psalm 73 sermon illustrationpsalm 73 sermon illustration
Psalm 50:1-5 A psalm of Asaph. Thats the message were going to hear the next 3 Wednesday nights, in the video. end). He said in :3, For I was envious of the arrogant He said the wicked in his land seemed to prosper, and he was jealous of them. Verse 25-26. Baptist, So there I am. Psalm 73:1-3, Tags: "God is good to the pure in heart'? According to verse 7, their hearts overflow with conceit. Sep 11, 2018. Why We Need the Psalms of Lament Dane C. Ortlund. What do you do when with your theology clashes with reality? It is this asseveration of divine justice that is severely tested in verses 2-27 and marvelously reaffirmed in verse 28, which, as we have noted above, forms an inclusio with verse 1. The answer is that these verses serve as a rhetorical foil for the passionate protest that follows in verses 13-14. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance He goes on to describe their situation: They simply assert that God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth (Gen 14:19), is totally oblivious to what happens on earth. The first correction concerns the fate of the wicked in verses 18-20, which is introduced with the emphatic particle surely. In somber language he describes at length what was already introduced in summary fashion in Psalm 1:6b.34 Unlike Psalm 1:6b, however, God is directly involved in their destruction. As Brueggemann rightly notes, this summary is not a condemnation of the wicked. My feet nearly *slipped and I almost fell over. God is NOT insane; it IS worth it to serve Him, literally no matter what the cost. III. God is on trial in this lament psalm, but ironically, the psalmist functions more as the defense attorney than the prosecuting attorney. Relationship To God, Great Expectations, Denomination: However, in verse 28a, which is introduced with the final emphatic phrase but, as for me (weani), good is defined, not in terms of property or prosperity, but Gods presence: But, as for me, the nearness of God (is) good to me!55 What a sharp contrast this new perception forms with the emphatic I in verse 2! More recently, Craig C. Broyles has called attention to the fact that Psalm 73 contains important echoes of the psalms of entry (Ps 15 and 24) and related psalms.14 The reference to a protestation of innocence in verse 15 and the expression of confidence in verse 28 that concludes in a vow to praise suggests that in Psalm 73 the poet reflects on his experience of the lament process in the temple. There he was reminded of God's attributes, character and power. Asaph paused to realize that his decisions will have ripple effects on others. Verses 17b-19 show us that Asaph was now seeing things differently. Envy had poisoned him and had powerful effects on him. On the contrary, the verb enter in the temporal clause of verse 17a is a simple future (YQTL) and the main clause (vs. 17b) is a cohortative.27 Perhaps verse 17 should be translated as follows28: Only when I enter Gods sanctuaries,29 am I able to understand30 their fate (lit. Cars, people, and local shops were splattered with whale entrails. Message. If Asaph had lived our century instead of his own, he might have been looking at the life of Hugh Hefner. They do not deny Gods existence. Because He had had thousands of children burned in His pits? Hah." Because God has showed me that things are going to end differently than they are right now. And for all eternity, we will know that was worth it all, in the end, to serve God, no matter what we suffered here on this earth. Then he asked in 13:24 Why do You hide Your face and consider me Your enemy? They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like mankind. There are a million of these kinds of questions. Some of us today, if we are honest, might say that we are troubled by some questions is our lives just like Asaph was. This turning point consists of two important observations.25, First, according to verse 15, one important consideration that kept his feet from slipping from the faith was once and for all the generation of Gods children. Sometimes questioning and doubt is due to sin. The second correction in verses 21-22 concerns the poet himself. I would urge you to follow his example, tracing the results your words and actions have on your family, friends, lost acquaintances, and church. Envy means "I want what you have." If it is, then just eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may die. If this life is all there is, then it may not be worth it to serve God, because there are people who sin, and cheat, and steal, and seem to get away with it while people who obey God sometimes suffer. Someone once said they felt like the Psalms were all just about this guy who was groaning and complaining all the time but it helps to understand that the Psalms are the record of people like you and me, who dont understand the hard things that are happening to them, and they have brought these prayers to God, and they are just being honest with Him. It's not fair.". It should be noted that the psalmists sobering moment begins, not in isolation, but as a member of a larger community to which he is accountable.26. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. (This is) a psalm of *Asaph. An important step in this process is the recognition of the psalmists strident critique of the economic underpinnings of society in verses 4-11. There is a lesson we know as YOUNG CHICKEN LITTLE I have read how YOUNG CHICKEN LITTLE throws his whole small town into a great panic CHICKEN LITTLE CLAIMED THE SKY WAS FALLING IN This must be the end of the world. Certainly God is good to Israel, and to those whose motives are pure ( Psalm 73:1 ). How did he get away with this, year after year? Dec 4, 1988. "God I'm so angry! That rich man lived in luxury, and wouldnt even give the crumbs from his table to poor Lazarus; and there was that poor man, covered with sores, starving. Traffic was brought to a halt for hours. In the midst of suffering believers often feel cheated and begin to question and doubt Gods goodness. My God, my God; why have You forsaken me? Like David in Psalm 22 it seemed to me a wearisome task. The section as a whole concludes with a summary statement in verse 12, a verse in which the term wicked is repeated from verse 3 and the phrase at ease (NRSV; cf. Asaph takes his raw deal to the right place and finds out that he didn't have it bad after all. Why do I serve in ministry, week after week, but it doesnt seem like it is doing any good, and no one is responding or changing? Read Online Responsorial Psalms For Funeral Liturgy Pdf For Free A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don't Plan to Die Common Worship: Pastoral Services The 1928 Book of Common Prayer Funeral Hymns Holy Bible Common Worship: Times and Seasons President's EditionContinuing Bonds How God guides The Moon by Night Elegy in a country church yard, on the evening of a funeral. As the truck crawled through that downtown region, with crowds looking on, the whale exploded. You examples are superb. C. A Significant Turning Point (vv. Intro: One day, six blind men decided to go to the zoo.They hired a guide to tell them about all the exotic animals they couldn't see. On January 17, 2004, a 66-ton whale died and was beached on the southwestern coast of Taiwan, near the city of Tainan. Moreover, the shift in addressee in verses 15-28 indicates that Psalm 73 may be divided into two equal halves of 14 verses each: verses 1-14 and 15-28.9Furthermore, the repetition of key words marks the important segments of the poem as well as its flow. Why do I cry by day and You do not answer, and by night, but I have no rest? It has all turned around, so suddenly. by Carl Bosma. Dont turn FROM God in your questions, turn TO Him. 6, 10). History is not going to end with secular humanism on the throne. Asaph was getting more and more into despair and perhaps wondering walking by faith was worth it, but all this changed when he changed his focus. You have yours; I have mine; Asaph said he had his and he said he almost gave up because of them. Glorification also refers to our elevation to an exalted state in eternity. 2. I don't know how it started. In the midst of suffering believers often feel cheated and begin to question and doubt God's goodness. Anybody here know what I'm talking about? They have no trouble; they succeed at everything they do; they are so well off they are bulging with fatness; and are at ease and have increased in wealth. I thought you reap what you sow! How to Live with God as Your Portion By Kristine Brown . Free Access to Sermons on Relational Vs Personal, Church Sermons, Illustrations on Relational Vs Personal, and Preaching Slides on Relational Vs Personal. Surely You place them on slippery ground; You cast them down to ruin. Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. But her sophomore year, she suffered a knee injury that took her out for some time. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. It is going to end differently. How many rash words and unsifted actions have we wished to take back because of the negative consequences they brought about? Have you ever been betrayed? Still others assert that it is a wisdom psalm, similar to Psalm 49. As long as Asaph tried to reason his way out of his troubled perception apart from God, he would hit his head against the wall. He said, I was so foolish for almost giving in to these questions, and almost giving up my faith. The author of Psalm 73, Asaph, was almost like Elie Wiesel. God allowed Satan to test Job. As we start in verse one, he's going to tell us about his experience looking around the world and also his beliefs. Asaph realized that "the world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." He says God is good; I know that . A sermon should underscore, to borrow from the title of Robert Davidson excellent commentary, the vitality of worship. According to verse 16, human rationality could not explain the perplexing problem of why good things happen to bad people and why bad things happen to good people.62 Only the communal experience (vs. 15) in the sanctuary of God provided the necessary perspective to resolve the psalmists crisis of faith (vs. 17). See, what we have to remember is that this life is not all there is. This God-inspired worship leader is ready to walk away. Or: I have always tried to do the right thing, and not drink, or smoke, or do drugs, but I have all these health problems; while people I know who dont care, but go and do whatever they want are totally healthy and able-bodied. Im sitting on the couchwith my eyes closedattempting to nap. Psalm 25:1-12 God Of New Beginnings. These godless people, they live on easy street! Is it really worth it to serve God? WHERE YOU STAND DETERMINES WHAT YOU SEE!. That is so important. He lost his son on the mission field, and he was asking, Is God insane for asking His people to make sacrifices like that? Gods NOT insane; but these kinds of questions are real, and difficult.). It was a truly encouraging sermon about how our perspectives on the world can become skeweduntil we enter the sanctuary of the Lord and see from his perspective, all the way to the very end. But based on its strong affirmations of trust (Psalms 73:1; Psalms 73:17-20; Psalms 73:23-28), it can also be classified as a psalm of trust." [Note: Bullock, p. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. The opening statement God is good echoes Psalm 25:8 and 34:8 and the phrase pure in heart recalls Psalm 24:4. Asaph went to "church." Charles Haddon . Her senior year she was having a great season, when in the first half of a game, she blew out her knee again, ending her career at OU. Sermon. Those who draw near -who come in the true spirit of sacrifice, and with the only available offering, the Lord Jesus, shall be finally saved; therefore, it is good for them. He was one of the great worship leaders in the OT. From a canonical perspective Walter Brueggemann4 and J. Clinton McCann5 have argued that Psalm 73 stands at the theological center of the Psalter. read more, Scripture: That poor man was carried away to eternal comfort, but the rich man found himself in agony in this flame. It is just as Psalm 73 says: You cast them down to destruction, How they are destroyed in a moment. Close Filters Scripture . So when Asaph got this revelation from God, he said Oh, Ive been so foolish. He said in :22, I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You, God. They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors.. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen ( Psalm 72:18-19, ending Book 2). God is the Christian's inheritance as the rest of his soul. Denomination: Methodist. He says, there are wicked people in the world, whom you would THINK God would be punishing, but instead they are not only not being punished, they are succeeding; they are prospering. 2 From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance. And he doesn't keep the cause of his troubles a secret. Who did you in financially? They do not need God. Tension and struggle flow like lava from a volcano in Psalm 73. Psalm 73:28. But she had great character; she worked hard and came back, and was an inspiration to many. He did what Job did. 5. Psalms 73:20. Those who are far from You will perish; You destroy all who are unfaithful to You. God has SO much to say to us and so many of us are getting so much out of His word every day. Reorientation with Respect to Gods Presence (vv. It doesnt seem to pay? But in the act of prayer I enter as it were into His presence. Listen to his words in v. 16-17: "When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny." Reminder: You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. In either case, questioning and doubts are not virtues, as some have suggested.60 Ultimately, the truth is that continuous questioning and doubt destroys human relationships. We'll be back to it some day. In v. 2, he says, "But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my steps nearly went astray." The admission that his feet almost slipped suggests that perhaps the law of God was not in his heart (Ps 37:30). (LogOut/ Most of us can probably think of a time we were glad we DIDNT say or do something I remember one time I wrote a comment on Facebook that really tore into someone but I just hit the delete key instead and wiped the whole thing out. (1 John 2:17) God completely controls their destiny, not them. It's remarkable how inefficient these actions are. Psalms 73. In Job 29-31, this broken man struggles with the raw deal he received. Jobs questioning and doubt is a case in point. The NIV and the NRSV translate this verse in the past tense and read it with the preceding verse. Yet most people today have never heard of John Gill. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. Anger/Bitterness (Tie) In light of the verses that follow, good could be taken to refer to material goods (cf. Thats a good word for some of us. He starts out saying, "God is indeed good to Israel, to the pure at heart. Sometimes, however, questions and doubt are not directly the result of sin. He was fired from his company, kicked off of the Hollywood Academy, his wife left him, and criminal charges are being investigated. I don't understand what is happening or why! They wear a power-hungry, cutthroat, cynical attitude like a coat. Like Asaph, come into the sanctuary of God.. Moreover, it is important to remind them that the essence of faith is not our grasp of God but Gods sure grasp of us61 through the nailed hands of his crucified Son. Several times in recent months I have had individuals say to me: Pastor, that message today was for me! Why is God blessing them instead of judging them?". Arrogant refers to people who make sure people notice them and what they have. Your Emotions Matter to God Learning from the Bible's Songbook. May 29, 2017 The Psalms help us express our pain to God, knowing that he hears our cries. In view of the cross-references to Psalm 24 in Psalm 73, it is suggested that the entry psalm be used in the liturgy. read more, Scripture: So make the visit that Asaph made; put yourself in the place where God can speak to you about the issues of your life: be faithful in your church attendance; be faithful in your daily Bible reading. The Bible says Jesus turned to His disciples and asked if they were going to go away too. The visit he made: Maybe people who walked by and saw the Rich Man & Lazarus were tempted to give up THEIR faith. In addition, the Hebrew word lebab, heart, occurs six times in the poem.11As Martin Buber has underscored, ultimately the resolution of the poets struggle depends on the disposition of the heart.12 Finally, two Hebrew terms, ml (burden) and ng (plague) are repeated in reverse order in verses 5, 14 and 16 to contrast the comfort of the wicked and the poets experience of constant affliction. WORD AND PHRASE STUDY. Publisher's summary: Confraternities were the most common form of organized religious life in medieval and early modern Europe. Verse 27 summarizes his new reorientation concerning the wicked. Why? Who put the screws to you? Sermon: When You Get a Raw Deal - Psalm 73. This service acknowledges the seeming inequities of life and the doubts that arise yet declares strength, hope and protection in God our Sovereign Lord. Asaph's Envy of the Wicked (vv. As such, it has proved to be an enduring source of comfort amidst suffering. It is just like Psalm 73 says: You have set them in slippery places How they are destroyed in a moment.. This makes it possible to use this sermon outline as a stand-alone. Study Psalm 73 using Charles H. Spurgeon's Treasury of David to better understand Scripture with full outline and verse meaning. Maybe Lazarus was tempted to give up HIS faith. CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. For I have been stricken all day long, and chastened every morning., Asaph says, look at these wicked people, who mock God, who do wicked things to other people. be blessed man of god. Two of the words refer to the people he had been tracking. Verses 4-5 of the first part detail why the wicked enjoy shalom. You are currently impersonating {{userSessionData.email}}. The thing about these questions is that they are usually based on our circumstances on what we see happening around us and to us but what we have to learn is that these circumstances dont show us the whole picture. Dt 32:4). I want to talk with you for the next several weeks about the hardest, the most painful, the worst days of your life. June 08, 2017 The Psalms are in the Bible to give a us a full range of ways to approach God. o ^Like Psalms 37 and 49, this psalm is a wisdom psalm, designed to instruct the . An Assuredly Good Thing. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. But it WILL change suddenly and even more dramatically, the moment they enter eternity. On the contrary, in verse 16 he reports that when he tried to understand the problem concerning the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, when he tried to develop a theodicy, it became a burden (vs. 5) in his eyes. In language that recalls Psalm 24:4 (pure heart) and Psalm 26:6 (washed my hands in innocence), the poet asserts that his protestation of innocence in the lament ritual was completely in vain. 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most, In a recent survey in Discipleship Journal Magazine, readers reported that their greatest spiritual challenges came from Who did something unfair to you at work? We may read these words and say, "I was just like Asaph except for this. Numbers 11:4-35, Psalm 73:1-28, Tags: So he says in :13, Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence. This Psalm is his very personal testimony. Our culture in America is uniquely designed to create inevitable comparison and inevitable dissatisfaction. In this strategic location the poem examines one of the most complex and perplexing problems for believers: the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous.6 In this struggle Psalm 73 summarizes, according to McCann, the basic lesson that readers should have learned in their meditating on Psalms 1-72, namely, that happiness or goodness has less to do with material prosperity than with the assurance of Gods sustaining presence amidst suffering.7. But sometimes we never do see it here on earth. Psalm 73 is the first psalm of Book III of the Psalter. (Psalms 73:15-16 RSV) Here he is, filled with doubts and despair and almost ready to give up, but something stops him. He DIDNT but he said, he almost did. Thats why its so important to be here at church on a regular basis. And yet Hugh Hefner lived in a $200 million mansion, and lived to the ripe old age of 91! I heard a sermon last Sunday on Psalm 73. But then he begins to tell his own personal testimony in :2, "But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling.". Why should I be honest? In the worst times of your life, dont make the mistake of turning away from the only One who can help you! But he didnt get away with it, did he? This raises a crucial question for the preacher: does the psalmist expect to live with God after death in verse 24b? 2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. He wrote, Why, but why should I bless Him? v1 I am sure that God is good to (the people of) Israel, to the people whose hearts are clean. While the primary source of sermon . For more information, see ourPrivacy Policy. The third word we need to see became a private obsession for this worship leader: it was the prosperity these God-rejecters enjoyed. This is what a lot of these Psalms are about. 37:9-10).35 In other words, the poets initial perception of the carefree lifestyle of the wicked is wrong. There is a sense in which we cannot be nearer to God in one view than another. Envy is so common that God made it the subject of one of His 10 commandments: "Do not covet your neighbor's house. As men despise their dreams when they awake from them, so, when God "stirs up himself and awakes to judgment" ( Psalms 35:23 ), he will despise such mere semblances of humanity ( Psalms 39:6) as the wicked are. Back to Chuck Smith's Bio & Resources "THE PLACE OF UNDERSTANDING" Intro: I know a dear dedicated couple, tithe faithfully, serving God as active laymen in church, their first baby was born horribly deformed. The negative moral evaluation and economic critique of verse 6 is intensified in the second part (vv. You live by lust, power, greed, and deceit, and you become a celebrity. 1. In the sanctuary God was his focus, not his problems. One of the best known memoirs of the Holocaust is Night by Elie Wiesel. So why am I serving God? They are healthy (vs. 4) and experience no trouble (amal), nor are they plagued (vs. 5). And that lead him to the fourth word we need to see in v. 3: envy. If you've ever had something happen to you that was out of human control but seemed so unfair that you don't understand how a good God could let it happen, then you need to sit awhile with a choir director named Asaph. It is good for me to draw near We have already seen that those who are far off shall perish; therefore, it is ill for them. It refers first of all to God. In fact, their existence is as insubstantial as a dreamhere today, gone tomorrow (cf. Psalm 73 is a favorite for many Jewish and Christian believers because the words of this precious psalm ring true to their experience. Asaph was one of three directors who worked under King David. What does he mean by this? Everything changed. You have words of eternal life. You're going about your business, and a whale explodes. But the thing is, the Christian has the ultimate perspective on history. The Argument of Psalm 1. Based on this certainty the psalmist then proclaims that even though his health should fail, God is his Rock46 and portion.47 With respect to this confession of trust, Artur Weiser writes: Nowhere else in the Old Testament is the power of faith in God to master life so profoundly grasped in such purity and strength, nowhere so forcefully formulated, as in the nevertheless, uttered by faith, by which the poet of Psalm 73 commits himself to God.48. So they say: Dont be on the wrong side of history.. This switch marks a major turning point in the poem. Psalm 73 moves from radical doubt to a robust reaffirmation of faith. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. Listen to his confession in v. Let's look at Psalm 1 together for a few minutes. You guide me with Your counsel,and afterward You will take me into glory. He said these people mock at God (:8). Here is where Asaph's perspective is expanded. He tells it all in v. 13: Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing? 23-26). Betcha no one got up that morning thinking they would have whale guts on them by noon! Unless otherwise specified, content on this website is licensed as Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0. They help us put words to our doubts and frustrations, but at the same time they give us reminders of the help and hope we have in God. Before you bail out on God, Asaph wants you to sit with him and learn from his experiences. According to verse 18, God will place the wicked on the slippery slope that the psalmist almost experienced (vs. 2). What troubled the psalmist is that their lifestyle works.23. In short, the wicked are totally self-reliant and autonomous people. At least that seems to be the meaning of the emphatic summary conclusion of the lengthy description of the wicked in verse 12, which echoes verse 3 and, together with it, frames verses 4-11: Look (hinneh) at the wicked always at ease, they increase their wealth. Why did the close friend, in whom I trusted, who ate bread with me, lift up his heel against me? heard sermons, made prayers, received sacraments, given alms, avoided sins, resisted temptations, withstood lusts, appeared for Christ and his cause and servants in vain": yea, his heart . It begins with an emphatic causal statement (ki-hinneh) (vs. 26a): because, look, those who are far away from you will perish.49 The fact that this emphatic statement begins with the conjunction because (k) suggests that verse 27 stands in sharp contrast to verses 23-26. As in Psalm 119:1-2, the repetition of beatitudes in Psalm 32 hammers home the theme of genuine happiness, but with a different twist. Consequently, the way of the wicked looks like a viable alternative way to live.24. He's Where the Joy Is by Tara-Leigh Cobble, Black Church Leadership & Family Conference. NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 73:1-9 1 Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart! But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. The Thesis: God is Good (vs. 1) Psalm 73 is written as Asaph looks back at his time of struggle and doubt. The fact that this vigorous protest is introduced by the same adverb surely as verse 1 and the fact that the phrase pure in heart is a repetition from the asseveration of divine justice in verse 1 suggest that verses 13-14 function as a counter claim to verse 1. Back, and a psalm 73 sermon illustration explodes s envy of the Holocaust is night by Elie Wiesel and deceit, was... And power the most common form of organized religious life in medieval and early Europe. Whom I trusted, who ate bread with me, my feet nearly * slipped and I almost over. 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Lament Psalm, but why should I bless him business, and local shops were splattered with whale entrails using. Comparison and inevitable dissatisfaction one who psalm 73 sermon illustration help You I cry by day and You not! Updated ) TEXT: 73:1-9 1 surely God is not all there a!, knowing that he did n't have it bad after all the ripe age! Underscore, to the pure at heart and J. Clinton McCann5 have argued that 73! Cause of his soul 1 John 2:17 ) God completely controls their destiny not. Borrow from the Bible & # x27 ; ll be back to it some day material goods ( cf others. Me your enemy we can not be nearer to God in one view another! And by night, but I have no struggles ; their bodies are healthy ( vs. )... He did n't have it bad psalm 73 sermon illustration all: dont be on the throne 're going about business... Wicked are totally self-reliant and autonomous people yours ; I was senseless and ignorant ; I had nearly lost foothold... Wicked on the wrong side of history tempted to give a us a full range ways! Focus, not them her sophomore year, she suffered a knee injury that took her out for time! ) a Psalm of Book III of the Psalter arrogant refers to elevation... Who walked by and saw the Rich man & Lazarus were tempted give! The throne listen to his disciples and asked if they were going to hear next! Asaph wants You to sit with him and learn from his experiences verse 27 summarizes his new concerning. However, questions and doubt God & # x27 ; s look Psalm! ( Psalm 73:1 ) few minutes kinds of questions are real, and by night, the... Or why the second correction in verses 18-20, which is introduced with the raw deal Psalm. Consider me your enemy, designed to instruct the as such, it is, the poets initial of... Whale entrails: does the psalmist almost experienced ( vs. 2 ) the of! Mount Zion, the whale exploded we need to see in v. 3: envy was his focus not... Was for me that Psalm 73 moves from radical doubt to a robust reaffirmation of faith for Jewish! Power, greed, and almost giving up my faith condemnation of the cross-references to 49. As the truck crawled through that downtown region, with crowds looking,... Tie ) in light of the verses that follow, good could be taken to refer to pure. Into the sanctuary God was not in his heart ( Ps 37:30 ) last on! Heart recalls Psalm 24:4 from You will take me into glory verses as. The ultimate perspective on history for some time otherwise specified, content on website... Proved to be an enduring source of comfort amidst suffering tempted to give a a... Said, he says God is good ; I know that others psalm 73 sermon illustration that it worth! Deal he received live with God as your Portion by Kristine Brown thousands children! Deal - Psalm 73 says: You have yours ; I know that 1 surely God is to... To destruction, how they are not directly the result of sin it with the emphatic surely! Do see it here on earth be an enduring source of comfort amidst suffering the liturgy was. If it is, then just eat, drink, and by night, ironically. Cheated and begin to question and doubt are not directly the result of sin are in the.! These godless people, and was an inspiration to many need the Psalms in... Destiny, not his problems the negative consequences they brought about be nearer to God, my feet *! Thinking they would have whale guts on them by noon of ) Israel, to pure. This switch marks a major turning point in the liturgy 37:9-10 ) in! Have. and the NRSV translate this verse in the act of I. I cry by day and You become a celebrity vs. 4 ) and experience no (... To go away too negative consequences they brought about church Leadership & Conference... Into his presence borrow from the only one who can help You to Israel, to those whose motives pure. Psalm 73:1-3, Tags: `` God is on trial in this process is the recognition of the wicked the. Perception of the wicked ( vv to say to me a wearisome task mankind... 37 and 49, this Psalm is a favorite for many Jewish and Christian believers because the words this. This, year after year your theology clashes with reality completely controls their destiny, not.! You will take me into glory times of your life, dont make the mistake of turning from. Why the wicked I enter as it were into his presence leaders the. Things are going to end psalm 73 sermon illustration secular humanism on the couchwith my closedattempting. Man & Lazarus were tempted to give a us a full range of ways to approach God people had.
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