THE VIEW FROM WORSHIP
Psalm 73

Orientation – The Way it is Supposed to be (principle)
v.1 - Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.

Now surely ...

• If we do well in school, treat others as you would like to be treated, always tell the truth, be honest in your business dealings, respect authority, respect yourself and others with modesty and good manners, help those in need then we will be blessed – surely.
• Those who do these things will succeed in life, surely.
• Those who do these things will be blessed by God, surely.
• Isn't this what we were taught?

Disorientation – The Way it really Seems to be (experience)
² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. ³ For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

But I ...
1. ¹² This is what the wicked are like- always carefree, they increase in wealth.
Why do good things happen to bad people? (vss. 4-11)

• Why are the crimes of the worst politicians ignored by justice?
• Why are athletes and celebrities who commit acts of violence more popular than the ones that play fair? Why do they continue to get the endorsements? Why do they get to play the game?
• Why is it that young girls - celebrities - get rich and popular – by acting crude and nasty and get applauded as role models and pioneers for women?
• Why do Enron traders get incredibly wealthy and seem to skate past justice by cheating customers in California? We have caught a few, but how many more are out there and how did they get to be so powerful?

2. ¹³ Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.
Why do bad things happen to good people? (vss. 14-15)
I have done my best to keep the rules and be honest and I have suffered. Maybe living by the principles we were taught is a waste of time.

My life isn’t carefree. In fact it is more difficult because I am trying to do the right thing. And additionally, there is the burden of worrying about what others think – especially our children. Some days the only thing that keeps us from doing the wrong thing is that we think about our children.
Maybe we should assert ourselves by any means necessary if our cause is just? Can that be right? This is just too difficult and it is hard to know what’s right.
Why do bad things happen to good people? Is God paying attention?

New Orientation – The Way it Will Be (Hope)
¹⁶ When tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me ¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

Now surely ...
1. ¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.

• The "wicked" have no foundation – They cannot escape death. When terror strikes, the carefree lifestyle and wealth of the rich is worthless.

Do you remember "the news" before 9/11? Here’s what Larry King Live was zeroing in on before 9/11 – Can John Edwards speak to the dead? Oprah Winfrey’s success, Gary Condit and the Chandra Levy scandal. After Tuesday, September 11 many of these side-show attractions seemed to disappear – why is that?

• Am I judging others? – we are the ones who ought to be judged because we give in to the spirit of the age that makes us envious of one another – the spirit of the age that turns success into an idol – we try and justify it, but we still give into it. We lose perspective and act like animals growling and clawing for our territory or a morsel of food. We get bitter and lose our sense of identity, our sense of community, our sense of spirituality – Our attitude needs to be as mature and confessional as Asaph and Chesterton ...

  G. K. Chesterton, the famous philosopher/theologian, after seeing a series of articles on "What's Wrong with the World?" Chesterton sent a short letter to the editor. "Dear Sir: Regarding your article 'What's Wrong with the World?' I am. Yours truly, G. K. Chesterton."

But I ...
2. ²³ But I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. ²⁴ You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

We have something great even in distress. When we tune in to our internal desire for something that this world cannot offer we get a glimpse of the big picture.
Now where do we get such a perspective? What high ground gives us that kind of view?
¹⁶ When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me ¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary of God ...

Only in worship do we get a view of the big picture.
In worship – in the presence of God – we bring both our principles and our experience.
In worship there is a place for the lessons we’ve always been taught and the reality that never seems to match up to those lessons.