The three Psalms in my chronological Bible reading plan for today touch on feelings and thoughts likely every Christian has struggled with in life. In Psalm 73, the Psalmist describes the unhindered prosperity of the proud. Psalm 77 deals with struggles experienced by the Psalmist. Finally, Psalm 78 calls out the heart, highlighting how prone it can be, like Israel, to set up idols and lust after fleshly desires. Today, let’s look at the prosperity of the proud.
The poetic language used in Psalm 73:1-12 to describe the proud has likely perplexed every Christian at some point—we have all probably wondered about this. The proud prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives. They are strong and healthy. They don’t have trouble, while everyone else is plagued with it. They wear their pride like jewelry, are cruel and ill-mannered, and have everything they could wish for. The Psalmist describes them as fat cats (NLT)! They boast against God and strut about the earth with their vain ideas and words. Nothing seems to stop them! Hello, does God see this? The proud! They enjoy such ease and prosperity! Why?
The Psalmist then does what we have likely done or are tempted to do, and that is to say nothing about how we feel! We are afraid that we will offend people if we ask these questions out loud and are honest with others about how we see the proud. So, we keep it all inside and try to process it ourselves.
If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, (Psalm 73:15–16, ESV)
How did the Psalmist overcome these desperate thoughts and feelings? Well, it was challenging! He even admits that what he perceived almost took him down. He says in Psalm 73:2-3 that his envy at how the proud prosper nearly caused him to lose his footing in the goodness and sovereignty of God (Psalm 73:1). He confesses that he was bitter about this and torn up on the inside. These are some powerful thoughts and emotions!
Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. (Psalm 73:21, NLT)
What brought about this realization, giving the Psalmist a toehold, something for his foot to grip, and turning his heart around? What got his eyes off of the wrong thing, the prosperity of the proud, and onto the right thing, the goodness of a sovereign God (Psalm 73:28)?
He went into the sanctuary of God, where others who had found strength to overcome these thoughts and feelings could help strengthen him. It is a place where the eyes are turned from the earthly to the heavenly, the temporal to the eternal. It is a place where the truth is spoken, and lies, misgivings, and wrong feelings are defeated. A place that helped him see how silly he had become (Psalm 73:22).
In times like these, and so much more, we need the Bible, prayer, fellowship, and more sanctuary, not less (Hebrews 10:25). Believers, rejoice in the sanctuary! Be strengthened and encouraged in the sanctuary—the house of God—lest your foot slip and confusion overcome your soul.
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Psalms 73; 77-78.