Introduction: Asaph was apparently worship leader during some of Solomon’s reign and into Rehoboam’s time on the throne. He was a very important Levite. This is the first psalm in Book Three of the Psalms. There are five subdivisions in the Psalms thought by many to be one for each of the five books of Moses. The third book is Leviticus which has a lot to do with sacrifices.
1 Truly God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. – If you are like me you will have fallen in love with Asaph already! He has a basic understanding of God’s relationship with Israel and he knows that God desires heart purity! But underlying that he is honest – he confesses his falling into the trap of jealousy! Have you ever felt your feet slipping on this ethical banana skin? For the next six verses we have a pointed description of an arrogant person, arrogant because of their getting away with evil practices and standing proud!
4 For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. – although some seek health and don’t overeat and become unhealthily fat, they are ‘fat’ with success!
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them as a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out through fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against the heavens,
and their tongue struts through the earth.
Comment: And so we see a picture of this well dressed, eloquent, successful person rebelling against God. There are many who fit this picture well and are seen every day in modern life. I’m pretty sure that you could fit names to some of them, maybe politicians, maybe media or business people. Some are able to cover the ‘underneath’ reality with a likeable ‘sham’ covering but God sees straight through to the real you and me!
Somehow they have made ‘pride’ into a pearl like necklace or fancy tie. Violence has been shaped like a dazzling dress or suit. They have a successful look; they speak well but any discerning person can hear the hidden intent behind the prideful scoffing and fancy promises. The final verse presents them as not thinking beyond earthly existence and while not being absolutely sure what Asaph meant by this phrase. ‘their tongue struts through the earth.‘ I think they depend on science, some of which is blatantly false or only part of the picture!
Proverbs 4: 14-17 – Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Prayer: Help me, please, to see the traps which Satan lays across my life to entrap me in evil. Help me to remember that evil sometimes looks very nice!
As I read it! 