DBG - June 30 - Psalms 73-77

This psalm by Asaph opens the third book of Psalms.  The narrative of this psalm is very important.  It teaches us to not view the wicked’s present prosperity to mean that they will avoid God’s wrath.

vs. 1-12 – Asaph is discouraged that the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer.  It has caused him to doubt the veracity of God’s Word which promises the opposite.

vs. 13-17 – Asaph begins to believe that being righteous and living according to God’s direction has been futile.  This changes when he visits the Temple and gains understanding.

vs. 18-28 – Asaph learns that the wicked may prosper now, but their judgment still is promised.  Likewise, the righteous may suffer, but their blessing is also promised.  He has learned to judge the situation in light of eternity and now the present moment. 

This psalm is a Maschil (“song of instruction”) written by Asaph.  It is a lament for the suffering of God’s people.  It pictures the destruction of the Temple, which makes some think it was written after the Babylonian Captivity.  However, this discounts the prophetic nature of many psalms.  It is more than plausible that this song was written centuries before the event it foresees actually occurs.

vs. 1-3 – The suffering righteous as God why they suffer and call on Him to remember them in their affliction.

vs. 4-8 – The destruction of the Temple is seen.  Axes destroy its woodwork, fire burns the sanctuary, and the stonework is pulled down.  What we see is an attempt to eradicate God’s name from the land.

vs. 9-11 – To human understanding, it made no sense that God would not act and protect the honor of His name. 

vs. 12-17 – The greatness of God is extolled.  His might and power are displayed.  We see in vs. 14 an appearance of the leviathan from Job 41. 

vs. 18-19 – A call for God to defend His name and deliver His people.

vs. 20-21 – A call for God to remember the promises and agreements He had made with the righteous and to act upon them.

vs. 22-23 – A call for God to move to action and punish those that despise His name.

This psalm is a Altashith (“destroy not”) psalm that was written by Asaph.  The structure of this song is the psalmist speaks and God responds, a pattern repeated twice.  It speaks of the promise of God’s judgment against the wicked.

vs. 1 – The praises offered to God.

vs. 2-5 – God declares His judgment against the wicked and the fallen world. 

vs. 6-9 – God is praised for the judgment He pours out.

vs. 10 – God declares the sureness of His judgment of the wicked and the blessing of the righteous.

This psalm is by Asaph and was intended for use in the Temple performed with stringed instruments (“Neginoth”).  This is a call for the righteous to worship God.

vs. 1-3 – The greatness of God is known in Israel.  His past victories show His power and majesty.

vs. 4-6 – God is seen as a victorious and mighty warrior.

vs. 7-10 – God is seen as the righteous judge of the earth.

vs. 11-12 – God’s greatness is known to the world as its leaders fear and honor Him.

This psalm is written by Asaph and given to Jeduthun for use in the Temple.  It is a call for God to deliver as His past deliverances are remembered.

vs. 1-3 – A call for God to deliver from troubles.

vs. 4-6 – No sleep can be found as the writer contemplates God’s past dealings.

vs. 7-9 – Questioning where God is while the writer suffers.

vs. 10-12 – More remembrance of God’s past deliverances.

vs. 13-15 – An outburst of praise for the God who is mighty and delivers.  The example of the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt is in vs. 15.  This sets the theme for the following verses.  This last section has some resemblance to Psalm 114.

vs. 16 – The Red Sea crossing is described.

vs. 17-18 – God’s power seen in the storm with its thunder and lightning.  This could refer to Sinai.

vs. 19 – Another allusion to the Red Sea crossing.

vs. 20 – God leading the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land.

Psalm 73 is one of my favorite psalms.  We can so easily lose sight of the goodness of God and despair that it does not matter whether we serve Him or not.  This is the importance of God’s Word, and I think in particular the psalms.  Here we learn to see the world as it truly is.  The prosperous wicked?  They will be brought low before a holy God.  The afflicted righteous?  The best is always ahead for them. 

Our hymn today is a reworking of Psalm 73 by Isaac Watts.  It first appeared with the heading, “Afflicted Saints Happy, and Prosperous Sinners Cursed”.  Could not have said it better myself.

Now I’m convinc'd the Lord is kind
To men of heart sincere,
Yet once my foolish thoughts repin'd,
And border'd on despair.

I griev'd to see the wicked thrive,
And spoke with angry breath,
“How pleasant and profane they live!
How peaceful is their death!

With well-fed flesh and haughty eyes,
They lay their fears to sleep;
Against the heavens their slanders rise,
While saints in silence weep.

In vain I lift my hands to pray,
And cleanse my heart in vain;
For I am chast'ned all the day,
The night renews my pain."

Yet while my tongue indulg'd complaints,
I felt my heart reprove;
"Sure I shall thus offend thy saints,
And grieve the men I love."

But still I found my doubts too hard,
The conflict too severe;
'Till I retir'd to search thy word,
And learn thy secrets there.

There as in some prophetic glass,
I saw the sinner’s feet
High mounted on a slipp'ry place
Beside a fiery pit.

I heard the wretch profanely boast,
'Till at thy frown he fell;
His honours in a dream were lost,
And he awakes in hell.

Lord, what an envious fool I was!
How like a thoughtless beast!
Thus to suspect thy promis'd grace,
And think the wicked blest.

Yet I was kept from full despair,
Upheld by pow'r unknown;
That blessèd hand that broke the snare
Shall guide me to thy throne.