During 2025, Peachtree Church is focusing on the Book of Psalms with a series called Dwell, through which we seek to deepen our conversation with God and open ourselves to hearing his response. The practice of praying three times each day will unite the voices of our hearts and souls as we seek the day when we will see the full realization of the Kingdom of God, promised in Revelation 21:3: “…Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
We will email devotionals twice weekly with Monday’s providing an overview of the Psalm as a whole, and Wednesday’s focused on that week’s Daily Dwell.
Psalm 73:26
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Devotional
One thing I love about the Psalms is that they do not pretty up the human condition. They reflect real life and real attitudes. In our Psalm for this week, we see the Psalmist is jealous to the core, and the people he envies are wealthy sinners. They display every objectionable quality: violence, greed, pride, callousness, arrogance. Unbelievably, God doesn’t ever seem to punish them and worst of all, they just keep getting richer and more influential! It’s driving the Psalmist crazy. He even thinks, “What is the point of my being faithful to God when I suffer and struggle, and these fat cats prosper when they do all kinds of evil? “
In a way, the Psalmist here reminds me of the elder son in the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. When his younger brother comes back home and is greeted by their father with joy and celebration, the elder brother is angry and jealous. He feels cheated. He won’t join the reunion. He says to his father, “All these years I slaved for you, and you never threw a party for me and my friends.”
In a similar way, the Psalmist is angry at the prosperity of those he sees as gross sinners, and he even feels angry that he has been faithful: “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure, and have washed my hands in innocence.”
Both the elder son and the Psalmist feel they’ve done everything right, and their reward is non-existent.
And then there is a turning point in the Psalmist’s thinking in verses 15-17. He suddenly has a realization of the evildoer’s ultimate fate. There will be a consequence that comes to the wicked from God’s hand. Then, very beautifully, in verses 23-28 he begins to think about what life is like by the Father’s side. He remembers that the Father leads him by the hand and gives him wisdom and that at the end of his days, he will join God in glory. All the jealousy falls away and the sweetness and trust of living by the Father’s side fills his mind. (We can only hope that the elder son got to this point with his own father.)
Instead of living in opposition and envy of others, the Psalmist thinks how good it is to live in the light of the Father. And life becomes sweet again.
For Reflection
- Why do you think we focus on the deeds and misdeeds of others? What does that do to us?
- Have you ever resented your own lot in life, as you try to live on the straight and narrow and others are celebrated for their excesses?
- What is a diet of envy like?
Prayer
Dear Lord, I look at other people’s lot in life and I think that they don’t deserve it, because they don’t live right. I look at their “stuff” and my “stuff” and it seems they have so much and I have so little. Then I remember what my life is like with you leading me, loving me, forgiving me, drawing me towards yourself in love and grace—and I am not envious of them anymore. I love the life I have by your side, and I can let go my jealousy. Lord, keep me close, free of the pull of envy and anger. Keep my heart in your care, AMEN
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