“Surely God
is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had
almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I
saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:1-3)
This
Psalm is one of twelve ascribed to Asaph, a singer of Psalms known by
David. The singer writes of a common
topic, also seen in Job where Job’s friends cannot get over the prosperity of
the wicked and the sorrows of the godly.
In the very first verses Asaph admits his near failing as he envied the
prosperity of the wicked about him.
Do we
not bemoan the apparent success and accumulated wealth of those around us who
don’t follow God’s standards ourselves?
We wonder when they will get their “just deserts”; their comeuppances,
as it were. We must remember Jesus words
in Mark 8:36 when he warns his listeners, “For
what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”
We are to pray for those
unregenerate souls about us who are in need of forgiveness. God is gracious and wishes to use us to
display to the lost the infinite mercy, undeserved favor and forgiveness He
offers to all who would receive it. We
are to be examples of it, understanding that all too familiar phrase: “There but for the grace of God go I.” 1
Until next time, walk with the King and be a
blessing!
1
John Bradford (1510–1555) was a clergyman of St.
Paul's in England. He was an English Reformer and martyr. The actual quote is: “There but for the grace of God goes John
Bradford”, which was spoken by Bradford while imprisoned in the Tower of
London when he saw criminals being led toward their execution at Tyburn.
