Psa 73:1 | KingComments | STEP | With Psalm 73, a new book of Psalms, Book 3, with Psalms 73-89 as its contents, begins. In the second book of Psalms (Psalms 42-72) we see that the faithful remnant of Israel has been rejected by their brethren after the flesh under the leadership of the antichrist. The remnant has fled abroad ( ), where they are also persecuted by the nations. In this great distress, they wrestle with the question of how the ungodly Israelites can experience prosperity. That wrestling drives them out to God and His sanctuary ( ). There they come to repentance ( ). The second book of Psalms is about the need of the believing remnant during the great tribulation, because of the persecution by the antichrist and his followers. This persecution takes place from within. This causes great distress to the remnant. In response to their cry for help, the LORD sends His discipling rod Assyria ( ) or the king of the North ( ). In this third book of Psalms we find the effects of this ( ). Because of the distress, now caused by Assyria from without, we find in this third book the prayers and spiritual exercise of the remnant. The third book of Psalms corresponds to the third book of the Torah (the five books of Moses), which is the book of Leviticus. In this ‘Leviticus book’ of Psalms we find the remnant seeking refuge in the sanctuary, for Leviticus is pre-eminently the book of the sanctuary. The main subject of the book of Leviticus is fellowship with the LORD, and therefore being holy before the LORD ( ). We find several references to the LORD’s holiness in this third book of Psalms. Asaph is the author of Psalms 50 and 73-83. Psalm 50 is about the condition for revealing God’s glory to His people. Psalms 73-83 are about the revelation of God’s glory. We find in them the meaning of the sanctuary for us. Psalms 84-89, which are partly of the Korahites, are about what God’s glory works out of in the hearts of those who form the faithful remnant. We find therein the meaning of the sanctuary for God. Several psalms of this third book of Psalms contain a reference to the sanctuary. Psalm 73, as the first psalm of the third book, shows the general characteristics of this third book of Psalms. The characteristic of this third book is the entering into the sanctuary ( ). There the psalmist finds the solution to the problem he has in Psalm 73, namely, the prosperity of the wicked and the adversity of the righteous. The prosperity here is the prosperity of the unbelieving part of the people led by the antichrist ( ). In the sanctuary, the believing remnant sees the end of the wicked. By the Assyrian – and this is especially the distress in the third book of Psalms – Israel is discipled and the unbelieving part of the people will be destroyed in an instant ( ). This third book deals primarily with the history of Israel as a people, and includes teaching for the believing remnant. We too can learn from this teaching ( ). We find only one psalm of David in it (Psalm 86). Psalms 73-83 are of Asaph, Psalms 84-85 and 87-88 are of the sons of Korah, and Psalm 89 is of Ethan. In the time of David we read of 38,000 Levites assisting the priests in the service in the temple ( ), 4,000 of whom provide the music ( ). Of these 4,000, 288 men are set apart to be singers ( ), divided into twenty-four groups. These are placed under the direction of some conductors. One of them is Asaph, who makes himself heard with cymbals ( ). Asaph is also a prophet ( ), who wrote songs together with David ( ). The prophetic characteristics of these psalms we will see at their explanation. Even after the exile, Asaph’s descendants continued to be singers who also praised the LORD with cymbals in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem ( ; ). This is “a psalm of Asaph” ( ). It is the first psalm in a row of eleven psalms he wrote (Psalms 73-83). See further for “of Asaph” at Psalm 50:1, where his name is mentioned for the first time in the heading of a psalm. The second part of is the theme of the psalm. The rest of the psalm is the elaboration of it. In this psalm Asaph describes his wrestling with the question of how God can allow the wicked to live in prosperity, while the God-fearing have to contend with adversity. In this first verse he immediately relates the conclusion to which he has come after his wrestling. With a powerful “surely”, or “verily”, or “yes”, he expresses the certainty that God is “good to Israel”. To this he does add that this applies “to those” in Israel “who are pure in heart”. The Hebrew word “pure” means “empty”, “clean”, “absence of defilement” (cf. ; ). This is the true Israel living separated from evil. Pure or clean of heart is one in whom the inner is in harmony with the outer. Firstly, the heart is pure or clean because God has created a new and clean heart. Secondly, it is the presence of the purity or cleanliness of a steadfast spirit in the believer not to defile himself – that is his responsibility ( ). Nowadays we speak of a ‘true’, ‘not hypocritical’ faith when the faith is not an outward ‘religion’, but an inward ‘relationship’ with the living God. The life of faith then comes from the dedication of the heart, from (the first) love. What is done comes from love to the LORD. They are Israelites like Nathanael, of whom the Lord Jesus with His perfect knowledge of the human heart says: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” ( ). This is not to say that Nathanael is sinless, but that he is sincere. God’s goodness to Israel is manifested in His mercy, His willingness to gladly forgive a repentant sinner ( ). His goodness is also evident in the blessings He gives to them by virtue of the covenant. He gives everything they need in food and drink, in fruitful fields, in peace in their homes, and in protection from their enemies. They may serve Him and He blesses them. He dwells in their midst. He does not abandon them if they are unfaithful to Him, but rebukes them in order to bring them back to Himself (cf. ).

‏ Psalms 73:1

Introduction

With Psalm 73, a new book of Psalms, Book 3, with Psalms 73-89 as its contents, begins. In the second book of Psalms (Psalms 42-72) we see that the faithful remnant of Israel has been rejected by their brethren after the flesh under the leadership of the antichrist. The remnant has fled abroad (Mt 24:14-20), where they are also persecuted by the nations. In this great distress, they wrestle with the question of how the ungodly Israelites can experience prosperity. That wrestling drives them out to God and His sanctuary (Psa 73:17). There they come to repentance (Joel 2:12-17).

The second book of Psalms is about the need of the believing remnant during the great tribulation, because of the persecution by the antichrist and his followers. This persecution takes place from within. This causes great distress to the remnant. In response to their cry for help, the LORD sends His discipling rod Assyria (Isa 10:5) or the king of the North (Dan 11:40).

In this third book of Psalms we find the effects of this (Psa 73:18-19 ; Psa 74:1-8 ; Psa 78:62-64 ; Psa 80:12-13 ; Psa 83:2-4 ; Psa 89:40-46). Because of the distress, now caused by Assyria from without, we find in this third book the prayers and spiritual exercise of the remnant.

The third book of Psalms corresponds to the third book of the Torah (the five books of Moses), which is the book of Leviticus. In this ‘Leviticus book’ of Psalms we find the remnant seeking refuge in the sanctuary, for Leviticus is pre-eminently the book of the sanctuary. The main subject of the book of Leviticus is fellowship with the LORD, and therefore being holy before the LORD (1Pet 1:16). We find several references to the LORD’s holiness in this third book of Psalms.

Asaph is the author of Psalms 50 and 73-83. Psalm 50 is about the condition for revealing God’s glory to His people. Psalms 73-83 are about the revelation of God’s glory. We find in them the meaning of the sanctuary for us. Psalms 84-89, which are partly of the Korahites, are about what God’s glory works out of in the hearts of those who form the faithful remnant. We find therein the meaning of the sanctuary for God. Several psalms of this third book of Psalms contain a reference to the sanctuary.

Psalm 73, as the first psalm of the third book, shows the general characteristics of this third book of Psalms. The characteristic of this third book is the entering into the sanctuary (Psa 73:17). There the psalmist finds the solution to the problem he has in Psalm 73, namely, the prosperity of the wicked and the adversity of the righteous.

The prosperity here is the prosperity of the unbelieving part of the people led by the antichrist (Psa 73:1-12). In the sanctuary, the believing remnant sees the end of the wicked. By the Assyrian – and this is especially the distress in the third book of Psalms – Israel is discipled and the unbelieving part of the people will be destroyed in an instant (Psa 73:18-20).

This third book deals primarily with the history of Israel as a people, and includes teaching for the believing remnant. We too can learn from this teaching (1Cor 10:6 ; 11). We find only one psalm of David in it (Psalm 86). Psalms 73-83 are of Asaph, Psalms 84-85 and 87-88 are of the sons of Korah, and Psalm 89 is of Ethan.

In the time of David we read of 38,000 Levites assisting the priests in the service in the temple (1Chr 23:3 ; 28), 4,000 of whom provide the music (1Chr 23:5). Of these 4,000, 288 men are set apart to be singers (1Chr 25:7), divided into twenty-four groups. These are placed under the direction of some conductors. One of them is Asaph, who makes himself heard with cymbals (1Chr 16:5).

Asaph is also a prophet (1Chr 25:1-2), who wrote songs together with David (2Chr 29:30). The prophetic characteristics of these psalms we will see at their explanation. Even after the exile, Asaph’s descendants continued to be singers who also praised the LORD with cymbals in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 3:10; Neh 11:22).

God Is Good to Israel

This is “a psalm of Asaph” (Psa 73:1a). It is the first psalm in a row of eleven psalms he wrote (Psalms 73-83). See further for “of Asaph” at Psalm 50:1, where his name is mentioned for the first time in the heading of a psalm.

The second part of Psa 73:1 is the theme of the psalm. The rest of the psalm is the elaboration of it. In this psalm Asaph describes his wrestling with the question of how God can allow the wicked to live in prosperity, while the God-fearing have to contend with adversity. In this first verse he immediately relates the conclusion to which he has come after his wrestling. With a powerful “surely”, or “verily”, or “yes”, he expresses the certainty that God is “good to Israel”.

To this he does add that this applies “to those” in Israel “who are pure in heart”. The Hebrew word “pure” means “empty”, “clean”, “absence of defilement” (cf. Psa 19:9; Pro 14:4). This is the true Israel living separated from evil. Pure or clean of heart is one in whom the inner is in harmony with the outer. Firstly, the heart is pure or clean because God has created a new and clean heart. Secondly, it is the presence of the purity or cleanliness of a steadfast spirit in the believer not to defile himself – that is his responsibility (Psa 51:10).

Nowadays we speak of a ‘true’, ‘not hypocritical’ faith when the faith is not an outward ‘religion’, but an inward ‘relationship’ with the living God. The life of faith then comes from the dedication of the heart, from (the first) love. What is done comes from love to the LORD. They are Israelites like Nathanael, of whom the Lord Jesus with His perfect knowledge of the human heart says: “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” (Jn 1:47). This is not to say that Nathanael is sinless, but that he is sincere.

God’s goodness to Israel is manifested in His mercy, His willingness to gladly forgive a repentant sinner (Psa 86:5). His goodness is also evident in the blessings He gives to them by virtue of the covenant. He gives everything they need in food and drink, in fruitful fields, in peace in their homes, and in protection from their enemies. They may serve Him and He blesses them. He dwells in their midst. He does not abandon them if they are unfaithful to Him, but rebukes them in order to bring them back to Himself (cf. 2Tim 2:13).