The Weekly Perspective
by Burke Shade, Associate Pastor
A famous poet once wrote: “I think that perchance I shall never see, something as beautiful as Psalm 73.” Or something like that!
But it’s true! Why? Because it expresses the constant frustration of the righteous when they see the prosperity of the wicked. That’s what we see every day in the news, on social media, any screen: the wicked’s apparent prosperity.
To Asaph, they appear to be living the “good life,” the “salt life,” the “beach life,” you name it. They have fatness of life, overflowing hearts of laughter, arrogant defiance with violence that covers them like a garment. They constantly scoff at God while questioning his knowledge of their antics. It’s so bad Asaph is tempted to think that in vain he has kept this heart and life pure and innocent. He can’t sort it all out, how this works in God’s world.
But then, he goes into the sanctuary of God (17), and he sees things as they really are; then he sees the end of the wicked. God really has set them up in slippery places; he makes them to fall to ruin, they are ruined in a minute. Diddy? Epstein? Nixon? Lennon? Hitler? Mussolini? Alexander? Rehoboam? Goliath?
From the sanctuary he realizes God is constantly with him, guiding him with counsel, receiving him in glory. God really is the strength of his heart, forever!
So where do you get this sanctuary perspective? From being in the sanctuary! From being with God’s people called out on Sunday morning by Jesus, gathered to worship Him and see Him and realize, once again, Yes, Jesus is on the throne and ruling and His eyes see all and He has us all in His hands!
Seems like Asaph is making something very clear to us: only wild horses should keep you from the Sanctuary on Sunday morning!