For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. (Psalm 73:3-4)
Do you ever have a moment where you're doing something and you think to yourself "Life would be a lot easier if I cared less about other people"? I will freely admit that sometimes I do. I get caught up in something and suddenly realize that the only reason I am doing that thing or am in that difficult situation is because I'm trying to help someone or protect someone. If I were freed from the obligation to think about how that person is doing or what their experience is in life, then I could make things go a lot easier.
The same goes with faith. My life would be a lot easier if I did not owe allegiance to Jesus and recognize what I owe to him. I could do a lot of things right now which might make me feel a lot better.
When you feel that way, Psalm 73 has the words to help you pray your way through that feeling. The first fifteen verses are about how hard the Psalmist's life is because he loves God and wants to do what God desires. It rehearses all the ways in which the lives of the "arrogant" and "wicked" are easy and prosperous.
But then it turns around at the end to reveal the good news of this experience. This situation is merely an appearance. When God comes into the picture, the situation of those who don't care for others and don't care for God doesn't appear to be so stable. This is not the final resting state. Things will not always be this way. It may come in a moment of misfortune, or we may way until Jesus returns, but there will be a great reversion. In the meantime this Psalm walks us through the hope that that brings. Things are not the way they appear and one day realities and appearances will be reconciled. May we look forward to that day of joy.
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