Saturday, May 29, 2021
Psalm 73 The 4 Spiritual Flaws
Psalm 73
1 Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;
My steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the boastful,
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no pangs in their death,
But their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace;
Violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their eyes bulge with abundance;
They have more than heart could wish.
8 They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression;
They speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens,
And their tongue walks through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return here,
And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
11 And they say, "How does God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?"
12 Behold, these are the ungodly,
Who are always at ease;
They increase in riches.
13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.
15 If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
16 When I thought how to understand this,
It was too painful for me ---
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their end.
18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awakes,
So, Lord, when You awake,
You shall despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was vexed in my mind.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
24 You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
26 My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
That I may declare all Your works.
Should have gone to Specsavers!
Discovery and recovery and the way to victory.
When we are burdened and bothered by what we see in this world, we need to read this psalm. It starts with a wonderful affirmation of faith. "Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart" (v. 1). Asaph believes in the God of Israel, and he believes that God honors and rewards those who keep their lives clean. But in verse 2 he turns his eyes off of God, and he starts looking around at other people. "But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked" (vv. 2,3).
Let's look at his Four Spiritual Flaws.
Flaw #1 He Looked At The Wrong People
Something is wrong with his vision. He is looking at the wicked people around him. Who are these people? He describes them in verses 4-9. "For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm" (v. 4). They don't get sick; they don't have the bills others have. They're not troubled. They are proud and violent. "Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish" (v. 7), yet they are corrupt. They set their mouth against God. In verse 10 he says, "Waters of a full cup are drained by them." Asaph was drinking a bitter cup. His vision was distorted. This is what happens when we walk by sight instead of by faith.
He Saw The Ungodly in Their Prosperity 4
He Saw The Ungodly in Their Power 5
He Saw The Ungodly in Their Pride 6,7
He Saw The Ungodly in Their Popularity 9-12
He Saw The Ungodly in Their Pleasures.
Flaw #2 He Questioned God's Justice.
13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,
And washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued,
And chastened every morning.
15 If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.
16 When I thought how to understand this,
It was too painful for me ---
Flaw #3 He Forgot God's Promises
21 Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was vexed in my mind.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
We have been guilty of saying:
1. God doesn't care! - He says - 1 Peter 5:7
2. God doesn't hear! - He says - Jer. 33:3
3. God isn't even there! - He says - Heb. 13:5
Flaw #4 He Neglected God's Word
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
That I may declare all Your works.
The Recovery
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God;
Then I understood their end.
18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awakes,
So, Lord, when You awake,
You shall despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved,
And I was vexed in my mind.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory" (v. 24). Asaph wrote this verse after he had gone through a period of doubt, and it was a wonderful conclusion to his severe depression. He came out of his experience with several certainties.
First, God holds us.
"Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand" (v. 23). The wicked may have violence, bounty, prosperity and a full cup of apparent blessing. But we have God, and He holds us.
The Grasp of His Hand Personally
The Grasp of His Hand Powerfully
The Grasp of His Hand Pierced Hand.
Second, God Guides Us.
"You will guide me with Your counsel" (v. 24).
Third God Glorifies Us. 24 "and afterward receive me to glory"
That's the important thing--the afterward. What is going to happen afterward? We can be sure that we will be with Him forever. It makes little difference what happens to us materially and physically in this life as long as we have riches in the next life. Some who are rich in this world will be poor in the next world. But many who are poor in this world will be rich in the next world.
Third, God Guarantees To Strengthens Us. "My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart (v. 26).
Fourth God Is Good To Us "and my portion forever" 26
He is our portion forever.
He is an ever-present portion—[We may possess many things, yet not have them with us in the time of necessity; yea, we may be utterly deprived of them by fraud or violence; but God is every where present to afford us help: though we be immured in a dungeon, he can visit us; nor can any human power intercept his gracious communications. This was a reflection peculiarly grateful to the Psalmist [Note: Psalms 139:7-10.], and, doubtless, was an important ground on which he fixed his choice [Note: Psalms 139:17-18.].]
He is an all-sufficient portion—[A man may enjoy all which this world can bestow, but what can it avail him while racked with excruciating pains? What relief can it afford him under the agonies of a guilty conscience? Or what can it do to appease the fears of death? But there is no situation wherein God is not a suitable portion. In the possession of earthly blessings, his presence will greatly enhance our enjoyment of them. In the absence of all temporal comforts, with him we can feel no want [Note: 1Co 3:21-23 and 2 Corinthians 6:10.]. A view of him as our friend will allay every fear, and assuage every pain; nor, having him, can we want any other thing that is good [Note: Psalms 34:9-10.].]
He is an eternal portion— [However long we retain earthly things, we must part with them at last. Death will reduce us to a level with the poorest of mankind, nor can we carry any thing along with us into the invisible world [Note: Psalms 49:17.]. But, if God be ours, we shall possess him for ever. We are not left without many rich communications from him now; yea, sometimes, even in this vale of tears, our joy in him is unspeakable [Note: 1 Peter 1:8.]. But it is not till after death that we shall have the full enjoyment of him. Now we taste of the streams; then we shall drink at the fountain-head. Now our capacity to enjoy him is but small; then all our faculties will be wonderfully enlarged. Now our delight in him is transient; then, without intermission or end [Note: Psalms 16:11.]. Hence the Psalmist looked forward to that period for his full satisfaction [Note: Psalms 17:15.].]
Fifth God avenges His People
27 For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
The Victory.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
That I may declare all Your works.
Draw Near to God
Put Your Trust In The Lord
God helps us in every stage of life. "But it is good for me to draw near to God" (v. 28). Wherever we are, whatever we're going through, we must draw near to God. "I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works" (v. 28).
What is meant by drawing near to God—
We must not suppose that any bodily motion is necessary in order to the drawing nigh to God; since he filleth all space, and is "never far from any one of us [Note: Acts 17:27.]." The expression in the text imports a drawing nigh to him,
With the mind— Though "God is a Spirit," and therefore not to be apprehended with bodily eyes, yet man is able, by the exercise of faith, to place him as it were before the eyes of his mind, and thereby to "see Him that is invisible [Note: Hebrews 11:27.]." Nothing can be more absurd or delusive, than to draw a picture of him, as it were, in our imagination, and to present him before us in a way of vision. Whatever visions were granted to men in former times, it is rather a sense and consciousness of his presence, than a sight of him as present, which we are to expect. We must not look for such a luminous appearance as Moses saw; but it is our privilege to say with David, "I have set the Lord always before me [Note: Psalms 16:8.]." When, we set God before us, we also set ourselves before him: we summon ourselves into his presence; and endeavour to impress our minds with the conviction that he discerns our inmost thoughts. In this way we may properly be said to draw near to him; because, though in fact we are no nearer to him than before, yet we are much nearer in our own apprehension; and the effect upon our own minds is precisely the same as if the approximation were real.]
With the heart— [The drawing nigh to God is not a work of the understanding only, but also of the heart [Note: 1 Corinthians 14:15.]: and the exercises of the one are as necessary as those of the other. Indeed the idea of approaching God without suitable affections, is vain; since man cannot remain unaffected in the Divine presence; nor would he be approved of God if he did. It is obvious therefore that an acceptable approach to God must be attended with such emotions, as become a sinner in the presence of his Judge, and a redeemed sinner in the presence of his Lord and Saviour. It must be accompanied with a fear of God's majesty, an admiration of his goodnesss, an affiance in his mercy, a love to his name, a submission to his will, a zeal for his glory. Those various feelings must be expressed in such petitions and acknowledgments as the occasion requires. In short, our drawing nigh to God must somewhat resemble Esther's approach to Ahasuerus. She knew that none but the king could help her; and that she must perish if she did not obtain favour in his sight: and therefore, with much preparation of mind, she humbly presented herself before him, and then offered her petition in the manner she thought most likely to prevail [Note: Esther 5:1-4. This whole head might be changed; and, in stead of it, one might show, How we are to draw nigh to God. This would be more in the common-place way; but it would be easier, and perhaps more profitable to the lower class of hearers.].]
The benefit arising from it— There is no other thing under heaven so "good for" the soul, as this [Note: Lamentations 3:25.]:
There is nothing so pleasant— We will grant, for argument sake, that the things which this world afford are capable of imparting as much happiness as the votaries of pleasure expect: still the happiness of drawing near to God is incomparably greater. We appear indeed to "speak parables [Note: Ezekiel 20:49.]" when we descant on such a subject as this, because the things we affirm can be known only from Scripture and experience: and people have an easy way of setting both these aside. The words of Scripture are represented as high eastern metaphors: and the experience of the primitive saints is supposed to be confined to the earlier ages of the Church. And with respect to the experience of living saints, that is derided as enthusiasm. But there is a blessedness in communion with God, whether man will admit it or not. To the ungodly it is an irksome task to approach God; but to the godly it is their chief joy. The Psalmist justly says, "Blessed is the man, O Lord, whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee [Note: Psalms 64:5.]." But how shall we describe this blessedness? How shall we paint the lowly self-abasing thoughts which lead a man to prostrate himself in the very dust before God? How shall we express the wonder and admiration with which he is filled, when he contemplates the goodness of God towards him? How shall we declare the ardour of his feelings when he is adoring that Saviour who bought him with his blood? We do not say, that any man feels at all times the same rapturous and exalted joys; but we do say, that the joys of those who live nigh to God are at some seasons "unspeakable and full of glory [Note: 1 Peter 1:5.]," an earnest and foretaste of heaven itself.]
There is nothing so profitable— [Not to mention the pardon and acceptance which flow from communion with God, it is certain that it will restrain from sin. The presence of a fellow-creature, yea, even of a child, will restrain men from the commission of crimes, which in secret they would perpetrate without remorse. How much more then would a consciousness of God's presence awe us, if we felt it as we ought [Note: Psalms 4:4.]! The falls and apostasies of those who profess religion always originate from, or are preceded by, a secret departure of the heart from God.
It will also console us in trouble. David, both on this and many other occasions, found prayer the best means of composing his spirit when it was harassed by temptations or persecutions [Note: ver. 3, 13, 17. See also Psalms 69:17-18; Psalms 116:3-5.]. And did any one ever apply this remedy in vain? When we have complained to man only, we have felt the pressure of our burthens still, and groaned under them as much as ever: but when we have carried our complaints to God, we have almost invariably had our murmurs silenced, our agitations tranquillized, our spirits comforted. God has fulfilled to us his promise, "Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me [Note: Psalms 50:15.]."
It will moreover strengthen us for duty. We should not so often faint in the way of duty, if we waited more constantly upon our God. He "would renew our strength as the eagle's [Note: Isaiah 40:31.]:" he would "give us more grace [Note: James 4:6.]," even "grace sufficient for us." However weak we are in ourselves, we should be "able to do all things through the strength which he would impart unto us [Note: Philippians 4:13.]." By drawing nigh to God, our humility is increased, our faith invigorated, our hope quickened, our love inflamed, and the whole work of grace advanced in our souls.
Lastly, it will prepare us for glory. Nothing transforms us into the Divine image so much as communion with God. When Moses continued with God for a season upon the holy mount, his face contracted a radiance which was visible to all who beheld him. And, though no bright effulgence will now adorn the countenances of those who live nigh to God, yet a glory will shine around their paths, a lustre which will compel others to "take notice of them, that they have been with Jesus [Note: Acts 4:13.]." By "beholding his glory they will be changed into the same image [Note: 2 Corinthians 3:18.]," and be progressively fitted to "see him as he is [Note: 1 John 3:2.]."]
God assures you, that "all who are far from him shall perish [Note: ver. 27.]." O that you might tremble at the denunciations of his wrath, and not bring upon yourselves the bitter experience of it in the eternal world!]
t is to no purpose to "draw nigh to him with your lips, while your hearts are far from him [Note: Matthew 15:8-9 you must have "the power of godliness as well as the form [Note: 2 Timothy 3:5.]." "God is a Spirit: and, if you do not worship him in spirit and in truth [Note: John 4:24.]," your service is a mockery, and your hope a delusion. Be in earnest therefore in your walk with God: for as your formal duties, whether in the Church or closet, bring with them neither pleasure nor profit, so will they ultimately deceive you to your ruin. On the contrary, if you really draw nigh to God, and "stir up yourselves to lay hold of him," he will draw nigh to you, and load you with his richest benefits [Note: James 4:8.]."]
Those who find their happiness in communion with God—
[This is the character of all the saints: "they are a people nigh unto God [Note: Psalms 148:14.]:" "truly their fellowship is with God, and with his Son Jesus Christ [Note: 1 John 1:3.]." It is true, that there is no merit in this; and it arises only from the grace of God, which effectually worketh in them: nevertheless God admires and applauds their conduct: viewing them with a kind of rapture and surprise, he says, "Who is this that hath engaged his heart to approach unto me [Note: Jeremiah 30:21.]?" Happy, happy are the people who can say, "Lord, it is I," "Lord, it is I." Continue then and increase your diligence in walking with God. Then you shall not only say now, "It is good for me to draw nigh to God;" but you shall one day add with ten-fold emphasis, "It is good for me to have drawn nigh to God:" yes; if now you can look back upon your seasons of communion with God as the best and happiest hours of your life, much more shall you, when your intercourse with him shall be more immediate, and you are dwelling in the very bosom of your God.]
1. By Prayer
2. By the Bible
3. By Grace
4. By Faith
