3. This is What the Bible Tells Us Over and Over Again…  Psa. 34:8: 8 Oh, taste and see that the L ORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!  Psa. 100:5: 5 For the L ORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.  Psa. 145:9: 9 The L ORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.  Lam. 3:25: 25 The L ORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.  Nah. 1:7: 7 The L ORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.

4. A Psalm of Asaph

5. Outline - Asaph’s Trial & Deliverance  He begins his account with a sacred principle, which he held fast, and by the help of which he kept his ground and carried his point. (vs. 1)  How he got into temptation (vs. 2-14)  How he got out of the temptation and gained a victory over it. (vs. 15-20)  How he got by the temptation and was the better for it. (Vs. 21-28) Matthew Henry’s Introduction

6. God Is Good To The Pure In Heart…  A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had well nigh slipped. (Psalms 73:1-2 RSV)

7. The Prosperity of the Wicked…  For I was envious of the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For they have no pangs; their bodies are sound and sleek. They are not in trouble as other men are; they are not stricken like other men. Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. (Psalms 73:3-6 RSV)

8. The Wicked Seem to Have no Troubles…  Their eyes swell out with fatness, their hearts overflow with follies. They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. Therefore the people turn and praise them; and find no fault in them. (Psalms 73:7-10 RSV)

9. Have I Served God In Vain?  And they say, "How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?" Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken, and chastened every morning. (Psalms 73:11-14 RSV)

10. My Perspective Changed…  If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have been untrue to the generation of thy children. But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end. Truly thou dost set them in slippery places; thou dost make them fall to ruin. (Psalms 73:15-18 RSV)

11. I Remembered Their End…  How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes, on awaking you despise their phantoms. When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was stupid and ignorant, I was like a beast toward thee. (Psalms 73:19-22 RSV)

12. I Will Cling To God!  Nevertheless I am continually with thee; thou dost hold my right hand. Thou dost guide me with thy counsel, and afterward thou wilt receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. (Psalms 73:23-26 RSV)

13. It Is Good To Be Near God!  For lo, those who are far from thee shall perish; thou dost put an end to those who are false to thee. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all thy works. (Psalms 73:27-28 RSV)

14. The Solution of this Great Problem!  Why should good men suffer, and bad men prosper, when the Law has said that God is a righteous Judge, meting out to men on this world the due recompense of their deeds?  Asaph found the solution in the light of God’s presence (vs. 17)  The prosperity of the wicked will come to a sudden end (vs. 18-20)  Communion with God is the realization of our highest destiny, not any unknown good. (vs. 23- 28)

15. What Asaph Did In Worship…  He confessed his sins and shortcomings Worship dissolved false pride and brought about a penitent spirit Momentarily, he had allowed the world to get the best of him. Now he confesses he was envious and bitter  He renewed and deepened his conviction Psa. 73:24-26 He realized and believed more than ever that God’s counsel guides, God’s presence assures, God’s power supports!  He recognized his obligation and opportunity Before, with only a worldly view, he realized the negative impact of expressing his feelings Psa. 73:15 Now, penitent, committed, and trustful, he has much to say Psa. 73:28 The worldly and wicked are on the brink of disaster. Shouldn’t we say something to them about the Lord?

16. Sources  The Ultimate Bible Outline Book – Compiled by John Hunt  The Pulpit Commentary on the Psalms  Understanding the Prosperity of the Wicked Outline by David A. Banning  The Treasury of David by Charles H. Spurgeon  Psalm 73 Commentary by Kevin Kay