Chico Alliance Church
Psalm 73
“Why Even Try Being Good?”
Introduction
Nearly everyone struggles with the application of God’s goodness at some time in their life. We observe the chaos and injustice in our world and either scratch our heads or kick the cat. A drunk driver who lives to be a hundred cuts a promising young teenager’s life short. Those who deny God win the 100-million-dollar lottery. Good things happen to bad people while bad things happen to good people. Life’s inconsistencies slap us in the face nearly every day. Those who completely deny God and His beloved Son Jesus seem to prosper through dishonesty, abuse, and intimidation. Followers of Jesus tell the truth and follow the rules yet suffer oppression and disdain.
People echo the phrase “no good deed goes unpunished” for a reason. The application of Biblical justice seems a rare reality in our current culture. Radio and TV preachers boldly broadcast the physical and financial benefits of following Jesus. They indicate that if you just follow God’s rules you will be guaranteed success in every area of life; i.e. good health, successful marriage, smart and successful children, plenty of money and creature comforts, lots of friends, freedom from suffering, and pain. Come to Jesus and He will save you from your awful circumstances. You just need to believe it and claim it. See it, believe it, receive it. And of course, demonstrate your faith by sending us a check or excuse me, a “love gift.”
Such teaching is unsustainable. Life exposes an entirely different reality. Everyone wrestles with awful events all through their lives. Unwelcome, unexplainable, random awful incidents afflict the just and the unjust. We search for some sort of reason for such events. We struggle to make sense of God’s application of justice. We affirm God’s continual goodness but slam into example after example of contrary evidence.
Previously we explored numerous Biblical characters who were able to recognize the AWE-full amid the awful realities of life in a broken and twisted world. This message explores the testimony of another Biblical figure.
King David appointed Asaph to lead the temple worship choir. The ancient worship leader Asaph discovered the unbiblical and essentially unsustainable nature of promising Eden now. The sons of Asaph led worship music in Jerusalem over many generations. To the best of our knowledge, Asaph personally composed Psalm 50, 73-83.
It seems Asaph composed Psalm 78 after a time in his life when he struggled to reconcile the concept of a good God with the reality of what he encountered in the world around him and even in his own life. I suppose in today’s musical world we might call this a ballad. It represents the composer’s emotional journey through a dark time in their life. Having emerged the other side of his dark journey, it seems Asaph was able to recognize the AWE-full amid the awful. The Holy Spirit inspired Asaph to poetically communicate his conclusion (his AWE-full perception change) at the very beginning of his composition and then clarify how he arrived there.
Asaph first declared his theme, then described his struggle and finally disclosed his renewed perspective.
I observe three main sections to this Psalm
Asaph declared his theme 1
Asaph detailed his inner struggle with God’s goodness 2-17
Asaph described his new perspective 18-23
I. Asaph declared his theme -- God is good!
Asaph used the B.L.U.F. principle -- Bottom Line Up Front
Surely God is good to Israel
Surely God is good to those who are pure in heart
God communicated Himself using Hebrew Poetry all through the Old Testament. This poetry expands understand by repeating thoughts often in different words. Look for two-line phrases. The parallel lines communicate one proclamation -- God is “good.” The first line proclaims God’s goodness to Israel. The second line expands the proclamation by applying it to all the pure in heart. Since God’s goodness is the theme of this song, it would be good to explore the concept of goodness a bit.
The term “good” applies to at least five general aspects.
Essential goodness relates to the make-up of a thing, its ability to perform.
Good program, good car, good job, good performance, good effort
Esthetic goodness relates to the beauty or desirability of something.
Good wife, good vacation, good painting, good sunset.
Ethical goodness relates to someone’s character and moral values.
Good man or woman, good kids, good politician (oxymoron?).
Economic goodness relates to value, or quality.
Good fortune, good diamond, good salary.
Relational goodness relates to one’s pleasing relationship to others.
Out of the goodness of their heart, good friend, good dog, good marriage
God’s goodness includes every sense of the word Good.
• He is flawless (Essential Goodness)
• He is beautiful (Esthetic Goodness)
• He is holy and righteous (Ethical Goodness)
• He is rich, worthy, and valuable (Economic Goodness)
• He is continually inclined to deal well and bountifully with his creatures. (Relational Goodness)
Asaph commented on God’s goodness to the pure in heart. The “heart” for the Hebrews referred to both mind and emotion. It signified the inner person, the soul, the core. God desires our good. Despite his confident opening assertion regarding God’s goodness to the pure in heart, Asaph did not always feel so sure about God’s goodness. The rest of the poem detailed his path to recognizing the AWE-full ness of God’s goodness.
II. Asaph detailed his inner struggle with God’s goodness/justice 2-17
A. He depicted his cause for stumbling 73:2
But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped.
Notice the Parallelism. The parallelism builds a more complete mental image.
feet = steps
close = almost
stumbling = slipped
Feet and steps suggest his life journey.
The stumbling and slipped suggest a deviation from a normally steady path.
Close and almost suggest a near catastrophe.
He hadn’t fallen but came close. He struggled to keep his attitude toward God positive. He came dangerously close to totally abandoning his trust in God’s goodness and justice. He came close to allowing circumstances to cloud perception of God and his devotion and loyalty to Him. He almost lost it.
Why?
For I was envious of the arrogant
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
He allowed his jealousy of the apparent prosperity of the arrogant wicked to taint his perceptions. Asaph utilized a variety of terms in this poem to characterize those he envied.
Wicked, arrogant, those far from God, unfaithful
Compared to his unquestioned devotion to God, those around him proudly denied any responsibly to follow God or live according to His principles. From Asaph’s murky perspective, not only did they not seem to suffer any consequences for their arrogance and godless lifestyle, it appeared they prospered from it. The next several verses detail his clouded conclusions concerning the wicked. Note, none of these conclusions involved an accurate assessment but this was how he felt in his clouded state of mind.
B. He detailed his earthly perspective concerning the wicked vs4
1. Their death seems painless
For there are no pains in their death, and their body is fat.
2. Their life appears trouble-free vs 5
They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like mankind.
3. Their prosperity inflates their egos vs 6a
Therefore pride is their necklace;
4. Their wrongdoing characterizes their life vs 6b
the garment of violence (wrong) covers them.
They proudly parade their evil lifestyle like expensive clothes and jewelry
5. Their pursuit of pleasure and possessions consumes their life 7
Their eye bulges from fatness; the imaginations of their heart run riot.
6. They arrogantly mock others and brag about their privilege 8
They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; they speak from on high.
They talk down to everyone as they brag about how they oppress and defraud others.
7. They boast of their prominence and revel in their influence 9
They have set their mouth in the heavens, and their tongue parades through the earth.
They don’t hesitate to discount and defame God.
8. Their arrogance even influences God’s people vs 10
Therefore his people return to this place, and waters of abundance are drunk by them.
Bad company corrupts good morals.
9. They deny any accountability to God for their actions. Vs 11
They say, "How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?"
God doesn’t personally interact with humanity.
10. They continue to prosper despite their godless lifestyle vs 12
Behold, these are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased in wealth.
They have no worries and continue to get richer.
C. He doubted any practical value of maintaining a pure heart v13-14
What does it profit to follow God’s ways or live a godly lifestyle?
Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence;
I only experience continual struggle and trouble for my faithfulness.
For I have been stricken all day long and chastened every morning.
He implies that God inflicted the continual the misery.
D. He acknowledged the foolishness of his thinking vs 15-16
If I had said, "I will speak thus," Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.
When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome or laborious in my sight
He realized expressing his bitterness to others would have been a poor witness. Yet it still troubled him. He still struggled to figure it all out.
III. Asaph described his new perspective 17-23
A. He divulged his new perspective discovered in God’s sanctuaries 17-20
No attempt to understand life from a human perspective brings true understanding. Asaph’s AWE-full moment came from viewing life from an eternal perspective. Such a perspective can only come from time spent with God in His word.
Until I came into the sanctuaries of God; 17a
I perceived their end. 17b
His time with God revealed a perspective beyond our present reality. This present life only represents a fleeting flash in light of eternity. Regardless of the present prosperity, arrogance, and pride of the wicked, in this present life, they most assuredly would eventually face God’s judgment in the next. He realized that God would eventually deal with them.
Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form. 73:18-20
B. He confessed his spiritual lapse 21-22
When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.
1. He harbored a bitter heart.
2. He demonstrated ignorance of the truth.
3. He abandoned all spiritual reason
Life becomes miserable when we harbor a bitter heart toward God. We become most susceptible to such bitterness when we approach God as someone to make our life better and restore Eden now. Whenever we demand God fix it rather than mature us, bitterness and disappointment turns us into unreasoning beasts.
C. He acknowledged God’s faithfulness despite his unfaithfulness. 23-24
1. God did not forsake him
Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand
2. God continually offered direction and insight.
With Your counsel You will guide me
3. God did not alter his destiny
And afterward, receive me to glory.
D. He renewed his commitment to the eternal God. Vs 25-26
Whom have I in heaven?
He acknowledged God as his only hope of eternity. Unlike the wicked. The prospect of heavenly glory renders the things of this earth less desirable.
“Christ in you the hope of glory.”
Since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
Asaph acknowledged that since I have You, all my earthly needs are satisfied.
And with You, I desire nothing on earth.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
He acknowledged God as his present strength AND future hope despite his current earthly struggle.
E. He reaffirmed the ultimate destiny of the unfaithful vs 27
In contrast, the unfaithful (those without relationship)
For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
F. He reaffirmed his personal relationship with the good God.
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good
His renewed perspective. Contrast that with “God beats me all day.” God is good and intimate relationship with Him brings God’s good blessing.
God orchestrates ALL things together for good to those who love God. Rom 8
Remember his opening affirmation in the very first verse?
Surely God is good to Israel, God is good to those who are pure in heart!
Finally…
G. He reaffirmed his trust in God and intention to proclaim God’s goodness always vs 28
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.
He trusted God’s character not his foggy perceptions. Rather than envy the prosperity of the wicked and complain about God’s injustice, he vowed to boast about God’s blessing for the righteous. Glory in this life disappears like smoke. Solomon clearly demonstrated that reality in Ecclesiastes. God promises to lavish His grace for all eternity.
Asaph finished this poem acknowledging all the major names for God.
The nearness of God (Elohim) is my good.
I have made the Lord (Adonai) GOD (Yahweh) my refuge.
He began disappointed with God and ended exalting Him and declaring his trust.
Application
Everyone wrestles with this issue at some time in their life. Inconsistencies, injustice, absence of justice, struggle.
Why did Fred get promoted over me? Why did my child die? Why does their church grow and not ours?
Why did that ministry succeed and not mine? We look for new formulas to pry goodness from God’s hands into our life. We pray. We fast. We obey. We memorize and claim promises (many of which were never even addressed to us). We follow the latest steps to success. We name it and claim it. We work hard. We remain faithful. We deny ourselves.
New books come out every day promising to unearth the newest key to success. We follow their formula to the letter yet reap none of the promised results. Either I’m bad or God isn’t that good.
The current events of this fallen world DO NOT determine God’s goodness.
Scripture declares that God is good. He has always been good and always will be good ALL THE TIME.
He can’t be anything but.
Consider some tips from Asaph whenever life tempts you to think or feel otherwise.
? Acknowledge your inner struggle but keep a guard on your mouth.
? Spend time in a sanctuary
A sanctuary is a place where God’s glorious person and work is particularly displayed. The stars, the scriptures, the glory of a transformed life, the Spirit-empowered declaration of God’s truth, the quiet place of prayer and meditation.
? Adopt an eternal perspective of life here AND hereafter.
This is not it! Life doesn’t end here. This life is NOT the point. Life’s journeys don’t end here; they only play out here and lead to eternity with God or apart from God. Evaluate the present circumstances and events through the lens of Scripture.
Keep the contrast in mind!
God sets the wicked in slippery places. He destined me for glory.
They will disappear forever. I will live forever.
They will suffer an eternity away from God. God’s nearness is my good.
They will suffer loss. In His right hand we find pleasures evermore.
? Acknowledge any bitterness toward God and repent.
Serve God with a pure heart! I have wrestled with these things from time to time throughout my ministry. I failed to realize just how much bitterness toward God I allowed to build up over events of the past. Asaph’s words shouldn’t be allowed to lurk in the dark recess of my thoughts.
Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence; God strikes me all day long and chastens me every morning. 13-14
The closer we come to the end of this life, the more we look back on our life. Our “temporal stuff” holds less and less significance. Legacy matters. Kingdom impact matters. The inscription on our grave marker matters. Failures appear larger in the side mirror. We are our own worst critic. At times, we contemplate the struggles and wonder about God’s goodness. Is God not that good or am I bad because things didn’t occur as expected or hoped or even asked for?
I declare to you by the authority of the Scripture, that despite our feelings and despite the way thing seem from the past or observe in the present…
God is good ALL the Time!
God continually and wisely orchestrates ALL things together for good.
? Embrace God’s loving presence and guidance.
I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. 73:23-24
? Reaffirm your trust in the goodness of God.
In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.
Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. Psalm 73:28
? Declare His goodness every chance you get.
I will tell of all Your works. You are good ALL the time.
