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When the Wicked Prosper: Finding Strength in God's Presence
July 24, 2026 · 15 min
Psalm 73-74: turning envy into insight in the sanctuary; God is the strength and our portion forever.
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Introduction to Psalms 73 & 74 0:10 Good morning, and welcome to our oasis of praise as we continue our journey through the book of Psalms today, Psalm 73 and 74, verse 26 of chapter 73.0:21 My flesh and my heart fail, but god is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Now Psalm, 73 is a Psalm by Esauf. It's0:33 about struggling with and then finding the answer to the age old question, why do the wicked prosper? In Psalm 74, we have a cry to God for help that was written after the destruction0:45 of the temple sometime after 5 86 BC. It's identified as a contemplation of Esauph, but it is, either a descendant or a namesake0:57 of Esauf as it is written long after, he died because he was a contemporary of David. Verse 1 chapter 73. Truly, God is good to Israel, toThe Envy of the Wicked's Prosperity 1:09 such as are pure in heart. Now notice there's a condition provided here to experiencing the goodness of God, pure in heart. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 8,1:21 blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Verse 2, but as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped, for I was envious of the1:32 boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Now here's the heart of the Psalm. He struggled with the prosperity of the wicked. Now Esauph was not the1:44 1st nor the last to struggle with this. He goes on to describe their situation, that everything was good or so it seemed.1:56 Verse 4, for there are no pangs in their death, for their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. Therefore, pride serves as2:07 their necklace. Violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes bulge with abundance. They have more than heart could wish. They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression.2:20 They speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth. Now, he was not alone. The the pride and the prosperity of the2:31 wicked, along with their mockery of God, tempted others to question whether God did hear, whether he did see, and whether he did care. And, again, this has2:43 been an age old question. Verse 10. Therefore, his people return here and waters of a full cup are drained by them. And they say, how does God know?2:55 And is there knowledge of the most high? Behold, these are the ungodly who are always at ease. They increase in their riches. Surely, I have cleansed3:07 my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long, I have been plagued and chastened every morning. I mean, he's essentially saying, why do3:19 I bother? I obey and I follow god for what? Alright. Hold on. Here comes the turning point. Verse 15. If I had said,3:31 I will thus speak, behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of your children. When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me. Notice, he didn't say everything3:43 he was thinking. He said, if I had said what I thought to be true and what I wanted to say, I would have been leading people astray. This is important. We don't always have to say everything that we think3:55 or feel. What we see with our eyes is not the full picture. Look at verse 17. Until I went into the sanctuary4:07 of God, then I understood their end. When did he come to the proper understanding of the wicked? It's when he came into the sanctuary, into the presence ofEternal Perspective in God's Sanctuary 4:19 god, when he came into an understanding of the temporal in light of the eternal. It is so important that we have an eternal perspective of this life. It it's it's it's4:30 all in our perspective. In the book, in his book of Plymouth Plantation, governor William Bradford wrote of the motivation of the pilgrims that enabled them to endure4:42 unbelievable hardships. I mean, if you know the history of the pilgrims in their 1st winter, nearly 0.5 of them died. Their entire life was hardship and4:54 struggle. But this is what Bradford wrote in his book. He said and this is kind of a a journal of their experience. Quote, lastly, and which was not least, a great hope5:06 and inward zeal they had of laying some good foundation or at least to make some way there unto for the propagating and advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those5:18 remote parts of the world. Yea, though they should be even as stepping stones unto others for the performing of so great a work. You see, they saw their difficulty5:30 in light of their eternal purpose. Even if they were just to be stepping stones to advance that purpose, We must view all things with an eternal perspective,5:42 or we'll be at risk of losing heart and becoming discouraged. Here's what god showed him about the wicked in verse 18. Surely, you have set them in slippery places. You have cast them down to destruction.5:54 Oh, how they are brought to desolation as in a moment. They are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream, when 1 awakes, so, lord, when you awake, you shall despise their image.6:06 It all ends for the wicked in a heartbeat. In a heartbeat, it's all gone, and they are utterly consumed by terror, by hell. Now Esauf kicks himself for for being6:18 literally so stupid. Alright? Verse 21. Thus, my heart was grieved, and I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant. I was like a beast before you.6:30 Nevertheless, I am continually with you. You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with your counsel and afterwards receive me to glory. How could I have missed this? He6:42 asked. How could I have ever doubted your justice and your care for those who trust in you? Again, we need to see life in light of eternity6:54 and of god's character. That helps us deal with the inequities of this life and, frankly, keeps us from being robbed of our joy here and now. Verse 25, whom I have I in heaven but7:06 you, and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside you? My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from you shall7:17 perish. You have destroyed all those who desert you for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the7:29 Lord God that I may declare all your works. See, reject God and his truth, and he ultimately rejects you. Draw near to him and trust him, and he willLament and Hope After Destruction 7:41 give you a story to tell. Psalm 74 is mentioned in the beginning as an appeal to God after the destruction of Jerusalem in the temple, which occurred in 5 86 BC.7:53 Oh god, why have you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? Wow. Why have you cast us off forever? You8:05 know, our present situation, and and and, I mean, they were standing there looking at the ruins and they were in captivity. And, I mean, it often looks and feels like it's permanent, but it's not.8:18 There's a term for this mental state in psychology, catastrophizing, and it is, it's it's, you know, it's like it's like saying everyone is against me.8:32 It's like there's no way I can survive this. There's just no way out. And and and it's an emotional and a spiritual tunnel vision that narrows our focus to to the present crisis that we cannot8:44 see beyond. And and and, again, as we were just talking about in the other Psalm, it it helps to have an eternal perspective. And and to be fair, in the context of this Psalm, for some individuals,8:56 their entire life would be spent during this 70 years of captivity. But for the nation, it was passing. And and and that's important because the same is true for the9:07 church. If I drew my encouragement from what I see in DC today, I would not be encouraged. You know, a couple of things we must always keep in mind. 1st, we are9:19 a part of a bigger narrative that god is writing in the church. I mean, think over the the 2000 year history of the church, those who who have have spent their lives9:31 under oppression, but they've been faithful to God and they've been a part of advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ. They fulfilled their purpose even though they were in the times of difficulty. And9:43 the other thing we gotta keep in mind, not only are we a part of god's unfolding plan, we don't know where we are in his timeline of writing that history, but, secondly, you don't sow and reap in the same season.9:55 So we may not we may not see the fruit of our labor. I I think of some of the you know, I I I like to write to read, biographies.10:08 And and oftentimes in fact, a lot of these biographies are not written until someone is gone because the significance of their life and the contribution that they made was not realized until after their lives had been10:19 lived because you don't sow and reap in the same season. Verse 3, lift up your feet to the perpetual desolations. The enemy has10:31 damaged everything in the sanctuary. Your enemies roar in the midst of your meeting place. They set up their banners for signs. In verses 3 through 8, he speaks of the spiritual desolation. He describes the state of the10:42 temple. We do not see our signs. There is no longer any prophet nor is there any among us who knows how long. Oh god, how long will the adversary10:54 reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme your name forever? No 1 is hearing a word from god, and the enemy freely blasphemes the name of god. There was desolation. There was discouragement. Then in11:05 verses 12 through 15, he reminds God, or more likely, he's reminding himself and those who were singing this Psalm, of their history with God and what he had done for them. He recounts all11:17 the mighty works that God did for them when he established the nation, bringing them out of Egypt. In these moments, and we all have them. We all have them. If you don't, I'd certainly like to know11:29 how you avoid having these moments of discouragement because I I have them. When we don't hear god, when we don't see him at work, and the future is uncertain, and we wonder, what is this all about? We11:41 need to stir up our faith by recounting what god has done in our lives. Because what god has done, he can do again. Verse 12. For11:53 god is my king from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Finally, and we've talked about this several times, but I do want you to see it again because I think it's important. Look how this Psalm closes12:04 with an appeal to God for help. Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, oh lord, and that a foolish people has blasphemed your name. Oh, do not deliver the life of your turtledove to12:16 the wild beast. Do not forget the life of your poor forever. Have respect to the covenant, for the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty. Arise, oh god, plead12:28 your own cause. Remember how the foolish man reproaches you daily. Do not forget the voice of your enemies. The tumult of those who rise up against you increases12:40 continually. So here it is. Number 1, god's name, god's compassion, god's covenant, god's calls, and god's reputation. It's about god. It's not12:52 about us, and that's how we need to pray. Father, we thank you. We thank you, Lord, for the for for what you are unfolding even now as13:04 you write history, as you work through the church, the redemptive message of the cross. And, Lord, it's coming to culmination to the fulfillment with the return of Jesus13:16 Christ. Lord, we don't know where we are in that timeline. We can have a pretty good idea. I think we're reaching toward the end. But, lord, your call to us is to be faithful.13:28 And I pray, father, you would encourage us as we look back on what you have done, what you are doing with the confidence of what you will do. Lord, encourage us today. Strengthen13:40 us. And, lord, help us to see our present situation even as individuals, as families, as communities, and even as a nation. And what13:51 you've called us to help us to see it in light of eternity. Lord, may we not lose heart, but may may stand firm in your truth, proclaiming to the nations, proclaiming to those around usPrayer and Final Encouragement 14:03 your faithfulness. For we pray and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning, and until next time, keep standing on the word.14:16 Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you14:28 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 Introduction to Psalms 73 & 741:05 The Envy of the Wicked's Prosperity4:11 Eternal Perspective in God's Sanctuary7:31 Lament and Hope After Destruction14:01 Prayer and Final Encouragement
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