Psalms 73:1a

Tonight I’m going to read Psalm 73 verses 1 to 3 for our text and study, but our focus is really going to be on the first part of Psalm 73 verse 1. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. for me my feet were almost gone my steps have had well nigh slipped for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked and God blessed to us is sacred and holy word this evening it was a woman named Helen Hayes who recounted her first Thanksgiving dinner. And it was the first time she had cooked the turkey. And she wasn’t sure how things were going to turn out. So she thought she would prepare her husband and son before serving it. She said to her husband, Charles, and her son James, now I know this is the first turkey that I’ve ever cooked. If it isn’t right, I don’t want you to say a word. We’ll just get up from the table and go down to the hotel and we’ll eat down there. So she retreated into the kitchen to cook the Thanksgiving meal. When she entered the dining room bearing the turkey, she seemed pleased because it seemed that everything had gone well. and the turkey looked good. However, when she got into the dining room, she found her husband and son, seated at the table wearing their hats and coats. They had prejudged the situation. You know, often in the spiritual realm, you can be guilty of prejudging the situation without considering all the facts. Asaph, who wrote this particular psalm, was appointed by David, as a minister of music for the public worship of the people of God at the temple and the tabernacle. He did both. He is called Asaph the Seer because some of his Psalms, certainly are prophetic. and relating to us something about Christ. And certainly we should realize that he’s a person who’s writing under divine inspiration. It’s the only way that you are a prophet or a seer is by God giving you the message to write. Asaph has composed 12 Psalms that we’re aware of, where his name is in the title, 50, and also 73 through 80. all his Psalms are what I would call instructive in the sense that they’re instructive psalms. Some psalms are just sort of praise psalms, but they’re all instructive, of course, but in particular, he’s focusing on teaching you something that he’s learned where God has taught him. In Psalm 73, Asaph addresses a common temptation which troubles most people. believers. And that is the prosperity that the wicked seem to enjoy in this world. While many believers seem to be plagued, as he talks about himself in verse 14 here of this Psalm, for all day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning, while he’s being plagued, they’re being prosperous. It leads that it’s the… temptation, which it did for ASAF here, to think that God favors the wicked, that God’s favor doesn’t rest upon his people. Indeed, it can lead to the popular and prevalent error that the prosperity of the wicked is indication of God’s favor and grace to them. Yet if the prosperity of the wicked is grace, then we have a problem, because then the plaguing of the righteous must be a withholding of grace. And so confusion reigns in the mind of the people of God, as to whether they actually enjoy the favor of God. And this threatens to cause a spiritual collapse, as verse 2 indicates to us, in this Psalm, but as for me, my feet were almost gone. My step said, well, and I slipped, he’s saying here, and we should recognize this, that he almost gave up on the faith. That he came close to turning apostate, if you would. Because he will talk about the fact that, you know, that he’s troubled because, you know, it seemed to him, in verse 13, I’ve cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocence. What good did it do me? When God seems to be favoring the wicked, and I seem to be plagued all day long. Now, Asaph, in verse one, gives us the conclusion of all that he learned from God. God instructed him. And from that instruction, he’s given us the conclusion in verse 1. And that is this, truly God is good to Israel, even to such as of a clean heart. He had not cleansed his heart in vain. Took some soul-searching to get here. He had to go through a lot and ponder a lot, and God had to teach him. He’ll tell us he went to the sanctuary. He went to the house of God. and there he seemed to be sort of startled out of his stupor by hearing the word of God taught. We’ll get to that later. He invites you here not to prejudge the situation, but the way it carefully in the full light of divine illumination, the illumination that he has received. I want to speak tonight on the subject of the subject of the light of divine illumination, the illumination of the illumination of the illumination of, the God’s goodness being particular. God’s goodness being particular. And I’m just going to focus on the fact here, truly God is good for a moment. Now, God’s essential goodness, God is good, is not the focus of this verse. God is good by nature. We read in Psalm 865, the Lord, are good. In fact, do you remember in the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ asserts that there is none good but one. And that is God. In Matthew, 1970. God is good in and of himself by his own essence. He doesn’t receive his goodness from another source. He is the source of all goodness. Any goodness that is found in the Holy Angels or in his people comes from God. There’s nothing in God but goodness. There’s no iniquity in him, nothing evil in his nature, no wickedness in any of his ways or works. Asaph doesn’t doubt any of this. He believes that God is good in nature. But that doesn’t deal with the question that Asaph is addressing in this passage of Scripture. So God’s essential goodness isn’t the focus. God’s goodness as the general righteousness of all his dealings with man is not the focus of this verse either. In Psalm 11968, we read, thou art good and doest good. Of course he does good. Because he can’t do anything but what is good because his nature is full of goodness. And so as we look at this concept here, we could say that God is always just in his dealings with human beings. Shall not the God of all the earth do what is right. Of course he’s going to do what is right. He gives you exactly what you deserve. He is good in salvation. of his elect people because he is not only the justifier of them that believe in him, but he is just and the justifier. God forgives sin but only by the means of Christ satisfying the penalty of the law on behalf of his people. God is good when the reprobate ungodly are damned in the Lake of Five. For it’s only right that he carry out the penalty associated with his holy law. The wicked have no grounds to complain. They got exactly what they deserved. He judged them according to their works before casting into the fire. But this isn’t the specific reference to God’s goodness of which Asaph speaks either. God’s goodness as the general righteousness of all his dealings with man is not the focus of this verse. Thirdly tonight, God’s goodness regarding his earthly gifts is not the focus of this verse either. We read in Psalm 145 verse 9 the Lord is good to all. Now think about this a minute. There would be a contradiction in the Bible if Asaph says God is only good to Israel and he defines that as those with heart, his people, and Psalm 145 is talking about God being good to all. So how is that possible? Well, God’s goodness in Psalm 43 is particular. Well, as goodness in Psalm 145 is general. Psalm 149 is the reference to, that helps us here, because it talks about God’s care for all his. creatures. Psalm 145 relates this to us in verses 15 and 16. The eyes of all wait upon thee, thou give us them their meat or their food in due season. Thou openest thine hand and satisfieth the desire of every living creature. So when we talk about God’s goodness in Psalm 145, it’s the provision that he has provided for his creation. We’re talking about here the good gifts that he gives his creatures, the sunshine and the rain, the crop growth, the fruit of the trees, the multiplying of the flocks and the herds, the abundance of all the earth that it brings forth so that every creature has something to eat. That’s all part of God’s goodness too, but that’s not the focus of Psalm 73-1. It’s obvious from Psalm 73, that Asaph here is not speaking of God’s good gifts to his creatures. For the wicked, clearly have a multitude of God’s good gifts when we look at verses 4 through 12. Right? They enjoy all this earthly prosperity. They have good physical health till the end of their lives and not weak and sickly. Versus four and five. They have more material goods than heart could wish. Verse 7. They prosper in this world, in their business. They increase in their riches. As they get over, they seem to just continue to pile up the money. Verse 12 tells us this. However, when we look at the godly Asaph as a child of God, this doesn’t seem to be true of him. He finds himself plagued and chaston by God every day. of suffering, is a life of hardship. It seems like God’s good gifts are with the wicked more than with Asaph, as far as earthly gifts are concerned. He doesn’t have the good health of the ungodly. In verse 26, he says, my flesh and my heart faileth. Decating some type of health condition or plague that was upon him. He doesn’t have their excessive abundance of good. He’s not wealthy. So, first one is speaking about God’s good gifts to his creatures, the rest of the Psalm would prove that this goodness isn’t particular. Asaq claims it would be a contradiction. That’s not what he’s talking about. So God’s goodness regarding his earthly gifts isn’t the focus of this verse either. Well, let’s get to what is the focus of the verse tonight. and that is this. God’s goodness in this verse speaks of his gracious favor. As we read in Psalm 106 in verse 1, Oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good. How do we know he’s good? For his mercy, endureth forever. So that the goodness of God in this verse, Psalm 1061, is talking about God’s mercy to his people, how it’s never taken away. So when we look at Psalm 73, verse 1, we need to see it in light of this favor of God. The goodness of which Asaph refers then as God’s love, his grace, his favor, his blessing that is associated with salvation. God has a favorable, a gracious attitude toward his elect, regardless of the circumstances of their earthly life because you may have poor circumstances. You may not have all the good gifts that are of this world as you go through this life. You may indeed be poor. You may not have the abundance. You may not have the possessions that these wicked men have. The point is this, whether you have prosperity or adversity, whether you have health or sickness, whether you’re at ease, or whether you are distressed, God has a gracious purpose in it all for you as one of his children. If you’re a child of God, God is always gracious and favorable to you. This is the point that Asa wants to make. That God loves any person. That God bestows his favor upon that person. That he shows mercy to that person. That he bears with them is due to the goodness of his nature. If you would. I want you to turn with me to the book of Exodus Chapter 33. I want to look at a couple of passages of scripture in regard to this. I want this firmly fixed in our minds as we go through this Psalm so that we have a proper understanding of what he’s trying to say to us in this passage. But let’s start with Psalm 33 verses 17 to 19 for a moment. And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken, for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. What is going to? to do is because God’s grace is shown toward Moses. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee. And I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Now, skip over to chapter 34 and verses 6 and if you would. And here we read, and the Lord passed by before him and proclaim the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty. Visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the the children and upon the children’s children unto the third and fourth generation. Now, you’ll notice that God says he’s going to show all his goodness to Moses. He’s going to pass before him. He’s going to proclaim his name. The character of his person is going to be revealed to Moses. Now, it’s not a single attribute that God reveals. to Moses here, which God proclaimed and made known for verse 6 of chapter 34 tells us more about this. This list can be divided into two distinct aspects of God’s goodness. The first is the saving aspect of God’s goodness, encompassing his mercy, his grace, and his long suffering. And then the second aspect here is the judicial aspect of God’s goodness. goodness, encompassing his truth that he keeps his word. There is a goodness which reserves mercy for thousands, which forgives all iniquity, transgression, and sin. That is saving favor. There is a goodness which will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the father upon the children even to the fourth generation. This is his judicial goodness, which indicates that God is always just and fair. But it’s the first part of this that we see in Psalm 73-1. It is the gracious, saving favor of God, which Asaph refers to. Now look with me also to Psalm 34 and verse 8. Psalm 34 and verse 8. The psalmist writes here, oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. blessed is he that trusteth in him. Remember Peter references this verse in 1. Peter 2.3, and guess what he says. He says, if so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. So he interprets the word good in the New Testament as gracious to his people, which perhaps comes out in the fact that we would trust in him, and from that trusting in him, we would find mercy and grace. Look at Psalm 86 in verse 5, if you would. Where thou Lord are good, how do we know that? He’s ready to forgive, plenious in mercy unto all that call upon him. So the goodness here is saving goodness, saving favor. Look at Psalm 100 in verse 5, if you would with me. For the Lord is good. how do we know this? His mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations. He have the same two ideas. His favor, his saving favor, and also the fact that he’s a very just God. Then if you would, Psalm 106 in verse 1, you find the same phrase in 107, 1, 181, 118, 1, 118, 21, 1, and I can go on and on and on, and on. But here it is. Praise you the Lord, oh, give thanks of the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy, endureth forever. I’ve taken the time to point this out so that you realize I’m not making some obscure observation here in Psalm 73.1. This is a common way this word good or goodness is used in Scripture. And we need to understand. It’s used in a variety of ways. But in this particular way, I want us to see it being used. Now, let’s look at the New Testament, if you would. Let’s look at just three passages, and I’ll stop on this point. Romans 2.4. Or despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Augustine said God’s goodness most certainly leads to salvation, but only for the elect. Not a general goodness. But the idea here is if God shows you his goodness, it leads you to repentance. It’s interesting in 2. Peter 315. It says an account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation, those to whom he is long-suffering toward he brings the salvation. Look at Romans Chapter 11, if you would. Versus 22, and then I’ll back up the verse 20. Romans 11, 22. He says here, behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God. On them that fell severity, but on thee, toward thee, goodness. If you continue in his goodness, otherwise thou also shall be cut off. Verse 20. well, because of unbelief, they were broken off. And thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded but fear. This idea of faith indicates to us these people were saved. So that the goodness that’s spoken of here is the salvation of God. The severity is that he dealt with the Jews and their apostasy and cut them off. As you read the rest of the chapter, you find that this is the truth. 2. Thessalonians 1-11 says that God speaks of the good pleasure of his goodness. We read about the good pleasure of God. It’s connected in Ephesians, one with the salvation of the Lord. So in His goodness, God does good to the people who enjoy this favor. All his dealings with them are governed by his graciousness toward them. So when we look at Psalm 73-1, it’s not his essential goodness, not his judicial goodness, it’s not the goodness of his earthly gifts, but it is the goodness of His gracious favor that is in view. Let me draw some conclusions tonight as we close this study. I hope it wasn’t too tedious, but I wanted to make sure that we understood what’s being spoken above here. The first thing I suggest, just use this. The Old Testament saints face similar difficulties as you and I do. You should realize that we’re not living in a unique age with unique problems. They’re different than any other age. Do we look around us and see the wicked prospering? So did ASAF. Does it bother you? It bothered ASAF, too. You can’t read Psalm 73 without confessing, yeah, I too am troubled by what Asaph sees out here with regard to the wicked. Now, one of the great benefits of the Psalms is that you have godly men relating their experiences. Now, often these men spoke in a prophetic fashion, and they spoke of Christ, but his circumstances are similar to yours and ours, too, as the God man. So we shouldn’t set that aside as not being taught by the experience because Christ relates his personal experiences too and how he’s feeling and what’s going through his mind in these songs. But here we’re given sort of a window into ASAP’s mind. He tells you here what he’s thinking and he tells you about his doubts. He tells you about his difficulty. He tells you about the struggle. he had with regard to his faith. His real problem, and we’ll get to this later, is I don’t understand God’s providence. Something seems to be wrong. If God’s governing everything, why is it like this? He’s affected deeply in his spiritual life. He struggles to understand God’s ways. Don’t you struggle with something? Don’t you and I have similar problems? Are interesting in knowing how to cope with the same problem that ASAF cope with? Well, this is one of the reasons the Psalm is given to us. One of the reasons why New Testament believers need to study the Psalms carefully because they are very relevant to you and I. In some ways, I think the Psalms are even more relevant to the New Testament believer than the Old Testament believer. Remember, all scripture is given by inspiration of God is profitable. So here’s something we learn from the experience of these men. Secondly, Psalms often teach God’s truth. through the recital of these personal experiences. Now in the New Testament epistles, we have what I will call school-like instruction. We get to sit down at the feet of great teachers of Paul and Peter and John and these apostles. And they teach us what they have learned from Christ. And you feel like you’re sitting under this great teaching. Now, in the Psalms, it’s more like you’re talking with a friend, or he’s relating to you to use something about what he has gone through. It’s very practical. Sometimes when you’re battered and you’re beaten down, and that happens in the Christian life, it’s easier, it seems to me, to relate to the Psalms than some of these straightforward teaching. Sometimes you just, find it more comfortable, I think, to read the Psalms. It’s much easier to go to the Psalms and discover God’s truth in a more personal way as he relates to us, the experiences of his people that he has brought them through to teach them something. The inspired Psalms are God’s way of teaching you through the experience of others. Because these people know your frustrations. They sort of capture your own exact feelings. at times. This is true even when Christ, the God man, is the one who’s spoken about. Because he’s touched with the feelings of our infirmities too. The third thing here that I want to mention tonight. And this is the key point I think you’re going to see me emphasize in this song. Common grace is a myth. And it leads you to wrong thoughts about God. Yes. I know the confessions of the faith, and many of the church fathers talk about common grace. But all they meant by common grace is the good gifts of God, the earthly gifts of God, that are granted to his creatures, like the sunshine and the rain and good health and crop growth and multiplication of the flocks and the herds and material possessions and things of this nature. Yet this is a misnomerate. for God’s good gifts are far from being classified as his grace. He gives good gifts to the wicked here in Psalm 73, but he doesn’t give them his goodness, his favor. So what we’re answering here, and this is important, is there in God a favorable disposition or attitude of grace, mercy, mercy, and love? loving kindness of verse one, that he manifests to the reprobate ungodly man in the things of this life. That’s the question that I’m answering tonight. And I hope as we go along that this becomes clear. Now, hopefully by now you reach the point you realized biblically, and hopefully we’ll prove this even more clearly as we go along. The one that satisfies a perplex mind about this issue is an emphatic. No, it is not God’s favor and grace to them. If you think the prosperity and good health of the wicked is the result of God’s grace, you don’t understand Psalm 73. Your theology, you’re thinking about God is completely wrong, because you are putting every believer in the position of Asaph now. You’re causing them to think about abandoning the faith. For living the Christian life isn’t worth it if God’s favor and grace rest upon the reprobate wicked. This is how serious this matter really is. It’s not a minor issue of doctrine. He has great repercussions for the Christian life. And ASAP reveals this to us. And I hope as we go along, this becomes more obvious. Well, let us close with prayer tonight.