Just over a year ago, Kerry Packer died. You’ve probably all heard of him. Richest man in Australia, he was. When he died there were memorial services, TV specials, an outpouring of praise for this “Great Australian”. Now I’m not going to compare Packer to an Adolf Hitler, but he was like many ultra-rich people – he did what he needed to to get to the top and stay there. He never paid his fair share of tax. He smoked and drank heavily. He had a foul mouth and a violent temper. His biographer Paul Barry said “his god was money and he worshipped devoutly” He had been ill on and off for some time. Several years ago he had a serious health scare where his heart stopped for several minutes before he was resuscitated. And when he had recovered he spoke to the media and said “when I died there was nothing there. There is no God, and there is no heaven.” This is what he said, word for word, in answer to a question: “I’ve been to the other side, and let me tell you son: there’s nothing ***** there!”
The wicked in Psalm 73 are people who oppress the poor and scoff at God. “How can God know”, they say. “Does the Most High have knowledge?” And yet people fawn all over them, like the media did when Packer died.
Asaph finds out what will really happen to people like that. They are on a slippery slope, they are going to be swept away to destruction.