What is the meaning of Psalm 73:12? Behold “Behold” is Scripture’s way of saying, “Look closely; don’t rush past this.” Asaph invites us to step back and notice what is happening. • The psalmist isn’t blind to reality; he sees what anyone can see (Psalm 37:35: “I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree”). • God allows us to acknowledge what troubles us before He resolves it. Cross reference: Psalm 10:2–11 describes the arrogant confidence of the wicked from the same honest vantage point. these are the wicked Here is God’s plain label for those who live without reverence for Him. • Scripture consistently distinguishes the righteous and the wicked (Psalm 1:4–5). • Asaph is not envying noble unbelievers; he is calling out people who defiantly ignore God (Job 21:7: “Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?”). • The wickedness is moral and spiritual, not merely social; wealth may mask sin, but it cannot cancel it (Malachi 3:15). always carefree The wicked appear “at ease,” untouched by the hardships that test everyone else. • Psalm 55:19 notes “men who never change and have no fear of God,” highlighting the same complacency. • Jeremiah 12:1–2 complains that the wicked “take root; they go on bearing fruit.” • This ease is temporary (Luke 12:19–20): the fool who says, “Take life easy” hears God say, “This very night your life will be demanded from you.” Bullet points: – Outward calm does not equal inward peace. – Prosperity can anesthetize the conscience. – God’s patience, not His approval, allows this lull (Romans 2:4). as they increase their wealth Material gain seems linked to their carefree life, deepening the psalmist’s struggle. • Psalm 52:7: “Here now is the man who did not make God his refuge but trusted in the abundance of his wealth.” • Proverbs 11:28 warns, “He who trusts in his riches will fall.” • 1 Timothy 6:9 shows the snare behind the glitter: “Those who want to be rich fall into temptation.” List of truths: – Wealth can grow while character shrivels. – Unearned ease is not evidence of God’s favor but of His forbearance (Psalm 73:18–19). – The prosperity of the wicked will make their final judgment more obvious (James 5:1–5). summary Psalm 73:12 records a fact, not an endorsement: the wicked often seem relaxed and rich. God lets us see the tension between what is and what ought to be so that we will look beyond temporary appearances to eternal realities. This verse is a snapshot of the problem; the rest of the psalm (especially vv. 17–28) supplies the resolution—God is just, the sanctuary reveals the end, and those who cling to Him have the only wealth that endures. |
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