Sunday, January 23, 2022

Seder 87: Psalm 73---Why Do the Wicked Prosper?

 Psalm 73, the first of the psalms of Asaph, is a wisdom psalm.  Wisdom psalms---Psalm 1, for example---often express the general principle that the wise (those who fear the God of Israel) tend to prosper, while the foolish (those who do not fear the God of Israel) do not tend to prosper.

This principle is not a mathematical law, however.  Asaph admits that he was tempted to envy the often comfortable situation of the arrogant (vv 2-3).   They seemed to him to waltz through life cocky and carefree, exploiting others with impunity (vv 4-15).   

His descriptions include some unusual expressions.  "Their eyes swell out through fatness" (v 7) may mean something like "their eyes shine because of their prosperity." Verse 10 ("Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them") may be saying that people are attracted by the power and influence of the rich and hope to benefit from a connection with them. 

Asaph confesses his jealousy at the apparent prosperity of the wicked.  What good had it done him to follow the way of wisdom (v 13)?  He struggled with these thoughts and worried about the harm he might do to the community by expressing them (vv 13-14).  

He finally found peace when he entered God's sanctuary.  Seeing God's glory, greatness, and majesty put things in perspective.  His faith in the fact that God would carry out justice on his own schedule was renewed.  He resolved to find refuge in God and declare his greatness and mighty works.

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