...in trade for thousands of years (eternity) in hell. I wonder if he thinks it was such a great bargain after all.
Live boldly out there today...