Psalm 73:1-28 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.… The question here is - Why should good men suffer, and bad men prosper, when the Law had said that God was a righteous Judge, meting out to men in this world the due recompense of their deeds? The course of things should perfectly reflect the righteousness of God. The psalmist struggles for a solution of this problem. The first verse contains the conclusion he had arrived at. I. HIS DANGER. Expressed in the second, thirteenth, and twenty-second verses. 1. The example and sophistries of the wicked had nearly wrought his own downfall. His feet had been tempted by their prosperity to forsake the ways of righteousness, and he had almost fallen into their infidelity. 2. His faith in righteousness had been nearly lost. (Ver. 13.) In vain had he cleansed his inward and outward life - at least, he was tempted to think so for a time. 3. Others had been induced to follow the example of the wicked. (Ver. 10.) "Therefore turn his people after them, and at the full stream (of their prosperity) would slake their thirst" (Perowne). II. THE CAUSE OF HIS DANGER. (Vers. 4-9.) 1. The wicked and atheistic seemed prosperous and happy. They had no trouble, no sorrows that hasten their death ("bands"). They are proud and violent, oppressive and defiant of the heavens. All these are hasty and superficial estimates of the experience of the wicked. 2. He himself was troubled and chastened continually. (Ver. 14.) He who had been at such pains to cleanse his heart and hands. This was mystery that bewildered him. 3. But he restrains the utterance of his doubts to others. (Ver. 15.) He forebore to shake the faith of others, and cause them to stumble. III. REASSURANCE BY THE RECOVERY OF HIS FAITH. (Vers. 17-28.) 1. He found the solution in the light of God's presence. (Ver. 17.) The sanctuary was the symbol of God's presence. Hitherto he had studied the matter only in the light of human experience; now in the light of God's righteous character. 2. Their prosperity would come to a sudden end. (Vers. 18-20.) 3. Communion with God is the realization of our highest destiny, not any unknown good. (Vers. 23-28.) - S. Parallel Verses KJV: {A Psalm of Asaph.} Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.WEB: Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. |
    |