Psalm 73:25-26
~12 min read
TRANSCRIPT
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet you all in the blessed name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Firstly, I praise and thank God for this privilege to share His word with all of you this evening. And again, I'm so grateful to Ron Paul for giving me this opportunity to share His word with all of you.
I. Introduction
Tonight, I have chosen Psalm 73 for our short exhortation.
Before we go for prayer, let us look into Psalm 73:25-26. Along my message I also will read verses 1-5 and also verses 12-3 and even verses 16-17 and also verse 22.
Firstly now let us look at verses 25-26. Let me read, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”
This evening I have entitled my short exhortation as ‘The Lord is my portion forever. Overcoming the sin of envy.’ Overcoming the sin of envy.
Let us look to the Lord in prayer. Let us pray.
Oh merciful and gracious heavenly Father, how we thank thee for thy salvation, and we thank thee for thy sustaining grace and mercies in our daily life. Because of thy grace, we receive the free salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. And because of thy mercies, we are not consumed. We are still alive here on earth to be thy witnesses.
Lord, we thank thee for this privilege so that we can come before thee in this manner to have petitions and supplication before thee and to pray unto thee to praise thy name and also bring our supplication unto thee. Before we go for prayer, Lord, we would like to look into Psalm 73 for our encouragement.
I pray that Lord, thou would use thy servant and grant him wisdom and knowledge as he deliver thy word unto the brethren here. Lord, we pray also that thou would forgive all our sins and unrighteousness and we may be receptive and open our hearts to receive thy word so that we may be blessed and encouraged and edified through thy words and so that we may be able to even overcome the sin of envy in our life.
We commit our time and our life unto Your mighty hand with thanksgiving in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Here in Psalm 73:25-26, the psalmist Asaph declare that “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”
To declare and make such kind of powerful statement in his life, he went through many difficulties and trouble. At the beginning his feet almost slipped. He was almost moved out of the way of righteousness.
He learned to be contented having the Lord, the one who saved him, the one who sustained him and even overcame the sin of envy. What he had experienced in his life at the beginning. So let us look into verses 1-5.
II. The Sin Of Envy
Let me read Psalm 73:1-5. “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.”
Here in verse two, it is clearly stated that, the psalmist feet were almost gone. His steps had well nigh slipped. Why? The reason is given in verse three. He says, "For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked"
When he looked at the wicked and when he saw their prosperity, they prospered in their profession and got many material possessions and also achievements. When he saw all these things belongs to the wicked, those who did not follow after the paths of God, but rather followed after their own ways, when he saw all their possessions, achievements, then here the psalmist said, "For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."
Then in verse two, he said, "my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped”. This is the danger of envy. This is a dangerous sin even Christians and believer can commit today.
Let us look at the definitions of envy. According to God questions, envy is defined as follows. Envy is to want or desire what belongs to someone else. And a more clearer definition would be envy is a painful or resentful dissatisfied longing for another's possessions, positions, achievements or success. Indeed, it is one of the fruits of the flesh, not of the spirit according to Galatian 5:19-21.
In other words, we can say that envy is the distress or resentment we feel when others have what we have not. And this envy is closely related with covetousness which the Lord forbids in the 10th commandment.
And the danger of envy also is vividly described in Proverbs 14:30. It says “a sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.”
What dangerous the sin of envy is. It is so destructive. Therefore, we the Christians need to overcome these sins of envy.
Here the psalmist is probably Asaph, according to the title given here a psalm of Asaph Psalm 73. Indeed he was a song leader and even worship leader in the days of kings David and Solomon. In other word, he was serving in the temple. He was faithfully doing God's works in the temple and serving the Lord among God's people.
We may say that he was a believer. But when he looked at and saw the prosperity of the wicked, when he saw that the wicked people, the unbelievers were prospering and also received the works of their own hands. Many harvests maybe and also many good things in their life. The things of the world, the need myths that they had in their life. When they got all this possession here, the psalmist said, "my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped” because he enviouth them.
He had the sin of envy in his heart. So envy is the problem of the heart. So in his heart here the psalmist wanted to have the possession like the wicked possessed because he did not have all these possessions.
He served the Lord faithfully in the sanctuary. He served the Lord with the ability the Lord has entrusted upon him. And as the Lord enabled him, he served the Lord.
But we may say that he was not blessed with many material possessions. In other words, he was not rich like the foolish and the wicked. He did not have material wealth in his life as the wicked had and the wicked possessed.
That's why he envied the wicked for their possession. So he here declared that his feet were almost gone. His steps had well nigh sleep. So dangerous is the sin of envy.
And he continue and said in verses 12-13, “Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches”. Here he affirmed again these ungodly people are prospering and are prosperous in this world. They make a lot of money. They increase in riches. So he had envied them.
And here we see in verse 13, a very dangerous and statement made foolishly. Here the psalmist said, "Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency." What a foolish statement here.
Here the psalmist saw the prosperity of the wicked, their achievements and their possessions. When he observed all these things from his own perspective, then he came to this conclusion. “Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency”.
Meaning, though I walk and walk the work of the Lord faithfully, not like the wicked people - I serve the Lord faithfully from the bottom of my heart with a clean heart and a clean hands - all these things, my service rendered unto the Lord, living a life in accordance with the word of God, all these things he said all these things are in vain. What a foolish statement it is.
How can we set this statement as a foolish statement? Because he, the psalmist himself said in verse 22, "So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee."
Before he came to the right perspective, when he observed things, when he observed the wicked people and their doings and also their achievements and their possessions so on, when he observed according to their his own standards, after his own understanding and knowledge then he came to this conclusion in verse 13. I serve the Lord. I cleanse my hand and my heart in vain. No profit, useless, nothing at all.
He himself understood and declared that in verse 22, “So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee”.
Indeed, sometimes we the believer when we observe things of the world, when we observe the people, those who walk after their own lust, after their own fleshly lust, and do things according to their own will and in their own ways, not according to the Bible, not according to the commandments of God. And when they got many possessions and material wealth and blessing so called, then we the believer sometime envied them. We want to have such kind of material wealth and blessings.
And sometime when we live a life in accordance with the teachings of the Bible and we do not have all these material blessing, then we think that serving the Lord faithfully, living a life in accordance with the Bible is no profit at all. It is not profitable, useless, nothing.
But it is not true. This is a wrong perspective on the things of the world and even the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous. It is wrong 100%. It is not true and it is not a right perspective.
III. How To Overcome It
Though the psalmist said that he was almost gone. His “steps had well nigh slipped”. It means that he was almost out of the ways of righteousness. But when he came into the sanctuary, then he learned all these things in the right way.
Let us read verses 16 and 17. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me. Indeed, he was struggling. He was suffering as he observed things according to his own understanding and knowledge.
But when he went into the sanctuary of God - the house of God in today's context - when he came into the house of God, the church where the word of God faithfully preached and taught, then he learned and understood all these things and their end.
He now clearly saw the worldly things and even the wicked people and how they will end their life. Now he understood that from the view of the word of God. When he observed the things of the world and the things happening around him - the wicked prosperity, the believers suffering and so on, then he now understood and he got the right perspective from the Bible, from the word of God.
He knew that all these worldly things the material wealth are not eternal but temporal, will not last for long but all this things will vanish away immediately.
So when he got this right perspective from the Bible, from the word of God, he learned in the house of God, in the sanctuary of God - then he sees now things accordingly. He sees now things as God sees. And he acknowledged now that all these worldly things are temporal, will not last forever.
And now he made this statement. He affirmed and said, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”
Before his heart was fainted, there was no strength in his heart. He envied the wicked for their prosperity, for their material wealth. But now he came to know that all these things are temporal and will not last for long.
And then now his heart is now strengthened. Strengthened by the word of God. Strengthened through the right perspective he had from the Bible from the word of God. He learned in the sanctuary. And he also said my portion forever is God. In other words, God is my portion forever.
Since I have God, the Lord of Israel, the one who saved me and the one who sustain me till today, and what else I need? He came to know the truth now. He had the God of Israel, the covenant keeping God, the one who created heaven and earth.
Everything belongs to Him. And now he clearly acknowledged that since he possessed God, now he understood that he belongs to God who can provide whatever he needs. Then he said God is my portion forever.
Then in verse 25 here we see, he loved the Lord his God most. He understood that the worldly things, material wealth, even good health, all these thing are nothing compared to the one who created heaven and earth. The one who possess everything the world and the things that are in the world.
So instead of desiring, wanting the things of the world, now he desires most even in heaven and here on earth than anything else - He loves God most. He wants to have the Lord God most.
IV. Conclusion
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, unless we have the right perspective from the word of God concerning the things of the world, the material wealth and even a good health, the physical blessing that we receive in our daily life, all these things actually will not last long, will not last forever.
They are temporal. But the spiritual thing, the Lord himself is eternal. He saved us and we belong to Him and we are the sheep under His guidance.
Therefore, since we are of the Lord and we have the Lord who possesses everything and even the world and the things that are in the world, what else we need? We really need most the Lord and the Lord alone, not the material wealth and so on.
Dear brothers and sisters, many a time we may envy other people's possessions. We may envy other people’s belonging and possessions and achievements and so on. But if we have a right perspective on all these things, knowing that God has saved us and also He is the one who is saving us and who is guiding us and who is leading us, as seen in Psalm 23, then we will be able to say after this psalmist - whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is not upon earth that I desire beside thee.
We will not want to have the worldly things at the expense of God, at the expense of righteousness, at the expense of holiness. Ignoring our service to the Lord, we will not try to get wealth and material possession here on earth.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, if we don't have the right perspective from the Bible concerning the things of the world and even the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, then we will be troubled. Our heart will be fainting.
But if we know the right perspective and have the right perspective from the word of God concerning all these things, then we will be able to say after the psalmist here, the Lord is my portion forever.
Since I have the Lord, it is enough because He can provide. He is able to provide whatever we need. He can provide or of course He will provide us and He will sustain us and He will continue to enable us to serve Him faithfully.
Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, we must put our heart and affection on things above, not on things on the earth. We must focus our eyes upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Then all the things of the world will be nothing in your eyes.
May the Lord bless all of us. May the Lord help us. Let us pray.
V. Closing Prayer
Our gracious father in heaven, how we thank thee for thy words. We thank thee that thou has given us the Lord Jesus Christ and even Lord the salvation. And also Lord we thank thee for many blessings that we receive in our daily life as we serve thee, as we live a life that is pleasing unto thee.
Lord continue to bless us and also guide us and lead us, and especially Lord grant us the right perspective from thy word concerning the things of the world and the things happening around us so that we may be able to say after the psalmist, ‘the Lord is my portion forever’.
And Lord in order to have this right perspective, Lord, help us to learn your word daily in our life. Help us to attend the Bible study. Help us to attend the worship service and learn thy word from the faithful pastors and preachers so that we might be encouraged and we might be edified and also growing in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and all thy word may guide us and lead us and also make us more profitable in thy vineyards for thy own glory.
Help us Lord. This is our humble prayer. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
THE BOOK OF PSALMSMorning Devotion 1Morning Devotion 1Psalm 1:1
Wonderful Words of LifeWonderful Words of LifePsalm 1:1-3
Morning Devotion 2Morning Devotion 2Psalm 1:2
Morning Devotion 3Morning Devotion 3Psalm 1:3-6
Having Confidence In Times Of TroubleHaving Confidence In Times Of TroublePsalm 3
Pray with Your Eyes OpenPray with Your Eyes OpenPsalm 5:1-12
Message 3: The Test of TrustMessage 3: The Test of TrustPsalm 11:1-7
Morning Devotion 2: Psalm 13Morning Devotion 2: Psalm 13Psalm 13
Message 4: The Life of TrustMessage 4: The Life of TrustPsalm 20:1-9
Encouraging Yourself In The LordEncouraging Yourself In The LordPsalm 27:1-5
Learn To Deal With DepressionLearn To Deal With DepressionPsalm 42
Dealing with DepressionDealing with DepressionPsalm 42
God Is Our RefugeGod Is Our RefugePsalm 46
Morning Devotion 3: Psalm 46Morning Devotion 3: Psalm 46Psalm 46
True Confession, Repentance and Restoration (Part 1)True Confession, Repentance and Restoration (Part 1)Psalm 51:1-9
Morning Devotion 1: The Joy of Thy ForgivenessMorning Devotion 1: The Joy of Thy ForgivenessPsalm 51:1-9
True Confession, Repentance and Restoration (Part 2)True Confession, Repentance and Restoration (Part 2)Psalm 51:10-12
The Joy of SalvationThe Joy of SalvationPsalm 51:10-12
Morning Devotion 4: The Joy of Thy SalvationMorning Devotion 4: The Joy of Thy SalvationPsalm 51:10-19
True Confession, Repentance and Restoration (Part 3)True Confession, Repentance and Restoration (Part 3)Psalm 51:13-19
O Come, Let Us Worship the LordO Come, Let Us Worship the LordPsalm 59:1-11
Hear My Cry, O God!Hear My Cry, O God!Psalm 61:1-8
The Man that is Blessed of the LordThe Man that is Blessed of the LordPsalm 65:4
The Lord Is My Portion Forever: Overcoming The Sin Of EnvyThe Lord Is My Portion Forever: Overcoming The Sin Of EnvyPsalm 73:25-26
Wilt Thou Not Revive Us Again?Wilt Thou Not Revive Us Again?Psalm 85:1-13
Teach Us to Number Our DaysTeach Us to Number Our DaysPsalm 90:10-12
Morning Devotion 1: Psalm 90:10-12Morning Devotion 1: Psalm 90:10-12Psalm 90:10-12
The Lord Is KingThe Lord Is KingPsalm 93
Christian ParentingChristian ParentingPsalm 127:3-5; Matthew 10:37; Matthew 6:32; Psalm 113:9; Psalm 128:3
What Shall We Give Unto The Lord For All His Benefits Towards Us?What Shall We Give Unto The Lord For All His Benefits Towards Us?Psalm 116:12
Morning Devotion 2: Obedience to God’s WordMorning Devotion 2: Obedience to God’s WordPsalm 119:1-8
Morning Devotion 3: The Cleansing Power of God’s WordMorning Devotion 3: The Cleansing Power of God’s WordPsalm 119:9-16
I Was GladI Was GladPsalm 122:1
Christian ParentingChristian ParentingPsalm 127:3-5; Matthew 10:37; Matthew 6:32; Psalm 113:9; Psalm 128:3
Message 7: What are children for? Heritage of godly seed for Christ!Message 7: What are children for? Heritage of godly seed for Christ!Psalm 127:3, Malachi 2:15, Ephesians 6:4
Christian ParentingChristian ParentingPsalm 127:3-5; Matthew 10:37; Matthew 6:32; Psalm 113:9; Psalm 128:3
A Prayer in the CaveA Prayer in the CavePsalm 142
