“Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down
to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.
As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image.” Psalm 73:18-20
Asaph goes to the temple where God dwells. We don’t know the length of the stay, we only know he stays until he understands. Don’t miss that lesson! When in doubt, when temptation strikes, stay where God dwells until you understand the situation from God’s perspective. But we wonder, what did Asaph learn? Surely You set them Asaph begins with a note of assurance and confidence. In place of doubt he experienced faith. But this is not blind faith, it is faith in God. Note the pronoun, “you”. Asaph’s eyes are on the Lord. He uses the verb “shith” which means to put, place, or set something in a particular position. Strong’s Concordance says “in ancient Hebrew culture, the act of placing or setting something was often symbolic of authority, intention, or purpose. For example, setting a king on a throne was a significant act of establishing authority.” Asaph learned that no matter what he sees , God is in control, He sets people in the place they are in. God makes no mistakes. In slippery places God places some in a place which to man looks attractive (wealth) but which God knows is a slippery place. It can easily cause a person to slide away from knowing and trusting God. This is not a situation to be envied but to be leery of. You cast them down to destruction. Asaph’s time with God’s word has taught him another truth. The concept of casting or falling is prevalent in prophetic literature, where it pictures the downfall of nations or individuals due to disobedience or rebellion against God. The end of wealth is not the enjoyment or ease that Satan promises – instead it is total ruin. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! Asaph realizes the sudden end of the path of loving wealth. It leads to horror and waste – emptiness. In the biblical context, destruction (“shammah”) is frequently associated with the consequences of sin and rebellion – the wicked person’s heart. Asaph realizes God’s truth. The path of loving riches was seen as leading to divine displeasure and ultimately results in impending doom. They are utterly consumed with terrors Asaph comes to the realization that God’s word is true – wealth does not not lead to peace but to anxiety and worry. Whet Asaph was tempted to follow was a snare that would have entrapped his soul. As a dream when one awakes So, Lord when You awake You shall despise their image Asaph now understands that wealth is not a sign of God’s blessing. In fact win God’s eyes, He despises the pride and self-centeredness of the wicked wealthy. The Hebrew verb “bazah” conveys a strong sense of disdain or contempt. It describes a person’s attitude of scorn or disrespect towards someone or something considered unworthy or insignificant. What can we learn? Asaph sent time with God’s word and what He learns is that God is just and true. When circumstances in this life make God’s word look like it is wrong, spend time in His word and fill your heart with God’s truth until you see the way God sees. He never lies!