Why the Wicked Always Prosper - Psalm 77
This Psalm also holds the answer to how to get past that frustration
The 2nd 3rd season, last episode, of The Chosen focuses on the importance of the very foundation of our Christian life.
It helps us discover not only why we need for faith but why our faith must be genuinely tested by God so it may grow, and as a result, we become stronger in our faith.
Which makes sense - after all, who can sharpen a knife, never mind faith, on a sponge?
Another aspect of the last episode of season 2 comes in the form of Simon and his frustration with God.
Why is God taking care of His people and is, instead, taking care of everyone?
That is a simple frustration for us, but at the time, religion was VERY cliqueish.
There were the believers and there were the gentiles, and to them never should they mix company.
The test of faith is also seen in the feeding of the crowd, even though, at first, there were only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, as well as the entire group of soon-to-be apostles being tossed about in a boat and getting nowhere in a storm that is heavily pounding the Sea of Galilee.
To translate Simon’s perspective to today, we are seeing riches going to people who are of ill repute and could not care less about God.
As the saying goes, where you keep focusing is where you end up - keep focusing on a frustration, and you end up frustrated.
So, how to break that focus?
Go to Psalm 77
Psalms are a collection of songs King David approved, mostly sung and accompanied by string and air musical instruments of the day.
Psalm 77 is one of those remarkable psalms that begins in a place of felt alienation from God and moves to a place of triumphant praise.
It is probably a cry representing the distress of the nation as a whole.
It is a great example of a characteristic aspect of biblical spirituality.
We see in this psalm, and others like it, that faith is cultivated in the tension between human reality and the divine promises.
In Psalm 77, the reality for the psalmist is that he feels that God has forsaken his people, probably because of external military oppression.
The psalmist is Asaph, and this Psalm was presented to King David in a unique form - no instruments, only the human voice; the words were narrated while a choir hummed in the background.
The divine promises are implied in the historical precedents of the past.
Here we see that faith neither downplays the seriousness of the prevailing situation nor does it lower expectations of what we can expect from God.
Rather than seeking to resolve this tension between present reality and divine promise by dialing down either element of the tension, faith is dialing up both at the same time.
It seems that the Psalmist is seeking to provoke God's faithfulness by strongly appealing to the key covenant precedents.
This is faith at work, and it is profound and instructive.
The turning point of the psalm comes as the psalmist begins to reflect on the past acts of God.
This is a classic case of the Hebrew idea of walking into the future facing backwards.
Reflection on the acts of God in the past creates faith to face the future.
The events referred to here are, of course, those of the Exodus.
NOTE: verses 6-10 and 20 are not in the clip for some reason…
Source: BibleGateway, ESV
In the Day of Trouble, I Seek the Lord
To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.
(NOTE: The italicized verses are not in the clip from The Chosen)
77 I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 I said,[a] “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 Then I said,
“I will appeal to this, to the years of the
right hand of the Most High.”[b]
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.[c]
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Footnotes
a. Psalm 77:6 Hebrew lacks I said
b. Psalm 77:10 Or This is my grief: that the right hand of the Most High has changed
c. Psalm 77:19 Hebrew unknown
So, the frustration we sense when we feel God is favoring those who do not even acknowledge him is 2-fold…
your faith is being tested for He will provide for your needs, not for what you want
your perspective should be on His promises, not on what you want.
NOTE: Title changed from The Frustration of Seeing Evil Supposedly Getting Away with Everything - Psalm 77 to Why the Wicked Always Prosper - Psalm 77