For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked [Ps. 73:2–3].
Asaph said, “I looked around me at my nation, and I noticed that the wicked among my people were the ones prospering, and the godly were not.”
For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm [Ps. 73:4].
“There are no bands in their death”—there are no pangs or pains in their death.
They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment [Ps. 73:5–6].
I think again of the wealthy couple with the little boy baby; oh, how arrogant they were and filled with pride!
Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish [Ps. 73:7].
These folk have everything. As I think of it, I don’t think they have had the fun that I have had in this life, because when I got a new something or other, it sure was a joy to me. It wasn’t a joy to them because they had it all along. “Their eyes stand out with fatness”—I hadn’t thought of that until I studied this psalm. They had puffs under their eyes—they had been drinking too much and had too much night life. The mother of that little fellow would have been beautiful if her face had not shown so much sign of dissipation.
They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily [Ps. 73:8].
They don’t mind walking on the poor. They insist that our children have to go to integrated schools, but their children do not. Everyone else must obey the law, but they somehow are exempt. As you look around you, this is something that can make you bitter.
They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth [Ps. 73:9].
My, listen to these rich people on television today. They are the ones who make the news. “Their tongue walketh through the earth,” and I know of nothing that enables it to walk better than television.
Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them [Ps. 73:10].
God’s people are taxed to death. We are told that some rich folk pay no taxes at all. My, they really have it made!
And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? [Ps. 73:11].
They are not interested in God, and they don’t think He knows anything about them.
Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches [Ps. 73:12].
Does that ever bother you? It bothers me.
Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency [Ps. 73:13].
Asaph says, “I have attempted to live for God, and it looks like it does not pay.”
For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me [Ps. 73:14–16].
This problem worried Asaph. It gave him sleepless nights. Why do the wicked prosper?
Now we come to the answer:
Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end [Ps. 73:17].
When Asaph went into the temple of God, he understood the “end” of the wicked. He gained insight into the end reserved for the wicked. This is the reason the Lord Jesus gave a parable about a rich man and a poor man to illustrate afterlife. It is recorded in Luke 16:19–31. It tells us that the day is going to come when God will judge the rich. That rich fellow ended up in a place of torment even though the liberal preacher pushed him right into heaven at the funeral. Nice things were said about him. They praised him for his gifts of charity, but his end was a place of torment. The poor man wasn’t even given a decent burial—his body was thrown onto a dump heap. But God’s pallbearers were waiting for him—they were angels—and they took him right into Abraham’s bosom. You have to stay close to God today, friend, or you will become bitter and cynical as you see the injustice in the world. Asaph found his answer in the sanctuary. I don’t know the answer to your question because I don’t know the answer to mine, but I know Someone who does. He didn’t say He would tell me right now. He said, “You trust Me. I’ve got the answer.” Someday in His presence He is going to explain it all to us. Also I know that He is going to show me that what He did was best. I don’t understand that either, but that is what He is going to do.
McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: Poetry (Psalms 42-89) (electronic ed., Vol. 18, pp. 135–138). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.