If you are following along in our Psalms and Proverbs series today, we are reading Psalms 73 in our workbooks.
How is your study of the Psalms going? Is it making sense? Or are you frustrated with the poetry style of writing?
Personally, I find that when I am reading poetry scripture, I have to slow down for any of it to make sense. Unlike reading narrative material, where I can follow a story line, a psalm can feel disconnected and get jumbled in my brain. I find that when I take the time to reread and even re-reread they can start to make a little more sense.
If you haven’t read Psalms 73 yet today use the button below to read it. And if you have read it, read it again.
It took me about 3 re-reads before it started to make some sense and feel applicable. David has gone through some difficult times, and he starts this psalm by observing that some unbelievers have easy, successful lives. And that’s not fair.
Sometimes I feel like that too. I like things to be fair. It feels like it is not fair that though I trust God for what I have it’s less that what my unbelieving neighbor has.
I appreciate that the psalms show us David’s very raw conversations with God. He doesn’t have any problem telling God how he feels. However, we haven’t come across a psalm yet where by the end David is still pouting and saying life is not fair.
David goes on to acknowledge that he has a skewed view of the unbeliever’s life. Without living a life dependent on God their lives will end in ruin.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment,
swept away utterly by terrors!
This is contrasted with the life of a believer which ends in heaven. That ending is worth more than any earthly riches or success.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
By the end of the chapter David acknowledges that God’s plan for his life is the best plan. David doesn’t need the things of this world to be happy. What he needs is to depend on God and God will take care of the rest.
After reading this chapter a couple of times my takeaways are as follows:
- Do not be envious of an unbeliever’s success. Life will not end well for them.
- God will sustain me in this life and has given me the gift of heaven.
- I can be raw with God and tell him how I am feeling, but I must trust in him and thank him for providing for me generously.
What are your takeaways from this chapter?
– Abby Crisler