Psalm 73:16-18 "When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; (17) Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. (18) Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction."
I think most of us have experienced to some degree or another the thoughts expressed by the writer of this Psalm. He had allowed himself to observe the ungodly and wicked people who were prospering. He knew they had obtained their gain by cheating and treating people in a terrible manner. Let's look at some of his thoughts:
Verse 3 - "I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the
wicked."
Verse 5 - "They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued
like other men."
Verse 6 - They are full of pride
Verse 7 - They have more than they could possibly ever use. The implication is
that they hoarded their money to themselves when they could have used it to
help others.
Verse 11 - They blasphemed against God, thinking they were getting away with
all that they were doing.
(Psalm 73:13-14) "Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain,
and washed my hands in innocency. (14) For all the day long have I
been plagued, and chastened every morning." In these two verses we
see the danger of allowing ourselves to look at and even seek to be like the
ungodly. The writer is saying, "Here I am, trying to do my best to
do the right thing. I try to treat people in the right manner. I share the
things in my possession in order to lift others up. What has it gotten
me? 'I am plagued and chastened every morning." In other
words, he was saying "I have all but wasted my time trying to do the right
thing. I might as well join them and be like them."
That is such a dangerous approach to life. It may be that he was being
chastened by God because he had allowed himself to become envious of the
wicked. But then, the Lord did not simply chasten him and leave him in that
state. No, the Lord showed him the end of those who are the ungodly and wicked.
When I "went into the sanctuary of God, I understood their end." God will take care of His own and He will direct the ungodly into their
final place.
It seems that the directive by Joshua fits into this Psalm. "Now
therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away
the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in
Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. (15) And if it seem evil unto you to
serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which
your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of
the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve
the LORD." (Joshua 24:14-15)
Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder why it should be thus all the day
long
While there are others living about us, never molested, though in the wrong
Farther along we'll know all about it; farther along we'll understand why
Cheer up, my brother; live in the sunshine, we'll understand it all by and by
Words by W.B. Stevens