Psalm 73

July 16   Psalm 73

This Psalm is not written by David but Asaph.  Asaph was a choir leader.  He starts with God is good to Israel.  There are countless evidences of how God was good to Israel.  Was Israel always good to God?  Certainly not.  There are countless examples of how the people Israel at times went against God and in their own ways.  The book of Judges is a cycle of doing right for a while, falling into sin, and then God bringing them back to what is right.

There is a way that God was good to Israel that was not likely perceived as good.  When Israel strayed from the right way they had to deal with consequences.  If Israel decided to go their own way they may find themselves in exile for a period of time.  Was this good?  Not circumstantially, nobody would consider going into exile a good thing.  However, God used exile to help them to recognize their sin and come back to what is right according to God's standard.  This was good- God did not let His people keep on the slope of sin without giving them what they needed to get things turned around and start going with the Truth again.  

In the Psalm it seems like the wicked prosper and the righteous struggle.  It does feel this way sometime.  For a time, it may feel like bad people get a good life.  That can seem unfair, especially if you are living for God and find yourself struggling.  The good times of the wicked will come to an end.  The struggles of the righteous will come to an end.  However, we cannot forget the end of the story.  For the one who has a relationship with Jesus our best is in the future for all eternity with God.  Our temporary struggles in the long run are small in comparison to eternity with God.   The wicked will have nothing but trouble when this life is over.  The good times seem small compared to eternity separated from God.  The hope we have for eternity helps us to endure our difficulties today.