IS GOD STILL GOOD WHEN MY CIRCUMSTANCES APPEAR TO BE BAD?….A CALL TO PERSONAL DEVOTION, FAITHFULNESS AND WORSHIP, ESPECIALLY IN HARDSHIP.

The Jews divided the Psalms into five books. Psalm 73 opens up the third of these volumes. This books concludes with Psalm 89. These are largely the Psalms of Asaph. David only has one Psalm in this section (86), one was written by Ethan the Ezrahite (89), one by Herman the Ezrahite (88), three anonymous Psalms were penned for the Sons of Korah (84, 85, 87) while Asaph wrote the remainder (8 in total). All of Asaph’s compositions with the exception of Psalm 50 fall within the third book of the Psalter.

Asaph is a significant name in the history of Jewish praise and poetry. David, who was highly gifted himself, recognised Asaph’s talent, giving him a significant role within the temple.

So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God. And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel: Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals; Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.

(1st Chronicles 16:1-7)

Asaph’s name was preserved in perpetuity. Among those who led the worship were a group of singers and musicians known as the sons of Asaph.

During the revival in the days of King Josiah:

And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the porters waited at every gate; they might not depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them. (2nd Chronicles 35:15)

After the captivity the named continuity as temple worship was reconstituted:

And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

(Ezra 3:10)

In the Psalm 73 Asaph reveals the intensity of emotion and spirituality with which poets are peculiarly gifted. These words contain a challenge to Asaph’s worldview. He faces the prosperity and power of bad men and in so doing questions the goodness of God. Can God be good when bad men dominate? Is God still good when my circumstances seem to be bad? When bombs are exploding, shrapnel is flying, people are screaming and lives are being destroyed does God remain good? When the doctor shakes his head and delivers bad news is God good? These are natural questions, human questions. Asaph found his answer and so must we.

ASAPH’S PROPOSAL (v1)

The third book of the Psalter is sometimes called The Psalms of God’s Goodness because of this subtitle; Truly God is good to Israel.

This Psalm is intended to teach that God is good all the time. This includes those moments when we cannot see, understand or feel that goodness.

This is a truth we need; one we must cling onto when the very ground beneath our feet is giving way!

ASAPH’S PROBLEM (v2-12)

Asaph confessed that his feet were slipping away, his foundation was crumbling. His faith was on the brink of collapse.

The wicked are prospering. They do not suffer, they increase in riches and their problems are few.

Furthermore Asaph finds himself envious and even angry at this state of affairs. He is filled with pride because he has cultivated a clean heart while he suffers – yet the wicked are advancing in the world.

As Asaph observed the course of the ungodly world though, we obtain an insight into their characteristics. Rebellion against God has moral consequences. Those who sent their minds against the Lord and dare say “How doth God know”, will be cruel and act with violence. They will be depraved and corrupt. But why do they prosper in their vile behaviour. This was Asaph’s problem.

ASAPH’S PAIN ( v13-16)

These thoughts plague the heart and soul of the man of God. Such contemplations are honest and shocking. His faith was under threat.

It is commendable though that Asaph did not talk of his feelings openly. He did not wish to distress and discourage the people of God.

He kept the pain to himself with a view to bringing it to God.

ASAPH’S PATH (v17)

True worship begins not when we have all the answers, but when we bring our questions into God’s presence.

Therefore he made his path to the House of God. With his questions, fears and sorrow he came to God. With his pride and envy he came to God. Worship is for sinners. When we find our faith to be sunder threat we are further encouraged to come to God. This is our only recourse. To assemble with God’s people and to get under the word. This is what proves that we are a Christian people. God’s people doubt and question but we don’t turn away from Him. Rather we come to Him. We approach God’s House. We seek out the means of grace.

ASAPH’S PERCEPTION (v17-22)

Circumstantial storms may shake our footing, but not God’s faithfulness.

Only when Asaph came before God did he understand the world.

In the first part of the Psalm he viewed the world through the lens of a man. The great shift occurred when he looked the life through God’s vision. Suddenly everything made sense.

The wicked are facing utter and total judgment. Damnation is coming for them.

Therefore the success that the wicked enjoy is a mirage in the desert. It is a false dawn which will quickly be eclipsed by eternal darkness.

Their prosperity has no firm ground; it is not built upon God’s favour or his promise…Their prosperity is therefore not to be envied at all, but despised

Matthew Henry

Asaph suddenly understood that true success is not to be measured by prosperity, power or popularity. It’s not even even to be measured by health or by peace. True success is knowing acceptance with God and forgiveness of sins. This provides a basis for a life spent in God’s presence, enjoying His approval.

As this realisation dawned upon Asaph’s heart he was humbled; “my heart was grieved…I was pricked”. He considered himself to be thinking like a beast. His mind was not right. He had excluded God from his calculations.

We observe the onward progress of false religion across the world as billions follow paths that exclude Christ. We are beset by the secularists with their flawed ideas of freedom and morality. The Christian basis of our society is constantly being eroded.

Ultimately these efforts will fail. They are in slippery places. They will be brought to desolation and “consumed with terrors”. The true Church and the Gospel of Christ must prevail.

ASAPH’S PEACE (v23-27)

Asaph was comforted by the security and peace with which God endows His people. The contrast with the ungodly world could not be greater.

While they are cast out by God, Asaph was continually in God’s presence.

While they are rejected by God, Asaph was supported by God’s right hand.

While they are without direction, Asaph was guided by God’s counsel.

While they were going to the darkness of hell, Asaph would be received into glory. This particular reference in verse 24 certainly highlights that the Old Testaments has elevated views on the certainty of eternal life. The hope of eternal life reminds us that that this world is not the end.

While the world had popularity on their side Asaph, more importantly had the Lord. Even when his strength failed “God was his portion”. This is all we need. Described by James Montgomery Boice as one of the loveliest expressions in Scripture, verses 26-27 reminds who the Christian is. When we have the Lord what more can we wish for? Better to be rotting in a person cell for the sake of the Gospel than to be enjoying the plaudits of the world. Better to be alone and in the minority than defying God. Better, much better, to be dying young, suffering pain, asa child of God than to live old having no Saviour. Better to be a poor Christian than a rich unbeliever. The poor Christian is the one who is truly rich. Nothing surpass this – to have the Lord our portion!

ASAPH’S PRAYER (v28)

It is not doubt that defines the believer, but where that doubt is brought — to the throne of grace.

The final verse is reminder of the turning point in Asaph’s experience. He drew near to God. We constantly need our thinking to be made right. We require our flawed ideas to be corrected. We must learn to view the world through the lens that God presents us with. We can only do this by looking after our own hearts and nurturing a life of devotion and prayer. This is why we must cultivate a quiet time, be present at our prayer gatherings Bible studies and Lord’s Day services. We have a duty to draw near to God, because ultimately as Asaph wrote:

But it is good for me to draw near to God:
I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,
that I may declare all thy works.

The greater our nearness to God, the less we are affected by the attractions and distractions of earth. Access into the most holy place is a great privilege, and a cure for a multitude of ills. It is good for all saints, it is good for me in particular; it is always good, and always will be good for me to approach the greatest good, the source of all good, even God himself.

CH Spurgeon

The truth is – God is always good. We need this refocus, in order that we might bask in the joy of His life which never fails.

When we look beyond the temporal to the eternal, we discover the One who never fails and never leaves us alone.