#DailyDevotion You’ll Only Be Jealous When You Don’t Know The Truth
Psalm 73 14I am plagued all day long and take my beating every morning. 15If I had decided to talk like that, I would have betrayed Your people.
The Psalmist describes his condition. He views his life as a believer as a plaque and that he takes a beating every morning. Thankfully, the LORD doesn’t discipline most of us like this though we may eventually come to it. If you think your life should be easy, look to the crucified Christ and be dissuaded of that idea. He believes if he talked like the people in verse ten-thirteen he would have betrayed His people. We too should watch our tongues as well when we are tempted to join the wicked because they seem to have health, wealth and happiness. It is a real temptation to do so.
16So I thought this over to understand it – it looked too difficult to me, 17until I came into God’s holy place and saw the end in store for them. 18Surely You will set them in slippery places and make them fall into ruin. 19How quickly they will be destroyed, completely wiped out in terrifying ways! 20Like a dream when one wakes up, so You, Lord, will awake and despise the very thought of them.
Instead of joining them in their blasphemy, he sought to understand this situation. It is as he says a difficult situation to come to grips with, given all the promises of blessing from God to His people in the Bible. The LORD granted him a vision of reality and we should take it to heart. While they may be like the rich-man in the parable of Jesus in this life, they are also like the rich man in the parable in the afterlife. The wicked, as happy, go-lucky, and free they many seem, they are standing on a slippery slope. Ruin will come upon them and quickly. They will be destroyed and wiped out in terrifying ways. They fall asleep convinced there is nothing after this and find themselves in the hand of God whom they despised and did not trust. Weeping and gnashing of teeth await them. They will be held accountable on judgment day when it will seem like the LORD has woken up and despised the very thought of them. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, what they have sown will come to fruition.
21When my heart is filled with bitterness and stirred up inside, 22I’m stupid and don’t understand, like an animal in Your presence. 23But I’m always with You – You hold my right hand.
Not a pleasant view of ourselves when we start thinking about the cross of Christ we have taken upon ourselves when we believed in Jesus. Looking at evil getting away with everything our hearts often are filled with bitterness and stirred up. Because of our sinful flesh, which still clings to us after being born from above, we are stupid and don’t understand like an animal in God’s presence. Yes, sometimes we forget what our LORD has taught us and we compare ourselves now with the wicked and forget what it promised us and them in the world to come.
Then the Holy Spirit speaks in our hearts and reminds us of the word God has spoken to us. He, Jesus, is always with us, Immanuel! (Matt. 1 & 28) He never leaves or forsakes us (Heb. 13). He holds our right hand, leading beside the still water and to the green pastures. We need not fear this cross we bear will last forever. The Beatitudes will be fulfilled to us and we will dwell in the presence of the LORD forever if we will remain faithful to Him during these slight, momentary afflictions. We will share in His glory, holiness, and righteousness forever.
Heavenly Father, in the midst of doubt because of the well-being of the wicked, grant us a clear vision of their fate so we do not despise you and join them. Put forth Your promises before our eyes that we may hope in them in the midst of trials, troubles, and tribulations and remain faithful until Your Son, Jesus Christ, returns in glory to give each of us what we deserve for our faith or our unbelief. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.