Dealing with doubt and discouragement? Psalm 73 can help us find hope and remind us of God's faithfulness.

[0:00] Intro

[2:45] God is good - Psalm 73:1

[9:30] But - Psalm 73:2-14

[15:36] Tongue tied - Psalm 73:15-16

[19:30] Wake up call - Psalm 73:17-27

[32:50] So good! - Psalm 73:28

Bible Verses:

Psalm 73

2 Timothy 2:13

Romans 5:6-8

Galatians 6:2

Psalm 16:11

John 10:27-30

James 4:7-8

Hebrews 12:1-2

Psalm 73 is a psalm written by Asaph. He is known to have been a worship leader. I think we can relate to what he wrote in Psalm 73.

God is good - Psalm 73:1 | In the first verse, Asaph recognizes God’s goodness. God is still good today. He is good despite our past mistakes and hurtful choices. God is faithful.

“...if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

But - Psalm 73:2-14 | Asaph also recognizes his envy as he sees the wicked in their prosperity and ease. He questions the injustice of all the wickedness.

When we look around, we may struggle with envy as well. It can feel like we are being left behind by a world that seems to be doing well without God. We may cry out to God about the injustice of it. God is not afraid of our questions. He can handle our questions, doubts, and pain.

Tongue tied - Psalm 73:15-16 | Asaph couldn’t speak to anyone about his discouragement and kept it inside. He almost lost his trust in God.

We should share our personal struggles with fellow believers. However, it should not come before communicating with God through prayer. Go to God first and connect with each other as a body after. God knows and He cares about our concerns.

Wake up call - Psalm 73:17-27 | Asaph has a wake up call when he enters the sanctuary. Drawing closer to God helps him understand that the wicked he sees prospering all have one end - death because they are not on God’s side.

It is vital that we attend church and fill ourselves with God's Word. As with Asaph, clarity comes with closeness to God. Meet with God, both individually and collectively. Spend time in God's Word daily. Draw near to God and each other, and receive the clarity and joy that comes from it.

So good! - Psalm 73:28 | Initially, Asaph was distracted by the prosperity of the wicked, but he comes back to the goodness of God.

We have the privilege of being able to bring our weaknesses to a perfect God. Look to Jesus, not at external distractions. Ask God for forgiveness and help in not being distracted by worldly things, and instead find joy in His eternal hope.