DAY 220

TWO PSALMS

Psalm 72 & 73 and Romans 9:1-15

I thought we would take a day off from Romans, tomorrow we will spend some time looking at chapter nine. Today we have two Psalms before us, starting with Psalm 73 first.

Psalm 73 is a Psalm of “Asaph.” Who is that you might ask? Well we are not completely sure, but we have a pretty good idea. There are twelve psalms attributed to him (psalms 50, 73-83) and three Asaph’s in the Bible. One of them is associated with the Temple singers and it would seem that this is the author. It is a Psalm with a familiar theme: the prosperity of the wicked in contrast to their destiny, and the way of the righteous. Nowadays we have trouble calling people wicked. In days gone by it was easy to view people such as Hitler as wicked. Who are these prosperous wicked people? Do we dare name them, we who are not to judge?

You might suggest those so motivated by greed that they pushed the economy into one of its worst collapses ever. Or perhaps you think of those who prey on the helpless and innocent. We could build the list, but at the root of it we could sum this list up as those who oppose the way of God. Right living, moral living, is living that can only be accomplished through the work of God in our lives. Psalm 72 understands this complete reliance on God.

And if there is ever a human who will need such guidance it is a king. Psalm 72 is a royal Psalm thought to be written on the occasion of Solomon ascending the throne. “Give the king your justice O God” begins our Psalm; it is a psalm that asks for justice/righteousness, peace, power, compassion, and prosperity. Like other royal psalms, this one is also Messianic where while it refers to an Old Testament king, it has its ultimate fulfillment in the Ideal King…Jesus Christ.

The remarkable aspect of this psalm his how it applies to us. Jesus fulfills this psalm. He is the righteous powerful king of peace and compassion. He, in the face of the wicked, overcomes. He is our king!