 Key Verse
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Meditation “Why do the good guys always lose?” my friend asked after missing a bid for a business contract. At the heart of the question is the interrogation of God’s goodness. Is God good if we do the right thing and miss invitations to parties, promotions at work, positions we run for, or contracts we compete for? Today’s reading invites brutal honesty in questioning God. Asaph saw “the prosperity of the wicked” and was “envious.” (3) They appeared pain free, always at ease, increasing in wealth, good looking, and resourced to avoid consequences. Pride leads them to autonomy, even to “set their mouths against the heavens.” Is God good if the wicked prosper? Corporate worship changes everything. The Psalmist “went into the sanctuary of God” and discerned the truth. Through worship we encounter an eternal God, experience the power of His promises in Jesus, and are drawn into His purposes. Worldly popularity and prosperity are worthless “compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord.” (Philippians 3:7-8) Jesus says, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) This is the key to knowing God’s goodness when it seems like bad guys always win. Look closely at verse 1: “God is good… to those who are pure in heart.” Worship is where we rediscover God’s sufficiency as the strength of our hearts. (26) God alone gives the satisfaction we seek, security we need, and significance for which our hearts long. Worship of God promotes an eternal perspective, (24) needed re-orientation as we navigate a world where the wicked prosper. Today’s reading Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. 7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. 8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. 9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. 10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. 11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. 13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. 15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. 16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. 18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! 20 Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms. 21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, 22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. 23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially how “entering into the sanctuary of God” acts as a fulcrum to strengthen out hearts? -Do you prioritize corporate worship? This is to ask, are you re-focusing your heart in corporate worship weekly, personal worship daily, and regular accountable fellowship with believers? How is this affecting what you see and how you see the world? -Jesus says, “The pure in heart see God.” How can you intentionally trust in the Lord with all your heart, purifying your perspective on what you see? Key Verse 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
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