Asking Seven Forbidden Questions

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A worship leader ready to resign, a heart full of envy, and a sanctuary that changes everything—Psalm 73 reads like a journal entry we were never supposed to see. We walk with Asaph as he watches the ungodly thrive in wealth, ease, health, and status, and he dares to ask the questions many of us hide: Why do those who ignore God seem to get the best of life? Does faithfulness really pay off when my road is rough and theirs looks smooth?

We set the scene for Book III of the Psalter and reintroduce Asaph, the Levite musician appointed by David, whose honesty cuts through clichés. He catalogs the tensions: prosperity without piety, blasphemy rewarded with applause, and the sting of daily conviction that makes godliness feel costly. Then comes the hinge. Rather than slip away, Asaph steps into the sanctuary of God. That move doesn’t magically fix circumstances, but it reframes them. Worship expands his horizon beyond snapshots to the whole story, reminding us that apparent success can sit on shaky ground and that discipline is a mercy, not a penalty.

Across the conversation, we explore how envy narrows vision, how public candor requires pastoral wisdom, and how sacred space—Scripture, gathered worship, quiet prayer—reorders what we value. The takeaway is both sturdy and hopeful: honesty belongs with God, perspective lives in his presence, and the path steadies when we trade comparison for communion. If you’ve felt the ache of unfairness or the pull to give up, you’ll find language for your struggle and a next step toward clarity.

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (00:42):
Well, today we arrive at Psalm 73.
This Psalm begins the third ofthe five books of Psalms.
Scholars believe that whileDavid, the king, compiled books
one and two, it was the LeviteEzra who compiled the last three
and put the final arrangement onall five books.

(01:05):
Now let me switch gears byasking a question.
What if the man who was incharge of the music program for
the nation of Israel said, youknow, I'm going to quit my job
and I'm going to leave theministry, and it's all because
of all those wicked peoplearound me who have it so much
better than I do.
Well, if you can believe it, oneOld Testament music leader

(01:28):
almost did just that.
His name is Asaph, and heconfesses here in Psalm 73 to
nearly quitting his ministry forthat reason, and several more.
Asaph was a Levite, he's one ofthe three chief musicians
appointed by David to lead thechoral services of the
sanctuary.

(01:48):
He was a composer, arranger,singer, he was a director.
And I say all that to tell youthat Asaph's the last guy you
would ever think would quit,simply because unbelievers seem
to have it better than he did.
But that's what he admits to.
In fact, he even writes a songabout it here that we call Psalm

(02:09):
73.
Now Asaph starts out correctlyhere with this statement in
verse one.
Truly, God is good to Israel andto those who are pure in heart.
Well, that's true.
Now keep in mind that being purein heart isn't a reference to
perfection, but to connection.
The pure in heart are the peopleconnected to God by faith in his

(02:34):
mercy and his grace.
Now with this opening statement,ASAP makes a rather startling
confession here in verse two.
But as for me, my feet almoststumbled.
My steps had nearly slipped.
Now this great composer andarranger of Israel has just
admitted that he almost slippedoff the path.

(02:56):
Let me tell you, I thinkeverybody's awake now in Israel.
Asap now begins to pour out hishis inner battle with doubt and
questions and confusion.
Evidently he's had a longprivate battle with God.
It now becomes public as hewrites this song.
He proceeds to make a number ofstatements that clearly point to

(03:19):
some of these underlyingquestions that have been
bothering him.
These are what I want to callfor our study today forbidden
questions.
They're questions believers,well, you don't think you're
supposed to ask them, at leastout loud.
You might think them, but you'dnever write a song about them.
And the first question is thisWhy do unbelievers have more

(03:42):
money than I do?
Asaph says that here in versethree.
I was envious of the arrogantwhen I saw the prosperity of the
wicked.
See, Asaph's looking around atthese people.
They have no time for God.
Here he is dedicated to God, sowhy is it that he has a hard
time paying his bills?
And you know, that unbelieverover there seems to have plenty

(04:04):
of money left over.
Well, with that, Asaph moves onto another troubling question.
Here it is, why do unbelieversseem to have less pressure in
life than I do?
He complains to God here inverse four.
They have no pangs until death.

(04:24):
Now the word for pangs here canrefer to fetters or chains or
even internal struggles thatweigh you down.
He's saying here thatunbelievers just seem to glide
into eternity without anystruggle at all.
The road they're traveling seemsto be paved.
It's smooth.
ASAF says, My road seems to haveone pothole after another.

(04:48):
Here's another confusing issueAsaph records.
Why do unbelievers enjoy betterhealth than I do?
He writes here in verse 4.
Their bodies are fat and sleek.
Now to us that might not soundall that healthy.
You get fat when you eat toomuch chocolate cake, and some
people would say that isn't goodfor you.

(05:09):
I'm not sure I agree.
Well, the Hebrew expression heremeans healthy and strong.
In other words, Asaph is goingto the doctor every other month,
and his unbelieving neighborhadn't taken a sick day in ten
years.
Why is that ungodly personhealthier than I am?

(05:29):
Well, Asaph asks anotherforbidden question here that
you're not going to put on thechurch prayer list, but you're
sure wondering this.
Why do ungodly people seem tohave trouble free lives?
In verse 5 here, Asaph writes,They are not in trouble as
others are.
They're not stricken like therest of mankind.

(05:51):
In other words, they havetrouble free lives.
Lord, why is that?
ASAF wonders out loud.
It isn't fair.
Well then Asaph quickly moves onto another question.
Here it is.
Why aren't wicked people exposedfor who they really are?
He writes here in verse 6.

(06:11):
Pride is their necklace.
Well, you might remember whenPharaoh promoted Joseph, he gave
Joseph a golden necklace.
Belshazzar did the same thingfor Daniel, gave him a golden
necklace.
You see, these necklaces inancient days were tokens of
dignity and status.
So Asaph is wondering why wickedpeople get all the status.

(06:34):
They get promoted to places ofleadership when they ought to be
exposed.
I mean it looks like they'regetting away with their wicked
lives.
Well, here's another questionthat bothers Asaph.
Why are unbelievers allowed toblaspheme God without being
silenced?
Here in verse 9, Asaph describestheir blasphemy as he writes,

(06:58):
they set their mouths againstthe heavens, and their tongue
struts through the earth.
In other words, they'restrutting around like peacocks.
It's as if their tongues are infull and colorful display
against God.
Instead of being silenced, well,they they seem to be getting

(07:20):
standing ovations.
Verse 10 says, Therefore,unbelievers turn back to them
and find no fault in them.
I mean, get this.
Their defiance against God ismaking them popular.
Their sin is making them famous.
People find no fault in them.
In fact, the world can't getenough of them.

(07:41):
Asaph is struggling with this.
I don't know about you, but I dotoo.
Instead of being silenced byGod, Asaph writes here in verse
twelve, they are always at ease.
They increase in riches.
Now with that, Asaph moves tothe heart of his frustration.
And it isn't just about allthose unbelievers out there who

(08:04):
seem to be getting away witheverything.
Asaph writes here in verse 13,All in vain have I kept my heart
clean and washed my hands ininnocence.
His statement basically issaying this my commitment to God
has not paid off.
Now again, you're not going toask this question in Sunday

(08:25):
school, but here it is in print.
Living a godly life all theseyears doesn't seem to be worth
it to ASAP.
He writes here in verse 14, allthe day long I've been stricken
and rebuked every morning.
It's as if he says every day Iget out of bed, it isn't long
before God convicts me ofsomething.
I mean, look at all those wickedpeople around me, Asaph says.

(08:48):
God never rebukes them, itseems.
Well now Asaf admits he'scarried all this inside.
And he writes here in verse 15,If I had said, I will speak
thus, I would have betrayed thegeneration of your children.
In other words, I'm I'm Israel'smusic director.

(09:11):
If I if I bare my soul and sharemy frustrations, I could
negatively influence the nextgeneration.
And there's a lot of truth tothat, beloved.
Those of us who are older in thefaith need to be careful with
what we say and how we mightinfluence younger believers in
the faith.
But aren't you glad that God hadASAF put these forbidden

(09:32):
questions out here on paper?
God knows we've all wonderedsimilar things, whether you're
young in the faith or you're anolder believer.
It's actually it's actually easyfor our feet to slip to get all
caught up in this kind ofconfusion and frustration.
Perhaps right now, you can't seevery many advantages to living a

(09:55):
committed life for the Lord.
Maybe you're looking around atunbelievers, and just like ASF,
uh, you're wondering why yourlife has to be so difficult.
You're having a hard timecounting your blessings.
Well, I want to tell you, Asafisn't finished writing his
testimony out in song.

(10:15):
This first half has been fairlynegative.
It's been brutally honest, andfrankly, it's been uh rather
emotionally raw.
But something's gonna happenthat will change Asaph's
perspective, and it can changeours as well.
And I'll give you a clue.
Asaph begins this psalm byadmitting his steps have nearly

(10:39):
slipped, but rather than slipaway, he's going to slip inside
the sanctuary of God, and he'sgonna receive some answers from
the Lord.
And that'll be for next timehere on our wisdom journey.
Until then, may the grace of theLord Jesus Christ and the love
of God and the fellowship of theHoly Spirit be with you all.

(11:04):
Amen.