…Friendships are some of God’s sweet gifts to us, and that there is nothing better than old friends.  The Bible tells

  us that that the sweetness of a friend is his counsel.  He or she helps us when we need advice or help. 

…If you belong to the Lord, His wonderful Word should be like a friend to you.  It is God’s wisdom and counsel to

  help us along in a world so filled with suffering, pain, and loss.  “My Bible and I…”

…Psalm 73 is a much beloved Psalm as its wisdom has helped many believers to have the right perspective on life. 

  Life in our Fallen world seems upside-down.  It is a “Humpty Dumpty” world…

TWO PERSPECTIVES IN VIEWING LIFE IN OUR FALLEN WORLD

 …Hear the wise counsel of Psalm 73 and see the fullness of life as it really is…don’t be fooled!

I.      It Is True That Often The Wicked Seem To Have The Good Life, While We,

        As God’s People, Don’t.  (vv1-14)   How Can This Be If God Is A God Of Justice? 

                A.            Asaph begins this Psalm with a biblical truth:  “God is good to His own.”  (v. 1)

                B.             Yet, Asaph confessed that it did not seem true to life as he experienced it.  Rather, to him it

                                seemed the opposite. (v. 2) In God’s moral universe, he expected God to bless the righteous.

                C.             His problem deepened, because he found himself envying the godless.  (v. 3)

                                1.             He resented the fact that God allowed the situation to continue.

                                2.             God was not treating him in the way he thought he should be treated.  “I deserve

                                                better…”

                D.            Asaph looks upon the godless and describes their apparent prosperity.  (vv4-12)  These are all

                                seen through the eye of envy:

                                1.             The wicked do not seem to suffer trouble…(vv 4-5)

                                2.             The godless are very proud, engaging in violence to further themselves. (v. 6)  Ahab…

                                3.             It seems to him that their evil activities know no limits.  (v. 7)  (like: Hitler)

                                4.             Their words are arrogant and malicious, as if they owned the whole earth. (vv. 8-9)

                                5.             They have great influence with other people.  (v. 10)

                                6.             They are presumptuous thinking that God is ignorant of their many sins.  (v. 11)

                                7.             They seem to have the good life, by not having many problems.  (v. 12)

                E.             Asaph confesses with great honesty his confusion over life.  (vv13-16)

                                …What’s the point in being godly?  “in vain had he kept his heart pure…”  (on the wrong team??)

                                …Often in our fallen world it does seem that evil wins…

II.     The Proper Way To View Life Is To See It From God’s Perspective. (vv.17-26) 

                …For only this provides us with 20-20 vision while living in this Fallen world. 

                A.            Asaph’s solution to this huge problem was found in seeing God and His eternal purpose, (v. 17)

                                1.             This involved seeing life as God actually sees it.  It is to consider the final end of the

                                                wicked.  Those outside of Christ will be judged and thrown into Hell forever and ever.

                                2.             Verse 17 is the pivot point of the whole psalm.  John Calvin tells, “He entered into

                                                God’s schoolhouse…”  The sanctuary of God. 

                B.             Now he clearly realizes that the godless are not so prosperous, so well-off.  In a very

                                short time they will be destroyed.  (vv. 18-20)

                                1.             It is really not he, but they that are on “slippery ground.”   They are not secure!!!!

                                2.             He had envied them, but they are not in an enviable position.  “depart from me into…”

                C.             He now grieves over his foolish thinking…(vv. 21-22)  “I was like a brute beast…”  stupid!!!

                D.            Having recovered his spiritual balance, he catalogs the true wealth that belongs to the

                                redeemed.   (vv. 23-26)   These are some of the most beautiful verses in the Bible!!!

                                1.             We have the presence of God with us always…even in trouble, He is with us!!!! 

                                2.             God lends us the strength we need to live in this world.  “right hand”

                                3.             God guides His own with His wonderful Word.   Oh the Word of God!!!!

                                4.             Finally, at our death, we will have God’s reception in heaven.  Wow!!!   “glory”

                                                …God is all we have, but He is all we really need!!!!  We are wealthy indeed!!!

                                                …This is the so needed counsel of our old friend Psalm 73.