Psalm 73
notes
parallel in theme to psalm 37
written by asaph (see 1 ch 16:7, where david appoints him and 2 ch 29:30 where hezekiah commands that israel sing the songs of 'david and asaph the seer')

 
outline
The point : "Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart!" (v1)
The problem : Is there a God? Does he care? (v2-19)
v3 "For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked."
v4-12 The wicked prosper without consequence
v13-16 v13 "surely in vain i have kept my heart pure"
The praise : God keeps the psalmist and destroys the wicked in the end. (v17-20)
v17-20 God will destroy the wicked in the end
v21,22 Asaph, when focused on the wicked, was senseless and ignorant before God.
v23-26 God guides Asaph
v24 "with your counsel you will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory"

 
problems :
there is no judgement or justice against the wicked
v4-12 The wicked prosper without consequence
 
this is easy to relate to : wickedness doesn't seem to be judged
1. this is an argument some use against god
"if there was a god, how could he allow _______ to happen?"
2. this is something we all struggle with
this is my problem (ok, one of my problems)
it bothers me that justice doesn't come quickly.
(someone cuts me off, evil in africa)
nuttie's missing, corin says "god wouldn't allow nuttie to get hurt" (really?)

that is the first danger - the question of "is god good?"

the psalmist almost fell (became wicked)
the next step for was the temptation to pursue the same methods.
 
the psalmist was (v3)envious of the arrogant and wicked wicked
he wanted to be like them - prosporous.

 
praises :
god will judge the wicked - justice does come
v18-20 God will judge the wicked - it's just a matter of time.
(read 18-20)

god sustains the righteous - he deserves credit for our righteousness
differences between the discussion of the righteous and the wicked :
The wicked are dealt with as a whole, but the preservation of God is expressed personally.

The wicked get the blame for their choices; god gets the glory for actions of the righteous.
v6-10 - the actions of the wicked : they do one evil thing after another.
v21-28 celebrates the actions of God:
v23 "you have taken hold of my right hand"
v24 "you will guide me and afterward receive me to glory"
v26 "my flesh and heart may fail but god is the strength of my heart and my portion forever"
the only thing the psalmist really does is make "the lord god [his] refuge} (v28)
This is the transition to the final item - the psalmist makes the Lord God his refuge... "that i may tell of all Your works" (v28)

 
perspective :
Righteousness is not in vain
Was it (v13)"in vain [he had] kept his heart pure and washed [his] hands in innocence?" - no
 
notice that the psalmist does acknowledge the difficulty in being righteouss...
v14 "surely I have been stricken all day long and chastened every morning."

see 1 cor 15...
The only thing worth desiring is God (and his glory)
v25 "Whom have I in heaven but You?
And Besides You, I desire nothing on Earth"
 
v28 "I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works"

 
conclusion
This is really an upbeat psalm, set against the sometimes depression of this current life.
The Wicked are judged
The Righteous are sustained
God is glorified
Don't give up. Look forward
bonus reading :
psalm 37 and the first half of 1 cor 15