Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart! But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Ps 73:1-3
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been too lazy to put on my glasses. I will squint and strain to believe I can see the written page but it doesn’t change the fact that I can’t. Eventually, I have to make the effort to find my readers and put them on. My eyes have declined so much so that there have been times that without my glasses I’ve read words that are not even in the text. It’s a jumbled mess! This summer I had an eye exam and sure enough, the optometrist had to prescribe a stronger lens.
Psalm 73 deals with a disturbing problem: though God is sovereign and just, the wicked often prosper (vv.3-12) while those who serve God seem to suffer more (vv.13-14). I think it’s safe to say that we are witnessing a discouraging reality where evil is prevailing and all that is godly, moral and upright is viewed with contempt. The wicked are indeed prospering and the biblical Christian is mocked. I can’t help but think of what the prophet Isaiah said of the times in which he lived, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter. Is 5:20
The psalmist, who has served God faithfully has become discouraged while he compared his affliction with the apparent ease and happiness of those who rejected God.
But then something happens! He chooses to put on the stronger lens of truth. His confidence in God and His ways is restored when God reveals the tragic end of the wicked and the true blessing of the righteous. (vv.16-28)
We will never see more clearly about God, ourselves and the true condition of the world until we view it from God’s eternal truths.
Given the brief span of our lives, if we evaluate things simply from our limited, earthbound, human perspective, discouragement is a given. We must have God’s revealed Word (the stronger lens of truth) and His Holy Spirit in order to complete our journey in faith and confidence in God’s goodness and righteous government.
Let the wicked prosper; our hope our treasure our life is God Himself- always with us, guiding us by His word and Spirit, upholding us by His power and afterward receiving us into the glories of eternity!
