Week 3 | Songs of Summer | Psalm 73 | Tom Avey
Podcast Description
In this message from Psalm 73, Dr. Tom Avey walks through Asaph’s honest struggle with envy, bitterness, and confusion when the wicked seem to prosper while the faithful suffer. Psalm 73 begins with a declaration that God is good, but quickly moves into the tension many believers know well: “Why does it look like people far from God are doing just fine, while following Him feels costly?”
The turning point comes when Asaph enters the sanctuary of God. In God’s presence, his perspective changes. He sees that the prosperity of the wicked is not as secure as it appears, and he also sees how bitterness has been shaping his own heart. The psalm moves from lament to praise as Asaph remembers that God is near, that God holds him, guides him, and will ultimately bring him into glory.
Dr. Avey reminds us that comparison can quietly poison the soul, but honest lament before the Father can lead us back to trust. Whatever God has placed in our “bowl,” even when it is hard, we are invited to crawl into the Father’s lap, bring our pain honestly to Him, and discover again that He is good, kind, near, and enough.
Sermon Outline
Psalm 73 begins with truth: God is good.
Asaph’s struggle: he envies the prosperity of the wicked.
The danger: comparison can become a root of bitterness.
The turning point: Asaph stops talking and enters the sanctuary.
In God’s presence, he sees the true end of the wicked.
In God’s presence, he sees the condition of his own heart.
The movement from lament to praise: “Yet I am always with you.”
The invitation: look to the Father, not just what He has placed in your bowl.
The hope: God can handle our grief, questions, and pain.
The conclusion: it is good to be near God.