This psalm marks the beginning of Book 3, in the Psalms. Book 3, includes, Psalms 73-89. This psalm asks the age-old question, why do the wicked prosper, while the righteous suffer?
The answer to the question is that God has created an environment in which free-moral individuals can interact and prosper according to their own abilities. Sadly, this also means that people can become very selfish and take advantage of those who are trying live their lives to please God.
Although there is no heading for this psalm, the first verse of the KJV tells us that it was written by Asaph. Asaph was the singer and musician during the reign of David and Solomon, 1 Chronicles 15:17-19 / 1 Chronicles 16:5-7 / 1 Chronicles 25:6. 1 Chronicles 25:1 and 2 Chronicles 29:30 tell us that Asaph was a prophet in his musical compositions.
Asaph begins by telling us that God has been good to the nation of Israel, Psalm 73:1 / Psalm 51:10, God has always demonstrated His goodness to Israel, especially to those who were pure in heart, Psalm 73:1. Despite knowing that God has been good to Israel, Asaph says because God is so good, it almost made him slip, he almost lost his foothold, Psalm 73:2.
The reason he almost slipped was because he considered certain individuals in society, and wondered why the wicked prospered, while he was oppressed and in poverty, Psalm 73:3 / Romans 8:28. In other words, he thought that this was unfair, that God was good to those who were arrogant, to those who were wicked, Psalm 14:1 / Ecclesiastes 7:16.
As far as Asaph is concerned, he thinks that the wicked have no struggles, Psalm 73:4 / Isaiah 58:6, they are healthy and strong, Psalm 73:4 / Job 21:23-26, they don’t have any burdens and they never get ill, Psalm 73:5.
In other words, he felt that the wicked were rewarded equally with the righteous. In fact, he felt that in some ways, the wicked were more blessed, than those who were pure in heart.
Because the wicked wear pride as a necklace, Psalm 73:6, that is, they were arrogantly proud. The more proud they get, the more wicked they became, Isaiah 3:16. They became more violent, callous, and evil, Psalm 73:7-8 / Psalm 17:10, they became scoffers, who spoke with malice, they arrogantly think they are better than others and use language to bring others down, Psalm 73:8.
The wicked use their ‘mouths to lay claim to heaven’, Psalm 73:9, that is, they speak as if they were in heaven itself, Revelation 13:6. They use their tongues as though they ‘possessed the earth’, Psalm 73:9, that is, as if they had some kind of authority.
The wicked have others who are just like them, and they ‘drink up waters in abundance’, Psalm 73:10, that is, they just keep taking and taking and taking, Psalm 75:8 / Isaiah 51:17.
In their arrogance, they ask ‘how would God know? Does God know anything?’ Psalm 73:11. In other words, the wicked claim that God doesn’t see anything, it’s as though God was blind. They believed that they could do whatever they like because God isn’t able to do anything against them.
It’s clear that Asaph is extremely frustrated with what is happening concerning the wicked. He feels that a wicked way of life was possibly a good life, Psalm 73:12, after all, they appear to be getting rewarded by God because their wealth just keeps on growing, Psalm 73:12. Asaph feels that the wicked are actually being rewarded by a God who knows nothing.
The words of these verses portray the nature and life of the wicked who prosper. They are well-fed and have a life without trouble, they go unchecked with their oppressive conduct and unscrupulous dealings.
They have more than one could desire, they speak with arrogance and because they’re arrogant in their speech, people often turn to them for leadership and counsel. They continue to prosper, regardless of their unrighteous behaviour.
We can almost feel the frustration in Asaph’s words. He felt that it was a waste of timekeeping a pure heart, he felt that it was a waste of time being clean before God, that is, being innocent before God, Psalm 73:13 / Psalm 26:6.
He felt that his life was harder than the wicked because he had to go through afflictions and punishment every morning, Psalm 73:14 / Job 7:18. He could have told God’s people how he was feeling, but he didn’t want them to get confused with what seemed unfair, Psalm 73:15.
He didn’t want them to experience everything he was going through, he didn’t want them to feel the way he was feeling. Although he tried to understand why the wicked were prospering and getting away with their evil ways, Psalm 73:16, he couldn’t get his head around it. it troubled him deeply until he entered God’s sanctuary and it was there he come to understand what will eventually happen to the wicked, Psalm 73:17 / Job 15:20-21.
It appears that a visit to God’s sanctuary has actually put things into perspective for Asaph. Notice that Asaph said earlier that he felt his feet were on slippery ground, Psalm 73:2, but now he knows that it’s actually the wicked’s feet who are on slippery ground Psalm 73:18.
He began by thinking that the wicked had a better way of life because they appeared to be blessed more than he was, but now he knows they are destined for ruin, they will be destroyed and swept away in terrors, Psalm 73:18-19 / Luke 16:19-31.
Asaph now understands that the way the wicked live is actually like a dream, Psalm 73:20. It’s as if Asaph himself has woken up to the realities of the wicked way of life. He knows when God arises, Psalm 73:20, that is, awakes, God will deal with the wicked.
Asaph now goes on to confess his sins to God, Psalm 73:21. Because he had lost sight of God’s justice and the wicked’s destiny, he acknowledges he was grieved, embittered, senseless and ignorant, Psalm 73:21-22 / Psalm 7:9.
He says he was a brute beast before God, Psalm 73:22 / Psalm 51:4 / Isaiah 1:7 / Jeremiah 7:30 / Jeremiah 18:10, that is, he acknowledges that he didn’t think of eternity, he only thought of the here and now.
After confessing his sins to God, he now acknowledges that He is with God and God is with him, Psalm 73:22. He also says that God will guide him in his life and afterwards, God will take him into glory, Psalm 73:24. In other words, while the wicked come to destruction, Psalm 73:17-19, he will come to glory, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18.
Asaph is now in a better place, mentally and spiritually. He knows where God is, and he knows that he has no one like Him in heaven, Psalm 73:25. His hope is in God, and he knows that the earth has nothing in it which can give him the hope he desires, Psalm 73:25.
He knows his own human weaknesses, therefore, he relies on the strength of God, Psalm 73:26 / Psalm 18:2 / Psalm 61:2, and God will be his portion forever, Psalm 73:26 / Numbers 18:20.
Asaph now fully understands and accepts that those who are far from God, those who are unfaithful to God, will perish, they will be destroyed, Psalm 73:27 / 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9. He also understands that he’s better off being near to God, James 4:4, who is his refuge, Psalm 73:28.
He now wants to proclaim to everyone that God can be trusted, he wants to tell everyone about God’s goodness and what he has learned from his visit to God’s sanctuary, Psalm 73:28.
We can’t help but be impressed with the mental and spiritual journey Asaph makes in this psalm. What a difference a visit to God’s sanctuary made to him, where he comes to understand life more clearly and allows God to put things into perspective. Job asked God this very same question, why do the wicked prosper? Job 21:7-9. Jeremiah asked the very same question in Jeremiah 12:1.
Maybe, like Asaph, we need to go to God and allow Him to put things into perspective for us. Instead of focusing on what others have got, maybe we should focus on what we have, Ephesians 1:3, and Who we’ve got in our lives, that is, God.
We often take our eyes off God and look at what’s happening around us, Matthew 14:30, but God asks us to seek him with everything we’ve got, Jeremiah 29:13. When we read and study His word, He will help us put things into perspective, Matthew 6:33 / Romans 8:28.