In my previous studies of the Psalms, when I got to Psalm 73 (see Posts 227-230), I was fascinated at just how honest and down to earth the psalmist was. Consider his words:
Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
He then goes on to explain his dilemma (read the Psalm if you have time) and how envy was impacting his life negatively, including his faith in God. He says:
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence…
21 When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
Thankfully, by the grace of God, he finally sees the truth and his perspective changes. He says:
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
He then realizes how good it is to know God (even if he lacks some of the luxuries of others) and concludes:
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
If envy is also a temptation for us Proverbs 23 & 24 give some useful advice. It says:
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off. (23:17-18)
Do not envy the wicked,
do not desire their company;
2 for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble. (24:1-2)
19 Do not fret because of evildoers
or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evildoer has no future hope,
and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. (24:19-20)
Just maybe, these “sinners” who one envies are wealthy and famous, and so the Proverb 23 adds:
4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
And then on the positive side:
12 Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge…
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
Having preached on Psalm 73, I was reminded by a member of the congregation that on the flip side of this Psalm was Psalm 37, so I checked it out, and he was right. Again, if you have time, read this amazing Psalm, but let me share a little with you here, noting the very helpful advice (in Bold font) the psalmist gives concerning this subject of envy:
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Jesus, when talking about spiritual defilement, included “envy” amongst other “evil” thoughts and actions which destroy people’s lives, as follows:
20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:20-23)
And a far better way is described by Paul when he speaks of God’s love which we as followers of Jesus are to display in our lives in relationship to others:
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
So, if envy is creeping into your life today, call out to God to fill you with His love and to redirect you into apply[ing] your heart to instruction… wisdom… and insight, and to Trust in the Lord and do good… Take delight in the Lord… Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him… Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. Amen.
Worship and Wisdom - Psalms and Proverbs 