Why, Oh, Why, Oh, Why?

Read Psalm 73.

This is a psalm by Asaph, a Levite around the 10th century. To give you a quick overview of the chapter, it askes why the wicked prosper in life while the poor and righteous are oppressed. Doing some thinking, you can maybe see that it is in some way a form of punishment to the rich to know the most beautiful and joyful things in life only to lose it all into eternity. Now here are a few questions I want to ask...

Who are the wicked?

http://www.openbible.info/topics/rich

Since the rich and wicked often cohenside in Scripture, I'll talk about the rich in for this question.

An overview of the verses from the link show that the rich are not necessarily people who own the big beautiful homes, expensive jewlery, or such. They are the people who living in a sinful world are rich in the sins in it. People who lie, steal, have puffed up egos, and so on... I would venture to say that when the Bible talks about those who hoard or keep their riches (say James 5:1-3) are those who have failed to love their neighbors by ignoring their needs, and even their need for Christ. Pretty much rich people make everything else their god, is my undestanding. Check it out for yourself!

Why do the wicked prosper? What or where do the wicked go?

Check out verses 16 -19. We live in a fallen world, so that only means that when it comes to eternity, God will be the judge of what the wicked deserve for the life they lived. We can only trust God to bring them to justice for all they have done.


Now check out verses 13-17. I believe this is what the Psalmist is saying, "Why did I do everything for the Lord to keep my ways pure. Was it for nothing since the wicked have more than me? If I actually said this [outloud], I would have been a traitor to the godly people who live a life of contentment in the Lord. What would it had said about God? So I sought answers in God's sanctuary, and I finally understood why the wicked prosper."

I think from these verses, we see doubt, but determination not to give up hope in the Lord, especially when He has proven to be true to us at all times.

My last question is one I want you to prayfully consider and think about.

What other hope and desires is there in my life that can threaten or has taken the place of God in my heart? (v.25)

Make a list of everything you do in a day or even think about. We may not recognize it, but those small things can be eating us up if we are not giving them over to the Lord to be handled the way they should be handled. For example, I try to eat healthy. I don't see anything wrong with this. However, if I started to find my time was being used up on worrying or stressing how much I was eating, what I should be eating, or just putting so much effort into it that it consumed me that I could have a stomach ache just thinking about it, I probably should reconsider what my top priority is in life.

Let God be the top priority in your life. He will guide you through the rest of your life to do what is loving for him, yourself, and others.  Whom do we have in heaven, but him? And what does earth have for us anyway? Remember the last verse of the chapter, "But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do." Keep that in mind today. It exercises our faith, as well as our contentment in God. Being content with God, we will not desire what this world may offer for us. God bless and thank you for reading.