Revive Africa

Psalm 73

Introduction:

It’s often easy for us to see God in the good times, but where is God when it seems like all hell is breaking loose? When evil seems to surround us, when tragedy seems to chase us down, or when the hard times just won’t stop, where is God?

I. Stinking Thinking: A Recipe for Depression (vv. 1–16)

The psalmist Asaph who was likely a musician for David was probably in the midst of a crisis with David as they ran for their lives from his enemies who did not want him on the throne. The psalmist begins with a statement that he begins to doubt, “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart” (v. 1). The psalmist began to envy the wicked for their prosperity (vv. 1–12). When he considered this, he began to believe he had followed the Lord in vain (v. 13). However, Asaph also realized that acting on that belief would have betrayed God (v. 15). The psalmist then says, “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me” (v. 16). What a great example of all hell breaking loose and a believer struggling to understand the situation. In these verses, the psalmist displays two characteristics we tend to display in hard times:

A. It’s All About Me. In thinking about how God fits into our situation, we tend to evaluate everything based on what happens to us. We often think we’re the center of the universe. That’s the first trap: when we judge God completely by how it impacts us.

B. It’s All About Now. Asaph judges his walk with God not only by what is happening with him, but by what is happening to him today, right now. Whenever the enemy can get us thinking only about ourselves and only about now, he has us right where he wants us.

II. Perspective: How It Changes Everything (vv. 17–28)

Verse 17 is the key pivotal verse where the psalmist describes the way God transformed his thinking: “till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. The psalmist describes the utter destruction that will fall upon the wicked, even if not immediately (vv. 18–20). He then contrasts that to his own future: one full of the presence and favor of God (vv. 23–28). He concludes the psalm saying, “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds” (v. 28 niv). The word refuge means “hiding place”—the place where someone would go during a storm. Asaph has moved from the brink of counting his faith worthless and speaking that lie to others to becoming an evangelist for the deeds of God. The amazing thing is: nothing has changed materially for the psalmist; the bad guys seem to still be winning. But now he has the proper perspective. It’s the same for us. God gives us the Scriptures so that we know there’s a larger picture than what we see. We must develop the discipline of stepping back, coming to God, and gaining that perspective when hard times come.

III. From God Is Nowhere to God Is Now Here (vv. 12–19)

A. Judge God’s Goodness and Power by the Cross and Eternity (vv. 16–17). There may be times in all of our lives where we will cry out “God are You good? Are You powerful?” Our conclusion in these times should never come out of a glance at the here and now but should always be evaluated in light of the Cross of Christ and His eternal plan.

B. Embrace the Sorrow—Reject the Bitterness (vv. 12–19).

Christians often have a hard time when others express their doubts about God. We often respond with clichés rather than real understanding. We should feel freedom to embrace the sorrow of tragic situations rather than trying to give an artificial pat answer. When people around you are having a tough time or are in pain…

don’t give them a cliché, a tract, or even a Bible verse—give them a hug.

Conclusion:

Next time it seems that all hell is breaking loose, take a step back, come before God’s presence, and reevaluate your situation in light of the cross and eternity. In her book of devotions, Not I, But Christ, holocaust survivor Corrie Ten Boom wrote, “When I was in a concentration camp I did not know that I would be one of the twenty percent of women who left it alive. I looked death in the eyes. When we touch eternity we see all things so simply. It was as if I saw the devil who was much stronger than I. But then I saw Jesus, who is much stronger than the devil, and together with Him, I am much stronger than the devil. Then fear has to leave. Those who are with us are more and stronger than those who are against us. ‘Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world’ (1 John 4:4).”