As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. 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. Several times in recent months I have had individuals say to me: Pastor, that message today was for me! John Piper Sep 11, 2018. I have typed this psalm as a psalm of wisdom because it deals with a common problem found in wisdom literature, the prosperity of the wicked. Maybe he was sitting at the doctor's office one day and started thumbing through a magazine that featured celebrity homes. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around . Sermon. In the end, it is these nailed hands that will receive us into glory, according to his promise: Oh the happiness of the pure in heart; they will see God (Mt 5:8). Psalms 73:20. Psalm 73:1-28. Put yourself in the position to where you can hear from God. Under these circumstances, Psalm 73 helps believers to be honest with God. Consequently, the way of the wicked looks like a viable alternative way to live.24. Just like Asaph, bring your doubts to the Lord, and let Him show you in His word that although it may not look like it now, it is going to end better if youll hang in there, and learn the lesson of the man who almost gave up his faith. You guide me with Your counsel,and afterward You will take me into glory. I try to be faithful and do right, and I have to fight for every inch. Let's look at Psalm 1 together for a few minutes. It refers first of all to God. Keep up the good work. Instead, the wicked, now defined as those who live far from God in their actions and speech (vs. 11), will perish.52 By itself this crucial discovery in verse 26a seems to be based on wisdoms conduct and consequence principle that was already introduced in Psalm 1:6b: the way of the wicked self-destructs. Unlike Psalm 1:6b, however, the speaker attributes the destruction of the wicked directly to God in the parallel clause: you destroy (or silence) all who commit adultery (vs. 27b).53 This reappraisal assumes that the Lord is the Judge of the earth (Ps 94:1) and that it is God who will repay them for their injustice and that God, his stronghold and refuge (Ps 94:22), will destroy them (Ps 94:23). The section as a whole concludes with a summary statement in verse 12, a verse in which the term wicked is repeated from verse 3 and the phrase at ease (NRSV; cf. Maybe it happened at home with a parent or grandparent, your husband or wife or best friend. He's on the edge of throwing in the towel. Amen, and Amen ( Ps. 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. However, in verse 28a, which is introduced with the final emphatic phrase but, as for me (weani), good is defined, not in terms of property or prosperity, but Gods presence: But, as for me, the nearness of God (is) good to me!55 What a sharp contrast this new perception forms with the emphatic I in verse 2! ( Psalm 73:1-3) The contradiction between the goodness of God and the prosperity of the wicked. Lying He was really troubled by what he had seen in the world around him, and it raised questions which bothered him. So dont cave in to your doubts. We're going to say the things that sometimes go unsaid about our struggles, our depressions, when we feel so alone and have no ready answers. BOOK III Psalms 73-89 -A psalm of Asaph. It doesnt seem to pay? In the midst of suffering believers often feel cheated and begin to question and doubt God's goodness. This God-inspired worship leader is ready to walk away. Armed with a new perspective about God and this world, Asaph also sees himself clearly. Anybody here know what I'm talking about? D. The book of Job and Psalm 37 deal with the same problem, but in this life; Psalm 73 deals with it in light of Matthew 25. Psalm 73 Sermon Illustrations; Free Sermon Illustrations for Preaching : In Sermon Illustrations: "Psalm 73" showing 1-4 of 4 Filter Results Sort By. However, the experience of the psalmist proved the opposite. 3. Envy means "I want what you have." But heres the thing: what if they hadnt been here to hear that word? o ^Like Psalms 37 and 49, this psalm is a wisdom psalm, designed to instruct the . Charles Haddon . I cannot go where He is not. Because He kept six crematories working night and day, on Sunday and feast days? Her senior year she was having a great season, when in the first half of a game, she blew out her knee again, ending her career at OU. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. John Piper Dec 4, 1988. 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. Verse 25-26. He says, Im glad I never said what I was thinking about it not being worth it to serve God. So they say: Dont be on the wrong side of history.. When you did the right thing, but got the back of the hand anyway. You live by lust, power, greed, and deceit, and you become a celebrity. You didn't see that coming. Listen to his confession in v. Psalms 73. Job was a righteous man who lost all his children, his possessions, and his health. Commentaries, Sermons, Illustrations, Devotionals. I hadnt felt good all day. Because he was blinded by envy, he admits emphatically that he did not recognize that, in spite of his brutish behavior, he was always with God (vs. 23a), an admission that represents the flipside of Gods promise to the patriarchs, I will be with you always. And, more importantly, in the temple he discovers that Gods right hand has a tight grip on him (vs. 23b). That poor man was carried away to eternal comfort, but the rich man found himself in agony in this flame. It is just as Psalm 73 says: You cast them down to destruction, How they are destroyed in a moment. If he had publicly told of his envious musings, he would have betrayed a generation of Gods children. Dt 32:4). Ever been gossiped about? Verses 4-5 of the first part detail why the wicked enjoy shalom. And their end will be terrible. I like Asaph already. This happened for Asaph in verses 16-17: "But when . Thats like Asaph here. But we have to put ourselves in the position where God can speak to us, by opening His word each day and reading it. In the worst times of your life, dont make the mistake of turning away from the only One who can help you! "Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him." Life has a way of suddenly altering its course down hard paths, leaving us hurt, confused, and weak, with lots of unanswered questions. Laziness The visit he made: In fact, in rather strong language, he acknowledges that he behaved as a brute beast38 with God. As a result, "Psalm 32 serves as an important check against any tendency . One of the best known memoirs of the Holocaust is Night by Elie Wiesel. He's not thinking about tomorrow. She said: It should end better for this kid. WORD AND PHRASE STUDY. Stored up anger vents itself in headaches, ulcers, bitterness, resentment, private rehearsals of the injustice you've experienced, and outbursts of anger that are disconnected from the real problem. Second, the psalmists solidarity with the community did not solve his perplexing problem. The reference to the phrase pure of heart and the act of washing ones hands in innocence in verse 13 suggests a connection between Psalm 73 and the psalms of temple entry.32 In any case, following the suggestion of Marvin E. Tate, entry into the temple provides a dramatic threefold correction of the poets envy blurred vision.33, 1. 3 For I was envious of the . : "When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you." In addition, as he looked around he saw those who had no regard for God living in prosperity and apparent happiness. The Thesis: God is Good (vs. 1) Psalm 73 is written as Asaph looks back at his time of struggle and doubt. So what good is it to be a believer? Publisher's summary: Confraternities were the most common form of organized religious life in medieval and early modern Europe. Jobs questioning and doubt is a case in point. He found God again. That is so important. What happened to him, and what he saw happening around him, raised questions that caused him to give up his faith. 23-26). Scripture: Psalm 73. That's the situation of the psalmist in Psalm 73. The Bible says Jesus turned to His disciples and asked if they were going to go away too. This makes it possible to use this sermon outline as a stand-alone. They are healthy (vs. 4) and experience no trouble (amal), nor are they plagued (vs. 5). 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. As Brueggemann rightly notes, this summary is not a condemnation of the wicked. Well have you ever watched your dog? 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. This service acknowledges the seeming inequities of life and the doubts that arise yet declares strength, hope and protection in God our Sovereign Lord. He's Where the Joy Is by Tara-Leigh Cobble, Black Church Leadership & Family Conference. For example, the Hebrew word ak, translated as surely in the NIV, begins the poem in verse 1 and is repeated at significant turning points, namely, verses 13 and 18.10 Similarly, the fourfold repetition of the emphatic Hebrew phrase weani (And [or: but] I) in verses 2, 22, 23 and 28 marks important phases in the resolution of the poets haunting problem. 1. But before he relates his personal experience (vv. Asaph has his eye on the celebrities of his day, the Donald Trumps and Lindsey Lohans who openly disdain God. 15-16; 17-20; 21-22; 23-26; and 27-28. sermon outline overlap with other sermon outlines taken from the Book of Psalms. And they show us that we can be HONEST with God; we dont have to hide in some kind of fake spirituality and hold any of our questions back from Him. In view of the cross-references to Psalm 24 in Psalm 73, it is suggested that the entry psalm be used in the liturgy. Verses 17b-19 show us that Asaph was now seeing things differently. We dont know why; its not our place to guess or even speculate. Psalm 73 is the first psalm of Book III of the Psalter. II. Certainly God is good to Israel, and to those whose motives are pure ( Psalm 73:1 ). 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." Based on this certainty the psalmist then proclaims that even though his health should fail, God is his Rock46 and portion.47 With respect to this confession of trust, Artur Weiser writes: Nowhere else in the Old Testament is the power of faith in God to master life so profoundly grasped in such purity and strength, nowhere so forcefully formulated, as in the nevertheless, uttered by faith, by which the poet of Psalm 73 commits himself to God.48. Asaph is struggling with the World and the people in it. They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors.. 2. Psalm 73:28, Tags: While the primary source of sermon . Isn't that just like life sometimes? But it WILL change suddenly and even more dramatically, the moment they enter eternity. I tripping over something that just doesn't make sense! They don't face the hardships I face. God can handle our hardest questions and still love us. Moreover, the opening behold (hinneh) at the beginning of verse 27a matches the behold in the summary description of the wicked in verse 12.50 This obvious cross-reference to verse 12 shows that through his transforming temple experience the psalmist made the startling discovery that his earlier perception about the wicked was false.51 The prosperity (shalom) of the wicked is not forever! 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 ). Why do I serve in ministry, week after week, but it doesnt seem like it is doing any good, and no one is responding or changing? God showed Asaph that it can all change so suddenly. Some of us today might ask those same kinds of questions: You might say, I have always gone to church, and tried to do everything right, but yet I have all this trouble right now but my brother, or my friend, who never goes to church, and never thinks about God, has this great job, a nice home, and none of the troubles I have. Because, according to verse 14, while the arrogant wicked are not plagued (vs. 5), the speaker is plagued constantly. Sometimes, however, questions and doubt are not directly the result of sin. So here Asaph says, basically, I almost gave up the faith! He became depressed. When I read that story I wrote an article and sent it to the Oklahoma Baptist Messenger, which basically said that because Whitney Hand knows Jesus as her Lord & Savior, that that wasnt the end of the story for her. How did he get away with this, year after year? To begin with, the inverse repetition of the adjective good with God in the opening and closing verses (vv. Others, however, claim that it is a song of thanksgiving by an individual. 2. And through it all, he stayed real with God. According to verse 7, their hearts overflow with conceit. He said its just about enough to make you lose your faith. Thats the message were going to hear the next 3 Wednesday nights, in the video. ", Can you connect with any of these feelings? That rich man lived in luxury, and wouldnt even give the crumbs from his table to poor Lazarus; and there was that poor man, covered with sores, starving. On the contrary, the oppressive economic practices of the wicked were at the heart of his problem. :4 There are no pains in their death, and their body is fat. SO WHY SERVE GOD? Your Bible study. Then I perceived their end. There are a couple of things here that Asaph says changed his perspective on what he saw happening around him: A. In the Psalm Asaph recounts a time of wavering faith and growing doubts. Psalm 25:1-12 God Of New Beginnings. Those who draw near -who come in the true spirit of sacrifice, and with the only available offering, the Lord Jesus, shall be finally saved; therefore, it is good for them. They do not deny Gods existence. It begins with an emphatic causal statement (ki-hinneh) (vs. 26a): because, look, those who are far away from you will perish.49 The fact that this emphatic statement begins with the conjunction because (k) suggests that verse 27 stands in sharp contrast to verses 23-26. Envy However, the Hebrew verbs of verse 17 are not in the past tense. The revelation of Gods word shows us this important truth: that what you see now, of the wicked succeeding and the godly suffering, is not how it is always going to be. 37:9-10).35 In other words, the poets initial perception of the carefree lifestyle of the wicked is wrong. But it wasnt just that he came to God; God actually SHOWED him something specific that helped him: he says in :17, Then I perceived their end. He says God showed me not just what the present state of these wicked people is, but what their END is going to be. In 21:17, Why do the wicked still live, continue on, also become very powerful? He kept his faith, but I lost mine. It's not difficult for that to happen, by the way. Presented here is a verse by verse exposition of the New . *Indicated Required Field See ourPrivacy Policy. An Assuredly Good Thing. 5 stars; 4 stars or more; 3 stars or more; Any Rating . These are a lot like Asaphs questions, arent they? Everything changed. He was a faithful follower of God. Psalm 73 is the honest confession of a faithful Israelite, concerning his own struggle with the problem of pain. BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever," ( Psalm 73:26). We may read these words and say, "I was just like Asaph except for this. Psalm 26 Communicating Integrity. Dec 4, 1988. Sooner womens coach Sherri Coale was dejected at the press conference after the game. "You try to honor God and stay humble and do good, you'll have a tough, mediocre life. Because my wife is out of town visiting her elderly parents, our dog, who is lovesick for her, spends his entire day and night in our bedroom, in some doggie blankets, placed on the They make sure the cameras are clicking and the interviewers are there to fawn over them. But her sophomore year, she suffered a knee injury that took her out for some time. Psalm 73. You didn't plan for it. They live longer, play more, and get away with everything. But from the perspective of eternity, from the point of view in worship, there is a quick ride to the bottom. WHEN a man is sick, everybody knows what is good for him. 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most, In a recent survey in Discipleship Journal Magazine, readers reported that their greatest spiritual challenges came from June 08, 2017 The Psalms are in the Bible to give a us a full range of ways to approach God. Vs. 17 certainly leaves us wanting more. (LogOut/ Why is God blessing them instead of judging them?". Envy blinded his vision. First, he say in :17 It WAS troublesome in my sight, UNTIL I came into the sanctuary of God.. Summary: To the ancient writers the word glory meant praise, splendor, brightness, majesty, honor and dignity. Eternity broke into his temporal perspective. Rating . The opening statement that God is good to Israel, for example, recalls Psalm 34:8. 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. While the first half of the Psalm is marked by a man-oriented perspective, he now sees things from a God-oriented perspective. Join Plus; Plus . The Prayers of The Psalms. A person may say, well I just dont feel like being there today but that may be the day that God is going to speak to you. (Nik Ripken, the author of the video were going to watch the next several Wednesday nights, was like that. Psalm 73 is a favorite for many Jewish and Christian believers because the words of this precious psalm ring true to their experience. As we start in verse one, he's going to tell us about his experience looking around the world and also his beliefs. In fact, someone pointed out that over the past 20 years at the Oscar ceremonies, Harvey Weinstein had been publicly thanked in the Oscar speeches as many times as God! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A Southern Baptist pastor for almost 35 years, I currently serve as Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Angleton, Texas, and post my weekly sermons on this site, as well as a brief overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. He did what Job did. The closing verses (vv. Elmer A. Martens. Asaph had been checking out the people playing for the other team. For this reason they do not fear divine retribution. 22-24). He tells it all in v. 13: Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing? 3 Tests Of Plagiarism: Do Your Sermons Pass Them. But then he begins to tell his own personal testimony in :2, "But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling.". Who did something unfair to you at work? 6, 10). Is it really worth it to serve God? How is that right? But Asaph is in trouble. For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Notice how personal, direct, and intimate the psalmist is in addressing God. 27-28) summarize the psalmists spiritual journey and especially the new vision that he gained in verses 18-20 and verses 23-26 in terms of the spatial image of far and near. This summary functions as the psalmists great reaffirmation of faith. Asaph paused to realize that his decisions will have ripple effects on others. Thats the message of Psalm 73. We do things that brought regret and heartache because we didn't stop to consider the consequences of our words and choices. They have no trouble; they succeed at everything they do; they are so well off they are bulging with fatness; and are at ease and have increased in wealth. The difficulty uppermost in the mind of the Psalmist is the carefree, even prosperous life of the evil-doers in contrast to his own torment as a godly person. You can sense this music director's relief when he comes to worship. The repetition of the verb to tell (sfr) from verse 15 in verse 28c shows that the psalmists speech has now changed dramatically from self-pity (vv. History is not going to end with secular humanism on the throne. In the midst of suffering believers often feel cheated and begin to question and doubt God's goodness. He was angry and disillusioned. "It is good for me to draw near to God.". It should be noted that the psalmists sobering moment begins, not in isolation, but as a member of a larger community to which he is accountable.26. Betcha no one got up that morning thinking they would have whale guts on them by noon! Consider this godly guidance when you get a raw deal. This slippery slope leads to utter ruin. Unless otherwise specified, content on this website is licensed as Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0. (Psalms 73:15-16 RSV) Here he is, filled with doubts and despair and almost ready to give up, but something stops him. We're sorry, an error occurred. 13-14) to praise of Gods handiwork (Gen 2:2).57 Now he speaks no longer as an ignorant beast; instead, through Gods guiding counsel he has now become a spiritually enlightened witness.58. 13-14) into exuberant trust also underscores the need for careful liturgical planning. 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). Temptation General, Temptation Resisting, Denomination: And he doesn't keep the cause of his troubles a secret. They wear a power-hungry, cutthroat, cynical attitude like a coat. May Gods word continue to bless your life! 1:18-24 sermon), "Following Jesus" (Matthew 4:18-22 sermon), "How To Seek The Lord" (Isaiah 55:6-7 sermon), "The Purpose of God's Blessings" (Psalm 67 sermon), "The Importance of Forgiving Others" (Matthew 6:14-15 sermon), Teacher's Overview of Lifeway's "Explore the Bible" lesson: John 11:32-46, "I AM The Resurrection", "The Disciple's Character" series (Beatitudes Mt. Ps 103:5; 104:28). It's remarkable how inefficient these actions are. Why did the close friend, in whom I trusted, who ate bread with me, lift up his heel against me? But the NRSV translation of this clause shows that the clause could also mean that the psalmist is restored to his honor. He was used more by Satan than perhaps anyone else in his lifetime. Tension and struggle flow like lava from a volcano in Psalm 73. Verse 27 summarizes his new reorientation concerning the wicked. Its the same thing with our daily Bible reading. Clear Scripture Filters. The second correction in verses 21-22 concerns the poet himself. You have yours; I have mine; Asaph said he had his and he said he almost gave up because of them. Whom have I in heaven but You? Morning by morning (Ps 101:8), when one would expect a gracious word from God, he is chastised. Featuring Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Kristi McLelland, and more! These godless people, they live on easy street! Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. We can also affirm the future because God's Presence companions us. He wrestles with the tension of holding onto God's goodness and sovereignty while dealing the tragedies he was experiencing. v1 I am sure that God is good to (the people of) Israel, to the people whose hearts are clean. His big concern is immediate gratification. Wiesel was a devout Jew before his experience in the Nazi death camps, but his time there destroyed his faith. In fact, he was a worship leader. God is the Christian's inheritance as the rest of his soul. The smell was almost unbearable. 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 . Asaph looked at the lifestyles, the cars, the clothing, the houses they lived in, the company they kept, and thought to himself: "They're getting everything God promised to His covenant people! Free Sermon Illustrations for Preaching : In A Recent Survey In Discipleship Journal People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them? The mistake of turning away from the point of view in worship, there is a verse verse! Problem of pain the mistake of turning away from the Book of Psalms s! 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