SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
4/13/2012 8:34:21 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Be not envious of the rich
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 73 PT-2
Message of the verses: We began looking at Psalm 73 in yesterday’s SD and we will continue to look at it in today’s SD. Dr. Wiersbe wrote the following at the end of his introduction for Psalm 73: “Asaph could not lead the people in divine worship if he had questions about the ways of the Lord, but he found in that worship the answer to his problems. Note five stages in his experience.” We looked at the first experience yesterday.
The Doubter: Slipping from Where He Is Standing (vv. 2-3): “2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
The use of the word “but” means that the psalmist is changing direction from what he had already said. We can also see this in verse twenty-eight. This change of direction is a sharp contrast. The change of direction or sharp change of direction is part of Hebrew poetry.
We see in verse two that the more that the psalmist began to look at the ways of those who were wicked and prosperous the more he began to slip from the firm foundation he had been built on. Jesus spoke of this in a parable about two men; one built their house upon the sand and one on the rock. The foundation of the rock is surely more secure, but even though the psalmist was building his “house” “life” upon the rock he still began to slip, but we will see that he will not completely fall. At this point in his life he began to doubt God and be envious of those who were prospering. Dr. Wiersbe writes “Doubt comes from a struggling mind, while unbelief comes from a stubborn will that refuses surrender to God (v. 7). The unbelieving person will not believe while the doubting person struggles to believe but cannot. ‘Prosperity’ in verse 3 is the familiar Hebrew word shalom. It’s an act of disobedience to envy the wicked (37:1; Prov. 3:31; 23:17; 24:1, 19).” “Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the LORD always.” (Proverbs 23:17)
The Wrestler: Struggling with What He See and Feels (vv. 4-14): “4 For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat. 5 They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them. 7 Their eye bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. 8 They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. 9 They have set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue parades through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return to this place, And waters of abundance are drunk by them. 11 They say, "How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?" 12 Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. 13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; 14 For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning.”
Asaph was struggling with the things that he saw, for what he was seeing was the prospering of the wicked, and what he was feeling was that they were doing okay and he was not. When we studied the book of Job we saw in the first two chapters of that book that Satan was telling God that the only reason that Job was worshiping God was because He had given him much prosperity and when Satan took that away and Job still worshipped God Satan was saying that the only reason that Job was worshiping God was because of his health, and so Satan was allowed to take that away too, and Job still worshipped God. The point is that we as believers have to take the good that the Lord gives us along with what looks like bad and still be able to worship the Lord. The “health and prosperity gospel” is not what the Gospel is all about. When we look at the book of Ephesians we can see all of our “true” riches, riches that cannot ever be taken away from us for they are given to us from the Lord. I have mentioned earlier that life is a series of tests to determine what our role will be in the next life. Our life here on earth is brief, very brief, and we cannot get bogged down by being envious or jealous of wicked people who are rich and living the “good life” here on earth. Dr. Wiersbe writes “But the greatest tragedy is that many of God’s people don’t seem to know any better but follow their bad example and enjoy their friendship (v.10).” He is of course speaking of the wicked and how they got their riches.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: What I can take from this section is that I am not to be jealous of anyone, and the reason for this is that like all believers I am unique, like the song says “I am one of a kind,” and the reason for this is that God made me that way and in eternity past He gave me works to accomplish, and when I became a believer in Jesus Christ He gave me gifts so that I could do the work that He planned for me to do in eternity past. I have to follow the Lord, worship Him, and continue to seek to do these works that He has called me to do. There is no reason to brag about these works that I accomplish for God called me to do them and equipped me to do them and because of this He will receive that glory for them.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Continue to trust the Lord in showing me what He wants me to do and continue to trust the Lord to give me the strength to go through what He has challenged me with to go through. In doing this I will continue to learn contentment.
4/13/2012 9:24:55 AM
Amen.
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