Day 125 - Surely God is Good to Israel

Daily Reading:  Psalm 73-75

Surely God is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;

I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

They have no struggles;

their bodies are healthy and strong.

They are free from the burdens common to man;

they are not plagued by human ills.

Therefore pride is their necklace;

they clothe themselves with violence.

From their callous hearts comes iniquity;

the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.

They scoff, and speak with malice;

in their arrogance they threaten oppression.

Their mouths lay claim to heaven,

and their tongues take possession of the earth.

Therefore their people turn to them

and drink up waters in abundance.

They say, "How can God know?

Does the Most High have knowledge?"

This is what the wicked are like --

always carefree, they increase in wealth.

Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;

in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

All day long I have been plagued;

I have been punished every morning.

If I had said, "I will speak thus,"

I would have betrayed your children.

When I tried to understand all this,

it was oppressive to me

till I entered the sanctuary of God;

then I understood their final destiny.

Surely you place them on slippery ground;

you cast them down to ruin.

How suddenly are they destroyed,

completely swept away by terrors!

As a dream when one awakes,

so when you arise, O Lord,

you will despise them as fantasies.

Psalm 73:1-20

Footnote:

Two strong themes wind their way through these verses:

1.  the wicked prosper, leaving faithful people wondering why they bother to be good, and

2.  the wealth of the wicked looks so inviting that faithful people may wish they could trade places.  But these two themes come to unexpected ends, for the wealth of the wicked suddenly loses its power at death and the rewards for the good suddenly take on eternal value. 

What seemed like wealth is now waste, and what seemed worthless now lasts forever.  Don't wish you could trade places with evil people to get their wealth.  One day they will wish they could trade places with you and have your eternal wealth.

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All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV