Sermon Central
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Psalm 73 - A Difference Of Perspective
Contributed by Anitha Jabastion on Nov 11, 2021 (message contributor)
Summary: A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable".
2. Peace of the wicked:
Psalm 73:4 - For there are no pangs in their death, But their strength is firm.
Asaph saw the wicked living in their sins and still dying a peaceful death and it disturbed him.
3. Trouble free life of the wicked:
Psalm 73: 5 -They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like other men.
4. Abundance of the wicked:
Psalm 73:7 - Their eyes bulge with abundance; They have more than heart could wish.
Psalm 73:12 - Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches.
5. Pride of the wicked:
Psalm 73:6 - Therefore pride serves as their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment.
The peace and abundance of the wicked make them very proud, and they are violent because they see no troubles in their way because of their wickedness.
So much so that they despise God.
Psalm 73:8,9 - They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; They speak loftily.
They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walks through the earth.
And they say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?” (Psalm 73:11)
Try preaching the gospel to them and they would despise the gospel and the Lord.
This is a kind of confusion that we all face. We all misinterpret the Lord’s goodness based on our set of beliefs! Most often, we believe that if we live the right lives doing right things, then God is bound to bless us with all his goodness. Ask Job if that was true? Time and again, the Lord allows things in our lives that are really hard to bear. This may be unpleasing for us but it is absolutely necessary to mold us into His image.
Asaph was pondering over all these things, and he became bitter in his heart. He concluded saying:
Psalm 73:13, 14 - Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, And washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, And chastened every morning.
Psalm 73:15,16 - If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children. When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me
He looked at all these and tried to understand but it just broke his heart. But he could not speak it outside, since he served the Lord and he knew that if he said it outside, he would lead others down the same path of despair.
With his troubled mind, Asaph takes a wise decision.
Psalm 73:17 - Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.
All these while, Asaph had a man’s perspective of the things around him like the blind men who looked at the elephant in only one perspective. As he went to the place of worship and was absorbed in His presence, his perspective of things changed. Now, he started seeing everything in the new light. It was now God oriented. Notice what became clear to Asaph when he went to the Temple. He receives different revelations of the
1. Asaph realized the future of the sinner
Psalm 73:18 - 20
Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image.
