Psalms 73:3-12

Looking at Psalm 73, I want to begin reading with verse 3 and read through verse 12 of this Psalm with you tonight. Where I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked, for there are no bans in their deaths and their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men. Either are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain. Violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people, people return hither and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, how doth God know? And is their knowledge in the most high? Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world. They increase in riches. And God blessed to us, he is holy and sin. sacred word this evening. In Israel today, and among those in the Jewish community, you will often hear the word shalom used. It’s commonly used as a greeting as well as a farewell or a goodbye. The Hebrew word shalom refers to wellness, happiness, welfare, health, prosperity, peace, these kinds of things. Now, it is this word shalom that is used in translated prosperity in verse 3 and verse 12 here in our text. The word is used generally to speak of one’s physical well-being and material well-being, which is what ASAF means here. Now, if you go through the scripture and you see how this word shalom is used, it’s interesting. I’ll give you a few examples. When Jacob is fleeing Esau and he’s going to his uncle Laban’s house, when he finds the shepherds in the fields, close to Laban’s house, he asks them about his uncle Laban’s well-being. Is he well? He used the word shalom. And they answer, he is well, using the word shalom. How does he prosper? He’s doing well. In the book of Genesis in chapter 43, when Joseph’s brothers come down to Egypt, the by grain. And Joseph is unknown to them at the time. And he sort of takes advantage of that by asking them questions in which they have to give an answer, and then he pins them down on it. And one of the things he asked is, is your father well? And then he asked about their welfare. Well and welfare are both shalom. And they respond, Like servant, our father is in good health. So the word shalom there is taken as, well, he’s in good health. He’s in good health. He’s prosper. He’s doing well. In 2 Kings 9, King Johoram is inquiring about his army command. or Jhu is coming after, you know, coming toward him with this group of chariots. And he’s worried about why they’re coming. And he asks if they are a hostile force or a peaceful force. And the question is, is it peace? He sends the messenger out, is it peace, Jahou? And Juh responds, what have you to do with peace? The word shalom is used there. So the idea is the idea. wellness, peace, good health. These are the things that you find in scripture regarding that. Now in Christian circles, in believing circles, the word shalom is elevated. It takes on something beyond the general well-being of someone as to their spiritual well-being. Do you prosper spiritually? Are you in spiritual health? Are you doing well spiritually? These are the kinds of things that we see like Paul using the word peace in the New Testament. And when we see it, you refer to, even when it’s referring to like an Old Testament passage, it will use that term. And that’s the same kind of idea. But he’s using it in a different higher level, higher context. However, Psalm 73, focus. upon here the earthly prosperity, peace, health, and so forth of the wicked. And what he’s talking about when he uses the word prosperity is taken up in verses 412. And we’ll be looking at that tonight. Now, ASAP is troubled. Psalm 73 opens with his bedrock conclusion, his belief, his belief, that this is indeed what God teaches in his word after considerable careful consideration when he talks about the prosperity of the wicked he talks about the fact that the true conclusion is this that God is good to Israel even to such as are our clean heart. It is what scripture teaches, as he will relate to us in verses 16 and 17 of this chapter. However, ASAF struggles with God’s providence appearing to be at odds with God’s work. He cannot understand God’s ways. And he’s perplexed because it seems that God’s favor, God’s grace, God’s blessing, rest upon the wicked. Now, he’s led to a different conclusion, but at first that’s what he thinks. And God appears to treat. the righteous as his enemies and the wicked is his friends. We see that here. He prospers the wicked. Asaph has come close to abandoning his faith. We saw that in verse 2. Over this matter, and he envies the wicked, he tells us. Now, we said last week in our closing that we shouldn’t envy the wicked. We should pity the wicked. We should pity wicked because they are headed to utter destruction without any restraint without any check why they don’t even have a speed bump you know to slow them down they’re heading full tilt for destruction and God lets them go on as at that at that without any deterrent so I want to talk about the prosperity of the weekend now you have here a description of the prospect of the wicked. And one of the things he says here is they die peaceably. Verse four, where there are no bans in their death, but their strength is firm. Now, normally we would expect the wicked would be troubled when confined with death. And we have to understand here that ASAF is not saying this is the case for all the wicked. What amazes ASAP is that the worst of the wicked that he’s familiar with, the ones he sees, seem to be granted a quiet death, at least sometimes this seems to be the case. Bands here refers to some type of restriction, like you would bind somebody, tie them up in some way, confine them in some man. They don’t have any pains, weakness, or sickness that would let’s say. they confine them to their beds. The sick bed. Their strength is firm, he says. The wicked remain vigorous and strong. He says, I see it until they die. In contrast to this, the righteous are often much afflick. Much anguish goes through their lives when they’re dealing with death at times. And they may be sick and weak and bedridden before death. You know, Elisha was laid up in bed before he died, as the Old Testament tells us. People often think that a quiet death means a glorious afterlife. But that’s not always true. The most wicked can be given a very peaceful death by God, and we see it here in this text. And this troubles ASAP. It troubles him. They die, peace. They have a trouble-free life. Notice verse 5 here. They are not in trouble as other men. Neither are they plagued like other men. They don’t have to worry, it seems, where the next meal is going to come from for their children. Or what clothing they need to buy for their children. It’s like they have plenty. These evil men are far from poverty. They’re free. from disease and exempt from the common miseries which hound most people as they go through this life. You talk about having it easy. That’s what he’s saying in this. He sees that they just have an easy life. Neither are they plagued like other men. Fierce trials do not assail them. They seem to be free from distress. Now, Asaph says I’m plagued every day. I’m chasing every morning, he tells us this chapter. But they are not. These wicked man appear to have a carefree life. scarcely have to earn their bread by the sweat of their brow. Everything just comes very easily to them. They don’t smart under any divine rod, chasing them, smiting them. So they sail through life without encountering any rough seas, it seems. Just the opposite of Asaph. verse 14, which is downright baffling to him. They have a trouble of free life. They have more than heart could wish. Verse 7. Their eyes stand out with fatness. They have more than heart could wish. And then jump down to verse 12. Behold, these are the wicked who prosper in the world. They increase in riches. Their eyes stand out with fatness. In cases of obesity, sometimes the eyes will be protruding from the person. And that seems to be. be the illusion here. They have so much fatness, so the speak, that their eyes are protruding. It’s a sign they’re engorged so much with riches and prosperity and everything else. They don’t need anything more. They couldn’t eat anymore. They would burst, so to speak. They have more than heart could wish. Their abundance exceeds their wildest imaginations. Every woman theirs is completely satisfied. Whatever they want they can get. And still, their abundance grows. It’s limitless. They increase in riches. And verse 12, it’s interesting, he says, behold, look at this. See this. Consider this. Isn’t this amazing? It’s a great mystery. And a massive stumbling block to God’s people that the wicked prospered increase in riches. And we don’t. these are the ungodly he says in verse 12 how is it that the unjust are rewarded? How is it that they are indulged completely and continually throughout this life? They increase in riches. They heap up riches like Joseph heaped up the ears of corn in Egypt until they have so much they can’t count at all. No bad habits. No bad debts come down upon that caused them to lose their money. No bankruptcies to diminish the riches they have. So their wealth just grows by leaves and bounds. It’s like it’s effortless. Again, ASAP isn’t saying this is the case for all the wicked. But for the ones he observes in his day, it certainly is true. So they have a description of the prosperity of the wicked. They die peaceably. They have a trouble-free life. They have more than heart could wish. That sounds pretty positive. Secondly, you see the evil effect this earthly prosperity has upon them. Now notice he says here they’re full of pride. Verse 6. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain. The wicked wear pride like an ornament, like a gold chain, around their neck. Pride is not beautiful, of course, these people think it is. The more liberally the Lord deals with the wicked, the more puffed up with pride they become. And they display it boldly. They don’t have a humble bone in their body. And thus being lifted up with pride here, they’re going to fall into the condemnation of the devil. Eventually. They’re brought down to destruction. They’re like the Nebuchadnezzar that we read about in the book of Daniel who looks over the kingdom of Babylon, this great Babylon that I’ve built, look what I’ve done. That’s how they’re looking at these things. They’re full of themselves because of their earthly success. Their wealth, their prosperity, their possessions, their achievements, their lifestyle, their fame, and their power. They’re full of pride. Full of pride. Of course, pride goes before the fall. And such a spirit also before destruction. But they also engage here in violence. They’re full of pride. In the last part of verse 6 says, violence cover them as a garment. They wear pride. They’re so proud and they act because of that violently toward other people. That it’s almost as if their whole character is covered by this violence. It’s so much part. of them, that they’re clothed with violence. Again, it’s publicly displayed. They bully. They browbeat people as if they had a license to run a ride roughshod over everybody around them. They are oppressors. They are persecutors of others. Ruthless in their dealings with others. The psalmist speaks of him that loveth violence. Psalm 11.5. That fits them. They love it. They love what they can do. How they can put people down. They love to engage in violent acts against others. They delight in forcibly carrying out their will. You know, scripture talks about those who remove landmarks. They violently take away flocks. Just take them from people. just as Job’s enemies came up and they took away all his flocks in one day. They just come and take them. Abraham, remember, reproved Abimelech, for his servants violently took away a well of water that his servants, Abraham’s servants and dug. They just forcibly just took it away from them. David was violently hunted down by King Saul, who was, intent on putting David to death. King Ahab wanted Nabos vineyard and violently took it away from him. There was a lie told about him that he had blasphemed God and the king and he was put to death and he just stole his vineyard because he wanted it. Jezebel, of course, was the instigator, but he’s the one that wanted it and he got it. Heyman thought nothing of slaughting all the Jews. in the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, this vast kingdom, nothing to him. Because Mordecai wouldn’t bow down before him. Saul in the New Testament violently breathed out slaughter, we’re told, toward the people of God, having them beaten in prison and put to death. This is the type of person that Asaph is speaking of here in this passage. They engage in violence. They have to be violent. corrupt speech. Now let’s look at verses 8, 9, and 11. They are corrupt and speak wickedly covering oppression, or concerning oppression, and speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily. They speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walketh through the earth. And then verse 11. And they say, how does God know? Is their knowledge in the most high? Now, no doubt, in themselves, they are certainly corrupt and full of depravity. However, this is not the normal Hebrew word that is used for corruption. The root of this word corrupt means to scoff, mock, jeer, or blasphy. Therefore, it seems to refer to a corrupt speech, which sort of, if you look through the rest of the passage here, that seems what he’s talking about. What Paul calls corrupt communication, that’s not to proceed out of the mouth of the Christian. Well, it proceeds out of the mouth of the wicked, as we see here. They use threatening and terrifying words which cause people to melt or wilt. before them. By their speech, they suggest favor and argue for the oppression of others. They incite it. You know, we have people that are marching in our streets in our country, and there are people inciting violence. They’re inciting this by their speech. They promote it. They want it to occur. They speak loftily as if they’re on high as if they are maybe some type of judge over the rest of the people and that everybody ought to listen to what they have to say. They set their mouth against the heavens in verse 20. And A tells us or excuse me verse, I’m not sure what verse it is, I’m sorry. But they set their mouth against the heavens against God and self. They aim their blasphemies against the Lord. And so we see that these people are very wicked and corrupt. It’s verse 9 that I’m thinking of here. They make light of eternal things. They mock at religion. They declare that there is really not a God and they rail against God and we think about Pharaoh. In the Old Testament, when Moses and Aaron come and say, let’s say, the Lord God, let my people go. And what does Pharaoh say? Who is the Lord that I shall obey his voice and let Israel go? I will, I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. Who is he, you know, I don’t know this God. I’m not going to, I don’t obey him. Sinaccharit, who had the Israelites surrounded, remember it in Jerusalem. and was telling them there’s no hope on fighting against me. Don’t think that Azachai can save you by telling you to trust in your God and your God is going to reach out and have mercy upon it. Nobody’s delivered. None of the other gods have delivered their people. That the hand of the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand. It’s not going to happen. Remember Nebuchadnezzar in dealing with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendigo, and he says, when you hear the music, you better bow down and you better worship before my golden image because if you don’t, I’m going to throw you in my fiery furnace and you’ll be burnt to a crisp and who is that God will deliver you out of my hands? I don’t care what God you worship. He can’t deliver you from my hand. The arrogance of these people. This is the kind of attitude they have. Notice you’re giving an example of their blasphemous speech here in verse 11. They think there’s no one really observing all the oppressions and all the violence and all the persecutions to hold them accountable. And if there is a so-called God in heaven, he doesn’t know what’s happening on the earth, he’s not omniscient. Is there knowledge in the most high? God knows nothing about what’s taking place down here. Similar to what we find in the book of Job chapter 22, verse 14, how does God know? Can he judge through the dark cloud? The clouds are covering to him, that he seeth not, and he walketh in the circuit of heaven. He’s up there in heaven, but he can’t see down through the dark clouds, and he can’t see what’s going on down here. That’s what the wicked said. Similar thought here in our text. These corrupt people also speak against the people of God. You’ll notice verse 9, the second part, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Their tongues plow through every corner of the land. Far and near. Spare none with their abusive language. This reminds me of what we read in the book of Job. Like Satan, their tongues walk to and throw throughout all the earth, doing all kinds of iniquity and mischief. One can only imagine what corrupt and ridicule corruption and contempt and ridicule they poured out on the godly. Corrupt speech. And then they caused people to stumble. Verse 10. Therefore, his people return hither and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. It’s not easy to determine in this verse to whom the words his people actually refer. Some refer his people to the people of the company of the wicked because they find earthly advantages associated with going along with the wicked. Some people understand his people to refer to the professing people of God who observe the trouble associated with the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked and become apostates join in with the wicked. So basically both lead to the same thing. A group of people joining with the wicked because of the prosperity that they’re enjoyed. I’m inclined more toward the second view because of the rest of the verse. These people were only the people God by perfection. they don’t have a clean heart who observing the prosperity or wicked abandon the good ways of God in which outwardly they were pursuing at one point and they returned back to the world join themselves to the wicked that is described in our text. These are professors who are like as Peter talks about the dog returning to his vomit. Peter says this in 2. Peter 2.21 and 22. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it deterred from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them. But it’s happened under them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his vomit again and the sile that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. And so it’s this kind of, I think, thing that the prophet is speaking of here under inspiration. There are people that are now being influenced by the prosperity of the wicked and it’s not a good influence. Having abandoned the faith, having rejoined the company of the wicked, immediately we read here in the last part of verse 10 that they enjoy earthly benefits. We find here that they have the waters of a full cup wrung out to them. They got plenty coming in. That seems to be the truth. Their cup overruns. David Dixon, in his commentary on the Psalm, I think, is correct in his statement here. The prospery to the wicked and they’re thriving in an ill course and snare many inconsiderate people, even members of the visible church, and move them to follow of the evil ways of the openly wicked and to make defection from their own professed duties. Note that it’s these apostates who are joined to the wicked, who seem to be the ones that say the blasphemous words in verse 11. In other words, their speech just copies the rest of the speech of the wicked, but they could be the ones that he’s referring to in verse 11 in particular that blasphemed God with these words. So you see the prosperity and the evil effect this prosperity has upon them. Now let me make three practical observations from the text tonight. The first is this. You find the scriptural account of the natural man is never flattering. those described here are people who do not have a clean heart or they would be included in verse 1 in that group of people but they are described here as the wicked and they are described as the ungodly. The natural man is totally depraved so that every part of his being is filled with wickedness. In other words not only are his actions wicked but his speech his thoughts his motives his desires his mind his will his affections all these things are corrupt evil depraved every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil continued abominable and filthy as man which drinketh iniquity as water Job says Job 15 16 the wicked are described here in Psalm 73 are those of course who are unchecked by God so they don’t have any restrictions upon them so their wickedness grows by leaps and bounds but all these evil principles that we see in verses 4 to 12 are also in all the wicked men of this world all the ungodly it’s just that they’re not fully developed yet in all the ungodly and when circumstances come out and They will be developed for it. They’re there. They’re present, but as they get opportunity, they will develop. These people, being unrestrained, develop it right away. They have full development of the wickedness of their own heart. When my daughter, Sarah, had engagement photos taken, she was wearing braces at the time to straighten her teeth. And so because of the braces were unflattering the photographer said don’t worry how airbrush the braces out so we have a picture of Sarah at home and she’s smiling this nice smile and no braces on her teeth with her fiance at the time so her teeth looked great her appearance though as she is portrayed in that picture is much different and there was in reality. There are those who would like to clean up man’s image from that which we find portrayed in the scriptures. They want to airbrush the bad stuff away. And then we’re told that man is capable doing good, that he can choose good over evil, that he can do things pleasing to God and so forth and so on. It’s all a lie. It’s all a lie. You want to know what natural man is like. Just read verses 4 to 12. That’s what natural man is actually like. Oliver Cornwell, when he was Prime Minister, was having his portrait painted. I like what he told the artist, paint me warts and all. Don’t, you know, don’t paint out the warts. Don’t hide them. Well, the scripture reveals a true picture. of man and it doesn’t hide any of the warts. We get the full picture. It’s very unflattering. Man is depraved. The second thing, you find God fattening the wicked for slaughter. Here. God prospers the wicked. The earthly prosperity that the ungodly in joy doesn’t come accidentally. It doesn’t come by chance. to them, nor is the prosperity that we could do to their hard work or their shrewdness in business or anything of this nature. Ultimately, their prosperity is God’s doing. He has provided for it, for his own wise ends. He worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Ephesians 111. The Lord makeeth poor, he maketh rich, he bringeth low, and he lifteth up, 1st Samuel 2. 7. Asaph certainly believes this. He believes that God has prospered the wicked. And that’s why he’s so upset. It’s God who arranges all the circumstances of the lives of the wicked. We cannot deny that. So God gives them a life of ease and prosperity. He gives them good health. He sees the fit to let them die in tranquility. So he prospers the wicked. Now, what is God’s purpose in prospering the wicked? Why is it that their eyes stand out with fatness and they have more than heart could wish? Well, God reveals his purpose in verse 18 of this chapter when he says thou did set them in slippery places. Thou casteth them down into destruction. Thou did set them. You placed them in this position. And why did you place them in this position to bring about their destruction? He’s the one that gave them a piece. death, fat bellies, trouble-free lives, abundant riches and possessions for the purpose of their destruction. You know, a cattle rancher will take good care of his animals because he wishes to fatten them up. Before he sells them to the slaughterhouse, he wants them to have as much beef on them as possible. So he doesn’t want scrawny cows or scrawny bulls or calves or whatever the case may be. They want them nice and plump. God is fattening the wicked for the slaughter. There’s an interesting passage of scripture in the book of Zachariah chapter 11, where Christ is told in that chapter, feed the flock of slaughter. Feed the flock that I have determined is going to go to the slaughter. And then later on in that chapter we read here about his response. Christ’s response, I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you owe poor the flock. In other words, even for the sake of those who are the elect among the flock, I will feed the flock for slaughter. Now here he’s talking about preaching to them. But why does he preach to them? some because they’re being ripened for the judgment, but for the poor of the flock, and he came to preach the gospel to the poor, they will hear and heed for the most part. They will be the ones who are the elect among the nation of Israel, that Christ comes to preach to an interesting passage for one to study there in Zachariah, Chapter 11. The vine fattening of the wicked is God prospering them for slaughter. They are people prepared by God for destruction. So you find God fattenes the wicked for slaughter. The last thing I want to mention is this. You find what is classified as common grace, a strange grace. Many teach the prosperity of the wicked is God’s grace to them, his common grace to them, that he is showing some type of favor toward the wicked. How is it that such a grace of God would affect you such that when you receive it, you become worse and not better? Does the Bible reveal a grace of God that does not make a man a wit better? Doesn’t lead to holiness of life? Does it make us a person that’s delivered from sin? How is it the grace of God that a person could receive increases wickedness in the person? That it makes a person openly proud and blasphemous and defiant an enemy of God. Some grace that is. It’s not biblical grace. God’s grace is always saving grace, which changes you for the better. I want you to look with me at an interesting passage in Titus chapter 2 in verses 11 and 12 as we close tonight. The book of Titus chapter 2 verses 11 and 12 For the grace of God that bring us salvation hath appear to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Now let me draw a couple points here from this text. The grace of God that brings salvation. Is there a grace of God that doesn’t bring salvation? And my answer is no. It brings salvation. And what else? He says it’s appeared to all men. Now here he means all sorts or all kinds of men. You will notice in the earlier part of this chapter, he is speaking here of those who are aged men and women, young men and women, servants and masters, and so forth, he’s saying, all of these have been touched by the grace of God. It’s appeared under them. It’s brought salvation to them. And then he says something else here. He says, teaching us, the grace of God, and teaches you something. It teaches you to deny ungodliness and worldly lust. It teaches you to live. soberly, righteousness, and godly in the present world. If it doesn’t do that, it’s not grace. That’s what I’m arguing tonight. The Hebrew word for prosperity is the common word used by Jews when they gather together. Shalom. It refers to the wellness, the happiness, the health, the welfare, the prosperity, the peace that people have in this life. The prosperity of the wicked verse 3, carries this same idea. But it does not refer here to God’s favor. It doesn’t refer to God’s grace. Read verses 4 to 12 carefully. Is there anything about grace or favor in there? It’s all earthly. It should be clear by now that the wicked do not enjoy the grace, the favor, the mercy of God’s goodness. It’s reserved for the elect. Let us close with a word of prayer tonight.