Psalms 73:2-12: Do the Wicked Prosper?

Psalm 73 deals with a problem that has often perplexed God's people. Actually, it is a twofold problem whose parts are interrelated: why must the godly suffer so frequently, and why do the ungodly seem to be so prosperous?

Psalm 73 is one of the classic statements of this two-pronged question. In fact, so open is the psalmist about his own doubts that he allows us to penetrate deep into his inner being as he leads us to the very brink of despair over this most grievous problem. But he recovers just in the nick of time; he reorders his thinking about this problem and thus saves himself, and those of us who read his psalm, from falling over the precipice of despair. Like a number of other psalms, this one begins with the conclusion. The resolution of the problem ultimately comes not from a particular apologetic approach, but from the contemplation of the goodness of God (Ps 73:1).

The steps by which the psalmist, Asaph, arrived at his conclusion are also important. Having started out right, he went astray as he looked around, but then he came back to God again. The difficulty is in how he came back. His journey almost led him into disaster.

Asaph has given us a most memorable picture of what the world calls successful people: their position in life ("they have no struggles"), their health ("their bodies are healthy and strong"), their responsibilities ("they are free from the burdens common to man"), their arrogance ("pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence") and their insensitivity to evil ("from their callous hearts comes iniquity").

As if all of this were not enough, the psalmist heard these proud, wealthy, healthy people boast, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" (Ps 73:11). Such blasphemy! "We don't care what you say about God," these folks boast. "We are doing just fine without him or his help! Nothing goes wrong for us; look at some of you who claim God exists. If he does, then why are you not being helped? Why aren't you doing at least as well as we are?"

Such taunts are galling and hard to swallow. But let it be said that being perplexed or having doubts over this problem is not a sin; what is a sin is to forget God's goodness and what we have learned in God's house about the end of all such boasters. That would be to take the short view of a problem that must be considered over the long haul, and it leads to envy (Ps 73:3) and depression (Ps 73:16).

In order to get understanding, Asaph went into the sanctuary of God. Religion is not the opiate of the people; it is supposed to bring understanding (Ps 73:17). Such understanding can help us gain our footing once again.

What the prosperous, healthy, arrogant people do not realize is that they are standing "on slippery ground" (Ps 73:18). They are not as free as they think themselves to be. And all that they have is temporary, on loan from God.

Over against this precarious position rests the steadfast goodness of God, who holds his own by the hand (Ps 73:23) and guides them (Ps 73:24). "Afterward [he] will take [us] into glory" (Ps 73:24).

The problem of the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of believers is to be resolved in the goodness of the God who personally walks and talks with his own and who will ultimately bring us to be with him in glory. Contrariwise, the prosperity of the wicked is very short-lived when judged from God's perspective. It is their feet that are on a slippery slope, not the believers'. Those who believe are gaining understanding of God's goodness as they approach God's house.

The wicked often do prosper, at least for the moment; but the righteous shall endure forever. And the righteous will always experience the goodness of God.