4. According to Psalm 73:3-9, what did Asaph see that he found distressing?

⁴ What did Asaph see that had such an unbalancing effect on him? The answer is found in the words of Psalm 73:3-9. When Asaph observed the prosperity of the wicked, envy was stirred up within him. Unscrupulous men would boast about the wealth that they had accumulated by fraudulent means. Despite their lawlessness, things seemed to go very well for them.

HOW TO AVOID BEING THROWN OFF BALANCE

8. (a) Where did the psalmist go to readjust his thinking? (b) What should we do when we become unduly disturbed about the things that we see?

⁸ What did the psalmist do to readjust his thinking? Asaph went to the sanctuary. There among the assembled worshipers, he came to appreciate just what was in store for the wicked. (Ps. 73:17) Similarly, if you find yourself disturbed by what you see, seek to find the answers from those who are trying to be wholehearted in their service to God. What did Asaph come to appreciate? We read: “Surely on slippery ground is where you [Jehovah] place them. You have made them fall to ruins. O how they have become an object of astonishment as in a moment! How they have reached their end, have been brought to their finish through sudden terrors! Like a dream after awaking, O Jehovah, so when arousing yourself you will despise their very image.”​—Ps. 73:18-20.

9. According to Psalms 49:6-12 and 73:18-20, what should we recognize about the apparent prosperity of the wicked?

⁹ These words of the psalmist reveal a vital point that can help us to bear the injustices of an ungodly system. The seeming prosperity of the wicked is but temporary. Because their life centers solely around corruptible material possessions, they are standing “on slippery ground” and are in constant danger of experiencing a terrible crash, suddenly and without warning. At the latest, death will overtake them in old age, and their ill-gotten gain will be of no value in securing for them a longer life. (Ps. 49:6-12) Their prosperity will be like a dream that quickly passes. It may even be that justice will catch up with them long before they reach old age. The unchangeable law of God may go into effect against them: “Whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7) Since they have turned their backs on the Most High, the only One who could help them, the full impact of the disaster comes crashing down on them. They are left completely helpless, without hope and comfort. When Jehovah thus arouses himself against them, he will view their “image,” their pomp and position, with contempt, as something worthless.

10. In connection with the seeming success of the wicked, what should we keep in mind regarding God’s purpose?

¹⁰ Therefore, during the time that injustice, lawlessness and oppression seem to be flourishing, we must never forget that the wicked are not really getting away with anything. Jehovah God is taking note of what is happening, and he is allowing matters to work out in harmony with his grand purpose. At times, when individuals take a wrong course and experience suffering as a result, they come to their senses and turn to the Creator in sincere repentance. (2 Pet. 3:9) On the other hand, if they harden themselves in their evil ways, it becomes clear to all observers that the execution of God’s judgment against them is justified, completely righteous.​—Compare Romans 9:14-24.

11. What viewpoint of time will aid us to wait patiently on Jehovah God to rectify injustices?

¹¹ To us, it may seem that it takes a long time for justice to be executed against those who merit punishment. But it is a very short time in the sight of the eternal God. The Bible says: “A thousand years are in your eyes but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch during the night.” (Ps. 90:4) How long does yesterday seem to you today? Perhaps you did have a trying day, and it may have seemed that the day would never end. Now that it is over, does it not appear as if that day hardly existed? To the Creator, a thousand years are like this, in fact, even as brief as a four-hour watch during the night. Hence, the human life-span of but 70 or 80 years is virtually nonexistent in God’s sight. “We have finished our years just like a whisper,” wrote the prophet Moses. (Ps. 90:9) Yes, our brief life-span may be compared to a breath that passes our lips in a whisper. When we consider that Jehovah God promises to give his loyal servants an eternity of happy living in peace and security, even a lifetime of extreme suffering is nothing at all. This viewpoint can help us to be patient when we are troubled by having to face injustice, oppression and favoritism.