Why Do The Wicked Prosper And The Godly Suffer? – {Psalm 73}

“WHY DO THE WICKED PROSPER AND THE GODLY SUFFER?” {Psalm 73:1-28}

The older I get, the worse my eye sight becomes and I need to get my eyes tested and get a prescription for glasses that adjust my vision so that which is blurry becomes clear. We all need to have our “spiritual eyesight” adjusted at times otherwise we see things and life from a blurry perspective, worldly viewpoint rather than from God’s view. We end up focusing on the wrong things. We need to come to His Word and learn of Him and His ways and walk with Him, keeping close eye on our heart’s. The psalmist had problems which he freely admits to with his clarity of vision, his viewing life through his earthly eyes rather than “spiritual  eyes.” and he had a…

A. – CRISIS OF FAITH -{:2-14}

It’s old as centuries. The perplexing question “why do the wicked prosper while the Godly suffer?” This was the crisis of faith that the psalmist deals with. He testified after the trial of his faith to the people and began with “Only God is good …” {v1}….but in verse 2 before the congregation he admits he “nearly slipped” in his faith as he looked around and saw the wicked prosper. He was “envious” of them! {v2}. It seemed they had it all and even in death they seemed to slip away in “peace” and he compared that to the suffering he had endured, “For I have been stricken ALL DAY long…”{ v14}. He wondered was it worth it to be committed to God! Was it all in “vain”- {v 13}. He “looked” at them and they were getting what he felt they didn’t deserve and he felt he was “deserving” and he wasn’t getting anything! At this point-His view of God was that He existed for him, rather than he existed for God. He was self centered and  covetous, envious{v2}. His spiritual sight was blurred with earthly sight and lust!He was in crisis mode. Trying to figure out, how can this be. The wicked seem to have no problems, wealth, health and even in death they seem to pass away “peacefully.” And yet the people of God suffer and do not enjoy the luxuries of this life as the wicked.{NOTE.- not all wicked are wealthy, not all God’s people are not, or do not have possessions in this world. The psalmist generalizes. He looks with a faulty view of the true meaning of Life and riches.}

B. – CLARITY OF VISION –

He chose not to talk to people about the struggle so not to be a stumbling block to them. -[v 15}. He went to the sanctuary where God made Himself known, where the Word was and where God’s people would meet.{v17}. It was there he had a CLARITY OF VISION. He had been looking at life through the “here and now” as though this was the be all and end all. It was there he saw that there is a horrible ending for the wicked and a glorious future for the Children of God. He saw his own sin, confessed it and then began to SEE God in His wondrous character. In verse 2-14 it is all about his envy. His discontent. His SELF-CENTERED and warped view on life. Then after the visit to the sanctuary he becomes GOD CENTERED and IN REALITY, HE SAW THE END was not good for the wicked…but it was “good” for God’s people!

Let’s look at 6 Aspects of God that fueled his faith and CLARIFIED his vision

V 17-“UNTIL I came into the Sanctuary of God…”-

 

CLARITY OF VISION;

1.- GOD’S PRESENCE – v23
“Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.”

What a wonderful thing that God would take you by the hand, and not ever let it go! What tenderness,what Strength. What intimacy. What personal involvement, intimacy, care. This has been my pillow as of late. How beautiful the Psalmist speaks of God holding him by His Hand… what a beautiful and tender picture…in the midst of his struggles and indeed foolishness and false concepts the assurance that God had him! God would not abandon him or forsake him even in his sinful thinking or doubts. God was committed to him. God had him by His powerful hand to uphold him. His tender hand to guide him. And

hand that no one could puck him from it or separate him from God’s control. God had him! God has you! He will not let you go!

2. GOD’S GUIDANCE {PROTECTION…} – v24
“With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.”
A.- God will personally counsel him. He is assured and has faith in God
B.-and afterward receive me to glory. He was confident that God would receive him into His presence in Heaven. God would guide him, personally He was interested in him as he is you! God wold get him safely Home to be with Him.

3. GOD’S PERSON… -v25
“Whom have I in Heaven but you, And besides you, I DESIRE nothing on earth.”.

Earlier he had looked on the wicked and was envious- lusting for what they had. But since he has been to the sanctuary, he realized having God is having everything he needs on this earth.
His DELIGHT in Heaven is – a PERSON- God Himself.
His DESIRE on earth is – God Himself. He is all he desires and wants. His vision is clearer, restored!

4. – GOD’S PROVISION…- v26
“My flesh and my heart may fail…”

Flesh – has to do with the body. Heart – has to do with the emotional. “FAILS” – means to be DEPLETED, to be exhausted, to run out, to be exhausted of Resources, run out, DEPLETED OF resources to handle problems and life. “My flesh and my heart may fail, BUT GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion forever

5. – GOD’S PRE-EMINENCE … – v27
“For, behold, those who are far from You will perish. You HAVE destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.”
God is pre-eminent- No matter how well the wicked seem to be doing- there is a day of Reckoning coming where all the proud will know God is preeminent in exercising judgment and the psalmist sees Clearly what will happen all those who are enemies of God.

6. – GODLY PERSPECTIVE…- v 28

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my goodness. I have made the {Sovereign} Lord my refuge. That I may tell of Your works.”

A. – “BUT AS FOR ME THE NEARNESS OF GOD IS MY GOOD.”
B. – “I have made the LORD my Refuge
C. – That I may TELL of YOUR works”

His crisis of faith was a result of losing sight of GOD! He was temporal minded rather than heavenly minded. He lost sight of The Character of God. He set his eyes on things of earth rather than on Eternity.

It was not until he went into the  sanctuary and had his “spiritual eye sight” adjusted that he saw clearly. If you read from v 2-16 you see his main concern is on what others have and he does not have- this is his chief concern. But after he had taken himself, his problem to the LORD He was gloriously met and then read from v17-28 he saw God and things from God’s perspective! We don’t have to go to a place  we go to a PERSON! We can speak to God now! We have access to Him  anywhere, anytime through the blood of Jesus. {Romans 5:1-2}.

The end of the wicked is horrific.

The end for God’s people is Himself!

Look at things from eternity, not temporal!

C. – A CRY OF FAITH –

“THE NEARNESS OF GOD IS MY GOOD.” – 28

God cleared his vision so he could see with the eyes of faith. The CRY OF FAITH-“ The nearness of God is my good!” His problem was “covetousness” {v 2}. But after his time with God…he Testified to God! His VISION was not temporal but Eternal! He had an eternal view on life. He TESTIFIES to the Congregation of What he had been thinking, how God met him and that the nearness of God was personal.”MY good.” He had his heart adjusted to see things clearly about the temporal benefits of the wicked were that. TEMPORAL. that the Gift of God Himself to people was the true treasure. That eternity beckoned and God Himself was the prize. He  had all he needed for this earth and eternity in GOD!

His vision was adjusted, to see things as they truly are not what they appear to be!

He went from Self Focused to GOD CENTERED.The result was as it always is a clear vision about people and God and a resulting testimony to others of  GOD!

He took his problem to the LORD and he came away with a CLEAR VIEW and A CRY OF FAITH TO STRENGTHEN OTHERS! We are Pilgrims passing through this world on our way to see the King and reside with Him forever. DON’T FORGET that as Pilgrims we live by PROMISES not by sight. We pray and share with those outside of Christ that  they may come to know and WORSHIP Him. We accept the circumstances we are in and use them to advance His cause! How is your Spiritual Vision? Are you looking with envy on what others have> the serpent tempted Eve with this… and he tempts us to be  dissatisfied.  ENVY according to the psalmist was in his heart {v 2} and then the self centeredness spewed out when he considered it was “vain” to commit to the Lord in light of how the wicked were “prospering.” v 13″Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure…” To speak of “pure” here is to be committed to Him with actions and intent.

He was looking to serve God EXPECTING to get from God, for self-centered gains and not His Glory!

He had  blurry, warped vision! His problem was his heart had drifted into looking at this earth and what people had as the end in itself. “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?”

He saw God to be used rather than to be worshiped, adored and served.

It was not “Until”-{v 17} he went into the sanctuary that he had his “spiritual sight” clarified and THEN  he saw the LORD. His Ways and his testimony before the assembly was “the nearness of God is MY Goodness.” He was satisfied with God. He testified TO God…. and down through the centuries the LORD has preserved His Word hat you and I may benefit and have clear Spiritual Vision. guard our heart from self centeredness and envy.Pity and pay for the wicked and revel in the spiritual prosperity which is yours- GOD HIMSELF- and we are heading to GLORY to be with Him and enjoy Him forever and ever and ever! Paul prayed that “the eyes of our heart be enlightened” {Ephesians 3} We need to be vigilant and set our affections on things above and REMEMBER we are on assignment to Know God and make Him known that others may know and worship Him who created and  died and rose again for them!

IN THE END THE QUESTION IS NOW…, 

“WHY DO THE WICKED SUFFER AND THE GODLY PROSPER? The answer is, though the wicked may have temporal prosperity they suffer eternally because “they set their mouth against the heavens...they say “How does God know? And is their knowledge with the Most High.”-{v9,11}- THEY ARE REBELLIOUS AGAINST GOD. Note,”They Set… They Say…” They are fixed and vocal bout their resistance and rebellion!

They live for the temporal and take what they want by any means. They are lost and eternally damned.

“You cast them down  to destruction. How they are destroyed IN A MOMENT! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors. Like a dream when one awakes,O LORD, when aroused, You will despise their form….for behold those who are far from You will PERISH FOREVER; YOU HAVE DESTROYED ALL THOSE WHO ARE UNFAITHFUL TO YOU” {18-20,27}. They do not prosper ultimately!

WHY DO THE GODLY PROSPER? Because of the Goodness of God towards them {v 1, v28}. His mercy, not their merits but His alone and the response is “Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is GOOD.” The people of God due to God alone- prosper eternally as they will be with Him “….and afterward receive me to Glory…” I have made the Lord God my refuge.” {v 24, 28}. The Psalmist like the rest have bowed to the LORD and in surrender to Him as LORD to rule over them and refuge to save, and keep them, they had turned to Him and placed their faith in Him. Though there are times of personal crisis in their faith, He upholds and grants them  clarity of vision and they one again proclaim HIM-  “GOD IS GOOD…as for me the NEARNESS OF GOD IS MY GOODNESS; I HAVE MADE THE LORD MY REFUGE, THAT I MAY TELL OF ALL YOUR WORKS.”-{v28}

THE Psalmist saw things from God’s perspective when he went to Him!

It will be the same for me and you when those moments of crisis of faith, even a result of our own sin, when we come to Him and look to Him to guide us with His Word and we have our perspective change and we begin to see things from Heaven’s viewpoint and we see things not as they appear but as they truly are!

THERE IS A GLORIOUS FUTURE FOR THE CHILD OF GOD…LOOK WAY TO HIM…we are Pilgrims on our way home to be with… The King…

“But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.”

* Keep FOCUSING on Who He  is, Where you are Going..

* Keep Trusting Him

… and as you Head there

…THINK RIGHT ABOUT GOD, VIEW LIFE THROUGH THE LENS OF HIS WORD…

Be about TELLING OTHERS of Him!