The End of the Wicked Contrasted with That of the Righteous.
A Psalm of Asaph.
73 Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart!
2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps [a]had almost slipped.
3 For I was envious of the [b]arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no pains in their death,
And their [c]body is fat.
5 They are not [d]in trouble as other [e]men,
Nor are they plagued [f]like mankind.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
The garment of violence covers them.
7 Their eye [g]bulges from fatness;
The imaginations of their heart [h]run riot.
8 They mock and [i]wickedly speak of oppression;
They speak from on high.
9 They have set their mouth [j]against the heavens,
And their tongue [k]parades through the earth.10 Therefore [l]his people return to this place,
And waters of abundance are [m]drunk by them.
11 They say, “How does God know?
And is there knowledge [n]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 [o]kept my heart pure
And washed my hands in innocence;
14 For I have been stricken all day long
And [p]chastened every morning.
In this psalm, Asaph tackles the age-old question of why wicked people seem to prosper. Now, he doesn’t really tackle the why, but that is what he is wondering. He starts out with, “Surely God is good to His people (Israel), and surely He loves the pure in heart. But the wicked are arrogant, they don’t have painful deaths, they have great clothes, and can make amazing boasts. They think God doesn’t see them, they live a life of ease, and their wealth continues to increase.
And because of this, Asaph says “I almost slipped, my feet almost stumbled…” In vv. 13-14, Asaph comes back again, and asks “what’s the point?” He essentially says, “I lived for God, and I did what is right. Instead of ease and wealth I am stricken and chastened every day, all day!”
This is the reality we live in as well, nasty people are making bank, and we’re left wondering, “what did I sign up for?” Well, truthfully, if you thought you signed up for a life of ease, you don’t know the whole story. Jesus himself told his followers, “In this world you will have trials! But take heart, I have overcome the world.”
So let’s flip this whole idea on it’s head, because the world has it backwards (and upside-down). Playing for wealth and ease is a short-term game. It’s like the casino slot player who says, “Hah, I won this time!” But never-mind the 99 times they lost to the house… Start at the end: we are disciplined by God consistently, and daily… Then go back to the beginning: because God is good to his children.
We are playing for eternity, for keeps. There are no short-cuts, no tricks, it takes hard work and dedication to stay faithful. You might almost slip, but take heart, He’s already won that battle. The wicked might live a life of ease, but you are living a life secure in His hands, the hands of the One who created you. God wants you to be with him forever, and He will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Will you?