“All You Need Is Yah” – One Year Bible Reading (Psalms/Proverbs) – April 1

Psalm 73:1-28     A Wisdom Psalm by Asaph

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Psalm 73:1-28   All You Need Is Yah

Psalm 73 is a wisdom psalm written by Asaph.  Asaph had rich person-itis.  I think most people are born into this country, the USA, with that disease.  We get it when we learn that the Declaration of Independence declares that we are entitled to the “pursuit of happiness.”  If we understand “happiness” correctly, then that would solve the problem.  Happiness is a relationship with God.  In fact, it is eternal life (cf. John 17:3).

But Asaph misunderstood that concept at first.  He knew that God was good to the Jews (v. 1).  He would have known that the watershed chapter of the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 28, promised prosperity to those who obey God and cursed those who crossed Him.  So he was confused when he saw dopey, rich people sliding through life without the same cares as the poor (vv. 2-3).

They even seemed to die a better death than poor people (v. 4) though escape all kinds of trouble that poor people have (v. 5) and, as a result, become arrogant (v. 6).  In fact, their eyes pop out because they are so corpulent (v. 7).  They think they are better than everybody else (v. 8).  They don’t regard God (v. 9a) or other people (v. 9b).

They always have leisure time (v. 12) and even God’s people envy them (v. 10).  They don’t think God will notice their overindulgence (v. 11).  So Asaph figures he has been sacrificing things for God for no reason (vv. 13-14, Mal. 3:14).

It is easy to turn on the TV and envy the rich and famous but keep watching (vv. 15-17).  They get cancer or die in car crashes like anyone else.  They can try like Walt Disney to use their wealth to have their bodies frozen until there is a cure for what did them in.  But they will, nevertheless, perish (cf. Heb. 9:27).  And their end can occur as suddenly as it would for any poor person (vv. 18-20).

Asaph meditated in the house of the Lord (v. 17) and God gave him insight:  the rich can expire in a flash.   Though he felt cheated and was bitter, he realized that his jealousy was a sin (vv. 21-22).  He had to admit that God was in control and guiding him despite the way he felt (vv. 23-24).  He had violated the “dummy rule” (v. 22, cf. The Idiot Rule).

What I have learned in my advanced age is that God will strip me of everything but Him (v. 25).  When I have to depend only on Him (cf. Ps. 62:5), I am the most blessed (cf. 2 Cor. 12:10, “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.)

In the end, all we have is God and all we need is God (v. 26, cf. Job 1:21).  Rich people will eventually all disappear (v. 27).

Asaph has centered himself in the Lord (v. 28).  He will praise Him and take cover in Him.  Ultimately, Asaph realized all he needed was God.

And that’s all we need, too!  No foolin’.

Proverbs 12:10  Dogged

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I think I already told you the story of President Lyndon Baines Johnson who made headlines by picking up his poor hound by the ears!

Who would do that kind of a thing?  I guess, LBJ would!  A righteous guy would have felt his animal’s pain and refrained!  Even if later LBJ had remorse, he still would’ve been mean!