Book 3: Searching in Psalms 1. Apparent Prosperity of the Wicked Psalm 73:1

Text: “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.

Psalm 73: 3-4.

Good morning, mentally struggling Christian!  You realise how generous and good the Lord God has been to you and your family and loved ones – the Salvation of our never-dying souls is quite enough to prove to you the infinitely profound manner in which the Sovereign Creator Lord has shown you and I His wonderful grace, mercy, love and providential generosity.  His complete forgiveness of all your sins and mine should be, and most definitely is, enough to compel us to adore our Holy Lord God forever and ever.  Praise His Name!

However, at times when we become somewhat ‘…weary in well-doing…’ through stress, tiredness, sorrow of circumstances, or sore troubles – we can begin to look around us and make a fearful error of judgement.  We look, not at the things unseen, but at the material things around us, the apparent prosperity of the wicked unbelievers, and the sufferings of Christ’s servants – and we lose our faithful focus for a time.  We concentrate on mere material circumstances, and lose sight of our Eternal, invisible inheritance.

“For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.  For which we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are ETERNAL.”      (2 Corinthians 4:15-18)

“Subject: Curiously enough, this 73^rd Psalm corresponds in subject with the 37^th: it will help the memory of the young to notice the reverse figures.  The theme is that ancient stumbling-block of good men which Job’s friends could not get over; viz., the present prosperity of wicked men and the sorrows of the Godly.  Heathen philosophers have puzzled themselves about this while, to believers, it has often been a temptation.” (C.H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, page 312)

We 21^st Century Bible-believing Christians who seek to apply God’s Word – all of God’s Word – to our daily lives for Christ, can see clearly how much some things just never change, in the study of both God’s sure Word, and the unchanging minds of natural man/women.  We clearly understand the concept – bad things happen to good people, and the most wicked of men/women can often want for nothing in this old carnal world!

“The 73^rd Psalm is a very striking record of the mental struggle which an eminently pious Jew underwent when he contemplated the respective conditions of the righteous and the wicked.  He relates the most fatal shock which his faith had received when he contrasted the prosperity of the wicked, who, though they proudly contemned God and man, prospered in the world and increased in riches, with his own lot, who, though he had cleansed his heart and washed his hands in innocency, had been "…plagued all the day long and chastened every morning.” (Thomas Thomason Perowne, in The Essential Coherence of the Old and New Testaments, 1858)

Hard working Christian Pastors labour hard and long, often without much outward recognition or thanks.  Zealous evangelistic Missionaries risk life and limb; their very health and well-being, to bring the life-giving Gospel message into the darkest jungles in this old world – yet, often die in poverty and material debt.  Yet, what a reward awaits them in Heaven!  Hallelujah!

Verse 1. “Truly: it’s but a particle; but the smallest fillings of gold are gathered up.  Little pearls are of great price.  And this small particle is not of small use, being rightly applied and improved.  Take it (as our translators gave it us) as a note of asseveration (solemn declaration). Truly.  It’s a word of faith, opposite to the Psalmist’s sense and Satan’s injections.” (Simeon Ash, in a Sermon, ‘God’s Incomparable Goodness unto Israel’, 1642)

Verse 1. “God is good to Israel. The ‘Israel’ pertaining to this concept of God’s goodness in this verse, encompasses all those Gentiles who have, by God’s Sovereign grace, been born again, Spiritually regenerated, according to the Divine election of the Lord God in Eternity.  We are the true ‘Spiritual Israel’ today, in this 21^st Century church worldwide.  Hallelujah!

“Not as though the Word of God hath taken none effect.  For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel (the Jewish Nation): neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in Isaac shall Thy seed be called.  That is, they which are the children of the flesh; these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.”  (Romans 9:6-8) 

True Spiritual Israel are all those whom have been born again in Christ Jesus, from every nation throughout the world.  “God is good to Israel.”  Amen.  Praise His Name!

Verse 1. “…Such as are of a clean heart. Thou art good to those whom Thou hast made good; and where Thou hast renewed the heart, Thou wilt not leave it to its enemies.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 312)

Verse 1. “God is good to Israel. Notwithstanding the variety and frequency of the saint’s sufferings, yet God is good.  Though sorrow salutes them every morning at their first awaking and trouble attends them to bed at night, yet God is good.  Though temptations many and terrible make batteries and breeches upon their spirits, yet God is good to Israel… (Simeon Ash, in a Sermon entitled, “God’s Incomparable Goodness unto Israel”, 1642)

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”  (Romans 8:28)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

“Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.” (Psalm 73:1)

Thought: In the reading of Psalm 73, and in seeking to live our lives for Christ Jesus in an increasingly apostate world of anti-Christian opposition – let us not be envious at the temporal prosperity of the wicked, but to pity them in their Eternal destination, a Hell that is hot, and dark, and without hope.  Oh, that some might turn to Christ today.